TOPIC: ACBS membership question and a fun question

I was just wondering how many here belong to the ACBS that do NOT own a wooden boat?

And the fun question. What do You consider a "classic" boat to be?

i'm a member of the Philadelphia Chapter ACBS and own a glass boat. any boat up until 1970.

Not a member but I built mine. I also have a glassic 63 Starcraft 14' Ranger.

Any boat or outboard motor built prior to 1970, as Ron stated.

My 1960 Glasspar G-3 with 1969 Merc 1000 (100 hp).

Any boat or outboard motor built prior to 1970, as Ron stated.

My 1960 Glasspar G-3 with 1969 Merc 1000 (100 hp).

I have 3 wooden boats and am not a member.

I'd draw the line sometime in the 1980's where every manufacturer decided a large bow rider was the only model to offer. Between those and pontoons, there is nothing since 1990 worth looking at on the lake. Good thing we keep the old ones out there!

My dad always had a membership to the ACBS. Now that he is gone I will have to join. I have both wood and glass boats. You can't beat the crazy shapes that fiberglass makes possible. (too bad the industry forgot that fact)

I'd draw the line sometime in the 1980's where every manufacturer decided a large bow rider was the only model to offer. Between those and pontoons, there is nothing since 1990 worth looking at on the lake. Good thing we keep the old ones out there!

My dad always had a membership to the ACBS. Now that he is gone I will have to join. I have both wood and glass boats. You can't beat the crazy shapes that fiberglass makes possible. (too bad the industry forgot that fact)

Actually I believe the ACBS dates are up to 1976 Boats. Recently raised, around the 35 yr rule... FiberGlassics here has the 1970
forum bracket.. YES , I was member for 2011 & they keep your
membership # from 1st year join.. Have a low # from 1984.
No woods boats left , two glass , two Aluminum classics.

I've been a member of the ACBS since I was 26 years old (I'm now 50). Back then it was a bunch of cranky old men that thought wood was all a boat should be made of. When the vote was mailed to members to allow Fiberglassics into the wood world, I voted Yes. I love the fiber fins !!! I've got 4 wood boats.... 1 floats, and 2 fiber wrecks. I figure I have enough projects now.
As for the "Classic" I'd say 35 years old.

I am not a member. I only have fiberglass. I am cheap. Have not seen the benefit yet. I still might be willing to sign up.

The benefits ? depends on the chapter ? I can't speak for most chapters, But the Niagara Frontier chapter has seasonal workshops with hands on demo.s, they even have a dedicated workshop for boat projects.
I've always enjoyed the workshops, and I'm really enjoying this web-site, because it's a wealth of knowledge almost like the workshops, but without being there.

I am an ACBS memebr and have both classic wooden and fiberglass boats.

ACBS NEVER restricted membership or participation to wood only boats. That is a myth. All the original charter and corporation papers never said it was a wooden boat group. It was open to anything antique and classic. Grumpy old white men, yes indeed!

Now, in reality, the non-wood boats were really not welcome by many ACBS members and powers that be for many years. Some chapters and members only thought of a Chris-Craft or Century or GarWood as being worthy of inclusion. They didn't even think a painted wooden boat or a lapstrake or a cedar strip fishing boat was to be inlcuded.

That has changed over the past 15 years or so. And of course it depends upon the chapter.

Participate with your classic fiberglass, rubber, and metal watercraft and you will slowly change attitudes.

Andreas

thompsonboat wrote:

Participate with your classic fiberglass, rubber, and metal watercraft and you will slowly change attitudes.

Andreas

Yes! Very important!

I don't want to spend every week end at a show. That gets to be too much work. I've attended the show on Crosslake most years since about 1988. I'm considering participating in another show besides the Crosslake/Moonlight Bay show this year. What are your opinions of the Alexandria or lake Minnetonka shows?

Todd

I'm a member of ACBS because I like the chapter and location of the meet. We belong to the Wine Country Classics Chapter in the western Finger Lakes of NY. It's a hike from where we live south of Albany, but I've made some good friends there and love the lake the annual meet is on. We take a week to two vacation around the meet just to boat on Keuka Lake and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Frank

Not a member. Have a transition boat, Wagemaker fiber hull/Mahogany top (in avatar) and wood Century. Thinking of joining though. Haven't made up my mind yet.

Bob

I joined ACBS in '05 when I started restoring my Century Sabre. Lots of good information and contacts but there was really nothing in the organization that kept my interest so I dropped out in '10. Don't get me wrong, it is a wonderful organization but just didn't suit me.
Classics are in the eye of the beholder. Even good jokes are classics. (Abbot and Costello, who's on first as an example)

I have one "wooden" and several 'glass inboards dating between 1962 and 1970. My "wood" is a 62 Higgins plywood boat(might as well be fiberglass in some eyes).

I am not a member for a couple reasons. Attitude of some of the members hurts them from gaining more. (I love having them call my 62 Correct Craft, a "tupperware" boat)......

Second, distance... the nearest chapter is over 2 hours away. A friend tried to start a local chapter a few years ago. We had around 40 or 50 people show up for an orginization meeting. We contacted the chapters within 3 or 4 hours and pretty much had their approval. But then after a couple of negative comments from a couple members of one of the chapters, the idea to start a new chapter was abandoned. Still cant figure that out?

anyway..... doubt I will ever join, unless there is a closer chapter.

AND YES, I consider all mine classics.