No, you're not nuts. They are beautiful, as long as they belong to someone else with deep pockets! You should check out the Lake Winnespausakee (NH) Antique Car & Wooden Boat Show. Usually around the first week in October. Just old cars and old boats! (And if you hang around until after the awards are announced there's a good chance of a ride in one in one of the old wooden power boats, with three leather trimmed compartments, off across the lake with the stern down and the bow out of the water as you relive the glory days!)
my problem is that no one does a thorough photo gallery of the event. The only one I could find is 5 years old http://www.woodyboater.com/blog/2012/07/29/captain-grumpy-live-ish-from-the-lake-winnipesaukee-antique-classic-boat-show/
You're right, aluminum and fiberglass became the choice for weight, low maintenance, and low cost, but none can match the beauty of the wooden boats with spar varnish.
You are not a nut. It is a thing of beauty to see a wooden vessel underway doing what she was designed for. Almost my entire professional career consisted of being the Captain on wooden sailing schooners - it is a small community of dedicated owners of all financial levels, and there was always a helpful, appreciative hand extended on any dock I was at around the world.
My last boat..other than the 10' Aluminum hanging in my shop, was a 1962 Century with a Gray Marine 109...Every winter I was in my garage sanding and putting new varnish on it...Kept me out of the bars... The exhaust sound of a Century or Chris-Craft is music to the ears, like a high cam lift street ride...
I only have ever had one boat, a 1956 Chris Craft Constellation, 46 foot. Cost me 30 thou, had to give it away when the post of San Diego decided to change the rules of the free anchorage, to add a 5 thousand dollar deposit. I didn't have the cash, and still have to pay down the credit card I used for shipyard costs and replacing one engine... it had dual chevy 350s
No, you're not nuts. They are beautiful, as long as they belong to someone else with deep pockets! You should check out the Lake Winnespausakee (NH) Antique Car & Wooden Boat Show. Usually around the first week in October. Just old cars and old boats! (And if you hang around until after the awards are announced there's a good chance of a ride in one in one of the old wooden power boats, with three leather trimmed compartments, off across the lake with the stern down and the bow out of the water as you relive the glory days!)
ReplyDeletemy problem is that no one does a thorough photo gallery of the event. The only one I could find is 5 years old
Deletehttp://www.woodyboater.com/blog/2012/07/29/captain-grumpy-live-ish-from-the-lake-winnipesaukee-antique-classic-boat-show/
You're right, aluminum and fiberglass became the choice for weight, low maintenance, and low cost, but none can match the beauty of the wooden boats with spar varnish.
ReplyDeleteYou are not a nut. It is a thing of beauty to see a wooden vessel underway doing what she was designed for.
ReplyDeleteAlmost my entire professional career consisted of being the Captain on wooden sailing schooners - it is a small community of dedicated owners of all financial levels, and there was always a helpful, appreciative hand extended on any dock I was at around the world.
My last boat..other than the 10' Aluminum hanging in my shop, was a 1962 Century with a Gray Marine 109...Every winter I was in my garage sanding and putting new varnish on it...Kept me out of the bars...
ReplyDeleteThe exhaust sound of a Century or Chris-Craft is music to the ears, like a high cam lift street ride...
I only have ever had one boat, a 1956 Chris Craft Constellation, 46 foot. Cost me 30 thou, had to give it away when the post of San Diego decided to change the rules of the free anchorage, to add a 5 thousand dollar deposit. I didn't have the cash, and still have to pay down the credit card I used for shipyard costs and replacing one engine... it had dual chevy 350s
DeleteMoses, that's a should-be happy story with a wicked sad ending!
ReplyDelete