TOPIC: Gull Lake Boat show 2015

Bill in his Barnes. Andreas in his Thompson on the other side of the dock.
60 Dorsett

Del in his CarAqua

Very cool. Must have been early in the morning. I had my rain gear on still.


I think I gave myself pneumonia again from my early morning foggy boat ride on Friday to get the show from the resort about 5 miles down the lake. I am hacking up a lung

Andreas

Hello All,

Thanks for posting pictures of the pretty plastic Tomahawk.

We took the long drive up to Nisswa MN from Chicago for the Bob Speltz Chapter ACBS show on Gull Lake. And glad we did because it was awesome.

There were classic wood, glass and metal boats to see and enjoy that filled the harbor end to end.

My goal was to get pictures of each boat and I got a bunch but probably missed a few of the 100+ boats in the water.

I finally met the renowned ThompsonboatMan Andreas with his great 1955 Thompson Thomboy ‘Thommy’ with Johnson 35. Hope your lung is healing Andreas.

One of my favorites was an all original 1930 hand built powered by a 1930 Johnson P50 20hp.



I was told this was the last year for the rotary carburetor.

Blake is an authority on the history of the boat and motor and we got to see it running out in the bay on Saturday. The barn find was scratch built by Glen Bucks from Glencoe MN and is said to be patterned after the “Baby Gar”.
Another beauty is Jane’s very original 1959 Cruisers Commander with 59 Merc Mark 78A and is appropriately named ‘Buster’



More later:

Thanks,
Terry

I would like to add this partial listing of award winners.

Outboard W Steering
1958 15′ Barnes Shark Boat (Bill Anderson) Platinum
Congratulations Bill and Nancy

1959 15’9” Marine Plastic Co. Runabout CarAqua (Del Van Emmerik) Gold
And congratulations to Del and Diane

Outboard Simple1930 12′ Glen Bucks Originality Award (The Ernst Family) Gold



Publication Awards– from the Large Chapters – THE BOATHOUSE, editor Lee Wangstad of Bob Speltz Land o’ Lakes
– from Mid-sized Chapter – AT THE WATERLINE, editor Wil Vidal, Glacier Lakes

Special congratulations and thanks to Lee and Wil. And Lee thanks for the heads upon the turbo entabulator glitch.

More awesome show coverage, THANK YOU guys! Looks like a "bucket list" show for anyone who can get there.

Only about 5 hrs for me, but I think Bill A. told me it is by invite to bring a boat.

Video from youtube

No Gene not this one you have to be a acbs member and pre reg,,they were limited on dock space because it was an international show,, I reg back in april,,nice video Erik on terry cruising,, Bill

Thanks for posting the video of Mama Mia! at Gull Lake Tomahawk. We signed up to late too and couldn’t get a slip to show our 59 Sedan.


Another favorite was this very rare 1955 Alumna Craft M16 powered by Crosley 30 HP inboard
‘War Canoe’





We saw two boats that in my eyes were truly show stoppers. Nearly identical 1961 Chris Craft Continentals that were lined up one in front of the other was an amazing sight to see.
‘Fin and Tonic’ with 275hp Lincoln and ‘Over the Top’ powered by CC 275 hp and both were winners.

Classic Utility Preserved
1961 21′ Chris-Craft Continental Hardtop “Fin & Tonic” (Derk Brill) Platinum




Derk was motivated to bring his boat all the way from CA knowing 'Over the Top' was to be in the show.

Classic Utility Restored
1961 21′ Chris-Craft Continental Hardtop “Over the Top” (Paul Harrison) Gold


And Paul pulled his boat down from Calgary AB


A perfect description of this great ACBS event.

More to come:

Thanks,
Terry

Great photos Terry.

The show is NOT by invite. Anyone that is an ACBS member can come with a watercraft. But one must register early to insure a spot. I was the 107th boat to register.

It was a wonderful event. It far exceeded my expectations.

My buddy Blake with his dad's 1930 boat was so funny. On Saturday after the show he told me that "three white haired old guys were huddle around and I heard them say that the "boat didn't fit any category, but it deserves an award""

Later that evening the boat was presented with an award for "Best Simple Outboard (no steering or windshield)" that was "made up" by the judging committee that day! 11 year old Blake and his dad were very proud!

Andreas

Next Year's ACBS International Show is on Lake Tahoe. Sadly, two stroke outboards are not allowed on the lake. So vintage powered outboard boats will be scarce at that show.

The uproar by classic outboarders a few years ago when the ACBS show was on Tahoe feel on deaf ears. No chance of change in this particular issue for 2016. SAD

Andreas

Terry,

Thanks for the photos of the two 61's, can't get enough of them. Mine is still being worked on at Marine Services Unlimited. It should be ready in about another year.

Thanks for sharing the pictures. All of these boats, glass, lumi, and wood are all outstanding. Bill's Barnes, those fins are absurd and Del's cool color Caraqua with them twin motors. The all red Dorsett Catalina, gorgeous, and the every fascinating story behind the Falls Flyers. Andreas, that's the first time I've seen your Thompson. Dig the dual cockpit. What length is your Thompson Andreas? The Alumacraft make is a favorite of my friend's; he owns several models, so I can appreciate this rare inboard lumi. And of course the high end wooden boats and can't leave out Terry's super clean Sedan.

Andreas, my friend Norm showed his Tollycraft in the 2010 Lake Tahoe Concourse classic boat show, and they allowed him to have his boat in the water. He has a 2 stroke in Tahoe, but you may be able to show your boat from the water. Maybe for next year's international ACBS show, they may allow that. I'll have to look into next year's show at Tahoe.

Eduardo

Eduardo, my 1955 Thompson Thomboy is a 14 footer. Her actual centerline length is 13'4" or so. The boat is unrestored. She has had maintenance coats of varnish and paint added. But she has never been stripped and never been restored. I am the third caretaker of the boat and I have had her for 15 years.


My Thomboy was used on one of the three posters that artist Brian Jensen created for the show. It's easy to spot, it's the only outboard boat on any of the posters. I was poster boy for the Madison classic boat show in 2013 - an image of me driving the Thomboy on Lake Monona in Madison.

Andreas

Thanks all you Guys,

As always it’s my pleasure to share.

We also had the opportunity to visit the Martine Museum in Alexandria Minnesota. I was blown away by this collection and the historic presentation of the various makes.

This 1958 Chris-Craft Silver Arrow is a breathtaking example of their early venture into using FG technology. The planked hull is glassed over with a molded upper deck.



The rear bucket seats are just too cool.

Another was this beautiful example of the 1955 Chris-Craft 18’ Cobra. Construction is all wood other than the fin and deck lid.


The museum also has a great collection of Gar Wood boats, the history of the company, and its accomplishments.

1947 19’6’’ Deluxe Runabout with 150 hp Chrysler straight eight.



Gar Wood Jr. formed Wood Marine Engineering Company in 1947 and produced fiberglass boats.
They called the technology GARFORM Nautilite and of course claimed it to be exceptionally durable, need never be calked or painted (the color is imbedded in the glass-plastic material), and will be impervious to worms.

1947 Garform 16’ 8” inboard with Gray Marine Phantom 4, 45 hp with reduction V-drive



Also had the chance to get up close to this magnificent Gar Wood Liberty Marine Engine. Manufactured by Packard as an aircraft engine and converted by Gar Wood’s Detroit Marine-Aero Engine Company. They were made available in standard 400 hp or the hi-speed 500 hp models.



Stay tuned:

Thanks,
Terry

Thanks for your reporting Terry. Great stuff!

Andreas

This a you tube link to the aerial drone video of the show. This was done by a local brewery, Gull Dam Beer.
This is probably the best way to appreciate the size scope of the show.
You should be able to spot Bill Anderson in his red and white Barnes, and Del VanEmmrik in his aqua and white Car Aqua.
The video is a bit long,but the beginning and ending stand out.



Don

Hey All,

Thanks for posting that Gull Damn video Flying Fish. I wanted to try one just so I could walk up and say give me a gull damn beer.

We saw 3 boats in the show that had the Liberty V-12 engines.

One awesome example was a 1924 Hacker Craft ‘Evangeline’ with Liberty V-12 450 HP and built for Henry Ford.


Ford also built the Liberty engines as did Packard, Buick, and Lincoln following the U.S. declaring war on Germany in 1917.

Woody Boater covered Evangeline and its fascinating story last fall.

See:
www.woodyboater.com/blog/2014/10/09/ford/

Gentleman start that engine!



Still have lots more.

Thanks,
Terry

And a couple more of the fantastic water craft on display at Bar Harbor.

1922 22’ Hacker Craft race boat ‘Apache II' with Liberty V12 400 HP





1931 40’ Hacker Craft ‘Lock Pat II' powered by Packard 1A-2025 800 HP Aero Engine which was a 4 valve/cylinder up-rating of the Packard Liberty. This engine was designed and built for the Pulitzer Trophy Air Speed race in 1919.







Incredible scratch built model of Lock Pat II with actual mahogany planking curved, beveled and tapered and fastened at 13,000 locations. All metal trim pieces hand fabricated an attached with 1000 size 000 screws.

I failed to mention in previous post the last 2 boats shown were also award winners.

Race Boats
1922 29′ Hackercraft Gentlemans Raceboat “Apache II” (Lee Anderson)

Preserved Antique Runabouts over 22′
1931 40′ Hackercraft Runabout “Lock Pat II” (Lee Anderson) BEST OF SHOW

Another way cool old boat was this 1938 25’ Chris Craft Clipper ‘Klondike’ with K85 6 cyl and was also a winner.

Restored Cruiser
1938 25 Chris-Craft Clipper “Klondike” (Paul Anderson) BEST OF SHOW

Paul and Bobbi brought ‘Klondike’ all the way over from CA. When I first glanced at Klondike I thought I had seen her before and sure enough talking to Paul he mentioned they brought it to Geneva Lake for the international show in 2011. There they also won best of show and in 2010 the great old boat took best of show at Lake Tahoe.


Although here I first saw her from a distance and thought it was a boat I had seen in photograph only moments before hanging inside the supper club. And it turns out it they were near identical boats and looking at delivery dates it is speculated they may have come down the assembly line at the same time.

There was a newspaper article dated May 12, 1938 that accompanied this photo. It told the story of launching the “Bar Harbor Clipper” which was purchased to bring guests from Gull Lake resorts to the magnificent Bar Harbor night club.

May be difficult to read but the second paragraph has a great description of the boat a delivered from Algonac.

Launch Category
1929 36′ Bell Labs Limousine “Tolka” (Lee Anderson) Gold





‘Tolka’ was built at Alexander Graham Bell Laboratories in Nova Scotia.


This historic boat was crafted by Frederick (Casey) Baldwin who was a partner of Bell and a skilled engineer and brilliant designer. She was found abandoned in the woods in 2005 and restored by Peter Breen for Lee Anderson.


See more information on this fantastic boat:

www.tolkaboat.com/

Thanks,
Terry