by Margaret Horn, Columbia Willamette Chapter
The Columbia Willamette Chapter (CWC) of ACBS is lucky to have Frank Robinson as an active member. For 31 years, this quiet man who never seeks to be the center of attention has served his chapter on the Board of Directors as well as in various other capacities.
In addition to his passion for antique boats, Frank is an accomplished artist who has designed many wood carvings for CWC awards which has allowed the chapter to get creative at annual meetings and boat shows. Even if you haven’t been to a CWC event, you may be familiar with Frank’s work as he has also donated large carvings to ACBS for the International Show’s education fund auction as well as carvings to benefit fundraising for the Hydroplane Museum in Kent, Washington.
Here are a few of his clever designs:
“Tow, Tow, Tow Your Boat” for the person needing the most tows per year.
“The Ouch Award” for the most disastrous boat story of the year.
“Show Me The Money” award for the person who raised the most money for our organization.
Last, and certainly not least, Frank creates charcuterie boards for those who open their homes for a CWC event. He traces a photo of the home or boat onto a board before burning the design in.
“I got started carving by whittling with a pocket knife that I got from my Uncle for Christmas when I was about eight years old,” says Frank. He then graduated to relief carvings after being given a set of small wood gouges when he was12.
He found his way to ACBS and CWC in 1993 when he was looking for information and contacts as he refinished a 1928 Dodge Watercar that had been in his family since 1939. (He still has it!) Somewhere about 2000, he started carving trophies for CWC boat shows.
“Being a member of the ACBS has been a great experience,” says Frank, “and my carvings have been a small way to show my appreciation to my fellow members.”