Appreciation for old boats and old cars is so similar.
They both are head-turners as they parade. The styling speaks to a certain era of artistic values. Progression of engineering becomes evident when different age classifications are shown in sequence.
So it’s perfectly natural to see the two fields of interest attracting the same audience. At last week’s Barrett Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, Antique Boat America had a prominent display. They had:
- four boats from different eras,
- a sales staff to visit with the public,
- great signage,
- and always many people examining the boats.
Peter Mellon, the owner of Antique Boat America, says that the Classic Car aficionado appreciates the restoration work that has been done on the displayed boats and most are even surprised that the price of a restored boat is very reasonable, usually less than they expected.
The Barrett Jackson Car Auction attracts over 320,000 people in Scottsdale, Arizona to see the “miles” of cars, “thousands” of vendors, besides the live auction of automobile paraphernalia, and cars, AND BOATS.
There were at least two boats in the 2018 Scottsdale Auction this year:
This 1927 Ditchburn 21 ft Gentleman’s Racer sold at auction for $49,500. The signage headline says, “Not only is this boat the original 1927 Ditchburn, in the subsequent restoration, many new things were added to modernize the boat for safer and more comfortable use.”
Another eye-catcher was this 2008 Malibu Corvette 206 Boat: 
It has the makings of becoming a classic. It is powered with a 427 ci LS7 engine. The Corvette boat sold for $39,600 plus $1,100 for the trailer.
How is your chapter working with other groups with “vintage” interests?
- Have a boat showing at a vintage aircraft fly-in
- Get invited to show a few boats at Classic Car Shows
- Combine a few trailered boats with vintage cars for the local cruising nights
- Invite the Classic Car, Antique Outboards, Old Tractor Club, etc. to display at your next boat show
Then share a report and pictures for the world to see. Email to kathyparker@acbs.org