By John and Kirsten Lents, Michigan Chapter Taurus is a 1940 Chris-Craft 18’ Deluxe Utility, Hull # 81169. One thing that makes it unique is that it was ordered with a straight windshield. In 1940 Chris-Craft started putting split windshields on their utility’s, so Taurus looks more like a 1938 or 1939 boat than a…
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Jennie Dahlby, Pacific Northwest Chapter I purchased a 1958 Larson Thunderhawk last year from ACBS member Maren Finzer. The story of the boat in the PNW begins with Maren, in her words: It was the Corvette tail fins that caught my attention on the shiny red and white 1958 Larson Thunderhawk. I had just moved…
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By Tom Rusert, Niagara Frontier Chapter My wife Peggy and I joined ACBS Niagara Frontier Chapter in 1978 and have been active members ever since. In 1981 we were looking for a boat bigger than our 16-foot Starcraft to accommodate our growing family. We found a 1963 Roamer Silver Comet that was sound but cosmetically…
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by Mike Czuprenski, Michigan Chapter Shortly after our first child was born in 1981, my wife and I decided it’d be a whole lot easier to go camping if we had a trailer to load up all our supplies. Mentioning that to one of my old college roommates, he remarked how his family used to…
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By Bill and Bobbi Vogel, Sunnyland Chapter My wife and I are avid boaters. We spend time on the Florida waterways many times each week. Whether it is investigating backwater paths on local rivers, cruising on one of the many lakes or shelling on saltwater coves and islands, our fondest memories always seem to include…
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By Don Brandt, ACBS Member Driving home from a weekend sail on Chesapeake Bay in fall of 1987, I spotted a wooden “runabout” and trailer for sale along the highway. Such boats were scarce in that area and it was my chance to own a “Woodie”. Impulsively, I plunked down my $3000 and trailered my…
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By Alan Hills, North Carolina Coastal & Piedmont Chapter I have owned many boats in my life, both power and sail, but have only owned one boat twice. That would be True Blue, a Carl Alberg designed 26’ Pearson Commander sloop built in 1967. The first round of ownership was a partnership with my friend…
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By Rex and Sue Wangler, Jerry Dyhrkopp Iowa Great Lakes Chapter This 1940 Chris-Craft 17-foot Deluxe Runabout, now owned by Rex & Sue Wangler, was delivered to Monroe, NY on July 12, 1940. Her newest port as of August, 2018 are the fabled and renowned “Blue Waters” of West Okoboji Lake, Iowa. In the similar…
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By Harvey Lambeth Jr., Adirondack Chapter My Dad purchased the “Highlander” in 1954, two years barely used and unnamed. I was 13 and our family was part of a large, extended family who now number near 300. My great grandmother, Lillian Tuttle, was born in 1856, in the town of Bolton on a farm in…
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By David Grooters, ACBS Member In November of 2004, I was at a luncheon table and the conversation went from boats to Whalers specifically. The fella across from me mentioned he had a 15-foot Whaler for sale. Well, I’ve had numerous Whalers, 13-feet, 17-feet, 25-feet and even Squalls but never a 15-foot. I told him…
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By Bill Conley, North Carolina Coastal & Piedmont Chapter Since 1975 I have been building furniture for our house. A large wall unit, a curio cabinet, a grandfather clock, and a couple of bookcases. In 2003, we bought a condo in Beaufort, NC. I still lived and worked in Raleigh, NC, but we started spending…
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By Chuck and Diane Thornton, Land O’ Lakes Classic Boat Club During the winter of 1956-57, Gene Bartachek saw a Taft Marine Woodcraft kit boat ad in one of his favorite mechanics magazine. He requested their brochure and shortly afterwards ordered the Model 950, 18 ft. Offshore Cruiser. The price was $399 including shipping, minus…
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