TOPIC: Special meeting at Mt Dora

In your area the ACBS Chapters are calling meetings. These are into a response to a special called meeting to be held Saturday of the Mt Dora meet. This meeting will take place during the height of the boat show. Yesterday The Tidewater Chapter ACBS met at The Boathouse Marina in Colonial Beach VA. . Eleven members were present including G3 Owners Association Ambassador at Large Keith Colonna. Sandy and myself. Two former G3 owners, plus Hacker Craft, Berger, Glasspar, Whirlwind, Matthews, Barbour, and Christ Craft owners. The ACBS is at a pivotal point. Now is the time for Glass boat owners to make ourselves known. If you are a ACBS member please make your concerns known to your Chapter officers who will attend this meeting. If you are not an ACBS member but know an ACBS member discuss your concerns with him in hopes that he will notify his chapter officers who will attend. This special called meeting is in addition to the regular meeting held at Mt Dora and was formally called by the ACBS just three weeks ago.

The President of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the ACBS is restoring a classic fiberglass boat right now.

That Chapter's Classic Boat Show is over three days in June. I invite all fans of Classic Fiberglass Boats to consider coming to our show.

We handed out some 42 Awards last year.

Boat rides, cruising, and playing around is Friday, June 13. Boat show is Friday, June 14. We use Sunday as the day to sit down to a Bar-B-Que and talk boats, friends, and Awards for 2&1/2 hours. Many boats leave after the Awards for their long drive home. Best days to see the boats are Friday and Saturday. Bring the family, the show is held on 17 acres of Boat Museum grounds and in a wonderful historic walking town.

Call me, Chris (seabuddy) Brown at 518-281-0045 or e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have questions.

This could really get classic fiberglass on another map.

MORRIS. As a initial officer way back in 1984 with the Hudson river chapter, I wish you guys luck with the OLE BOY network. . There may
be a few chapters that welcome Glass in the past . Buffalo with Dave Alberton push the past five years.. Finger lakes activities.

I was a Glasspar exhibit in 2008 at Mt Dora / Tavares & the PRES talked to us then about raising the eligible year to 1976 & we will be all one happy family going forward.. ! I joined two chapters & found B.A.U. . At times never getting a reply E-mail from the chapter officer . ! BUT New Year DUES renewal at $ 90, got a few letters. !

Here is the current LINK for the Blue Ridge Chapter. North Georgia. In their Ranger Marker Newsletter it says they were voted "CHAPTER of the YEAR"... ZERO pics of any glass boats. Word Fiberglass not even appears,. & in the gallery , not one Glass pic. !! Give the Mt Dora officers this LINK & ask their reaction. I read where one of their summer shows was cancelled.. I bet membership is way down for 2014...Some of us Baby Boomers have gone off to other hobbies, at a fraction of the cost of wood boat viewing , If they ask. ! blueridgechapter.com/?page_id=9

Split, sounds like you are aligned with the wrong chapter for your interests. Sorry for your experience.

Their are about 57 chapters in ACBS.

Match your boating interests to the chapter that best meets it and have some fun.

Larry, The Tidewater, The Chesapeake Bay, and The RDC Triangle Chapters all have Glass membership. But not hearing from them is no surprise given the antiquated national membership database which is poorly maintained. It took two years before the Tidewater Chapter formally got my name on a membership list. I had to contact the webmaster to get the marque status for g3's updated as well. These are issues many chapter officers are anxious to address. I hope this meeting goes well. I also hope the Florida Glasspar Display this year goes well beyond all expectations. There are the wood only chapters like Smith Mountain Lake in my area. I am surprised at the Blue Ridge chapter because they are avid and staunch supporters of the Cape Fear Community College boat show. I thought they had a couple of glass boats there last April. I guess in all things there are many different experiences for us all.

Al

Award winner. Chesapeake Bay Classic Boat Show.

Although I am fairly new to the antique boat "sanctioning body" thing, I tend to agree with Larry (Split) about the ACBS and their dealings with antique fiberglass boats. I also think their exposure
of antique fiberglass boats is poor in many areas of the country.

Chris, you know I respect you and all you do for antique fiberglass and am glad you have a good relationship with them. But I do not think that is the case where I live.

However,...with that being said, my dealings with the AOMCI Group out of Raleigh has been excellent! I am getting ready to join their group and Scott Bogue and his entire group have been GREAT to deal with.

There was a big discussion last fall about "What is a classic boat?"

See:

www.fiberglassics.com/fiberglassics-forums/home/the-70-s-disco-fiber/define-a-classic-boat

As a recent member of ACBS, I dove into this in some detail, talking to a lot of people at the International level. My understanding of what is being considered is bumping up the cutoff year for classic boats from 1975 to something more recent, like 1980, or whatever. By definition, this will have to include lots of fiberglass boats because by the early 70's, what wood boats being made? By then, only small builders were making wood boats, and only in very small numbers. Almost all boat manufacturers had switched to fiberglass - even companies like Lyman. Today, the ones that are left only make a handful of boats per year, and most are reduced to just doing restoration and repair work of their existing boats.

So change comes slowly, but it looks to be speeding up. While there are no specific ACBS judging guidelines for outboard fiberglass boats (yet), they will come. How fast depends on us. I was told over and over if lots of old fiberglass outboard boats started showing up to ACBS shows, specific judging guidelines for that class of boats will be written. For now, they will use the basic inboard and I/O fiberglass guidelines, combined with the existing wood outboard guidelines.

I plan to bring my little MFG Niagara to every show I can this summer and talk up fiberglass outboards. That said, the people of my local chapter, North Coast Ohio, have been extremely friendly and welcoming to me.

In the meantime, we'll see if and to what the cutoff year for definition of a classic boat gets bumped up to. I think it will, and with it, a whole lot of fiberglass boats will become eligible. I can see in a few years that over half the boats at ACBS shows will be fiberglass, with a lot more aluminum boats thrown in for good measure.

So bring on the fiberglassics this summer!

Well said there Brother Buckeye. Bring on the glass! it's been more than 30yr but does Shaker still have a football team.. GO South Rebels.

heh heh.

Al

morris wrote:

Larry, The Tidewater, The Chesapeake Bay, and The RDC Triangle Chapters all have Glass membership. But not hearing from them is no surprise given the antiquated national membership database which is poorly maintained. It took two years before the Tidewater Chapter formally got my name on a membership list. I had to contact the webmaster to get the marque status for g3's updated as well. These are issues many chapter officers are anxious to address. I hope this meeting goes well. I also hope the Florida Glasspar Display this year goes well beyond all expectations. There are the wood only chapters like Smith Mountain Lake in my area. I am surprised at the Blue Ridge chapter because they are avid and staunch supporters of the Cape Fear Community College boat show. I thought they had a couple of glass boats there last April. I guess in all things there are many different experiences for us all.

Al

morris, you can add the philadelphia chapter to that list. many glass boats and terriffic people. ron

Thanks Ron,

The Iowa Great Lakes Chapter of ACBS actively encourages Classic Glass at all of our shows and have for years. In 2013, the Chrysler Crew held their National Meet at our show much to the excitement of the viewing public and our members. It was great to have them join us with their cool boats! As with any hobby, people will speak of their views, as that is what makes the world go around. For us, we love to see Glass, Wood, Aluminium, etc. As we age, the glassics that we all enjoy are really more applicable to the public's memories.
As for me, I hope to show my 1961 Buehler at this years show. I guess that the best advice is to get involved and quit worrying about what others think. Go out and enjoy your boats and try to make a difference. I remember showing one of my old Donzi's at a show years ago. An older gentleman and wood boat owner came up to me to ask the history of my boat. I was sure he would not be happy that it was in the show. Much to my surprise, he welcomed me, wanted to learn more about the boat, the history etc. 15 minutes later he was behind the wheel with a big ole' grin on his face!

72hornet,
You couldn't have said it better. You represented my true feelings. "Get involved and quit worrying about what others think." Have fun, meet a few new people along the way, share your passion for the boating hobby, whether it is wood, glass, aluminum, or a combination of the materials.

Regards,
StevieB

Award winner Chesapeake Bay Chapter.

Best in Show - Preserved at Southern NE Chapter. They would welcome more fiberglass boats if anyone is interested

StevieB wrote:

72hornet,
You couldn't have said it better. You represented my true feelings. "Get involved and quit worrying about what others think." Have fun, meet a few new people along the way, share your passion for the boating hobby, whether it is wood, glass, aluminum, or a combination of the materials.

Regards,
StevieB

Thank you StevieB and 72hornet, That's the spirit that makes changes and moves the hobby forward.

Al

I have more information from asking questions at our monthly local ACBS chapter meeting last night and doing more digging around the member side of the ACBS website. I'm not sure what is happening at Mt. Dora, but the next ACBS board meeting is to be held in Tavares, FL on March 29, 2014, with a focus on long-range planning.

In doing more digging, things have not changed yet. The following are the current classifications recognized by ACBS:

ACBS BOAT CLASSIFICATIONS Age classifications apply to both boats and motors

Historic: A boat built up to and including 1918

Antique: A boat built between 1919 and 1942, inclusive

Classic: A boat built between 1943 and 1975, inclusive

Early Contemporary: A wooden boat built 1976 to the year 25 prior to the current year

Late Contemporary: A wooden boat built within the last 25 years

Boats in the Historic, Antique, and Classic classes can be made out of any material. So any fiberglass boat from 1975 or earlier qualifies. Note that both contemporary classes are for wood boats only. All this is straight out of the January 2014 Judging Handbook.

Next, I went to the minutes of the last two board meetings. It is in the quarterly board meetings that, among lots of other business, these classifications could get changed The last board meeting was on January 23, 2014, with the one before that on November 2-3, 2013. There was not a quorum at the January meeting, likely due to weather-related issues. (I know I was traveling at that time for work and my flight was cancelled due to weather that day.) So, nothing could be finalized anyway at that time.

At the November, 2013 meeting, an ad hoc committee was formed to look at the current classifications. In particular, they were to look and make recommendations on possibly changing the current 1975 cutoff year for Classic boats to something later, and also to look at the opening up the two contemporary classifications up to non-wood boats, particularly the Early Contemporary class. At the January, 2014 meeting, the ad hoc committee gave a report, followed by lots of discussion. Nothing was decided (no quorum) and in any case, it was determined more study and discussion was needed, with the committee to report back in June, 2014. It was also noted that ACBS should do more to embrace owners of Classic fiberglass boats.

So, bottom line, ACBS has assigned a committee to look at it, will report again and discuss at the June, 2014 board meeting, plus they are realizing they need to do more to embrace classic glass. It's all good.

In the meantime, I'll stick with what I said earlier. Bring your classic glass boats to ACBS-sponsored shows this summer, get them judged, and then go to another show and do it again, all while having fun talking up fiberglass boats and meeting new people. Everyone I've met so far has been great. And these guys have the addiction - almost everyone I spoke with has three or more boats, and several have over 10.

One more thing. In talking with one of my local chapter members who is an International judge for ACBS, he told me he had just bought a used Elite Craft fiberglass boat. I had never heard of them, so I went to their website. Turns out there is also an Elite Craft marque club. These things are all fiberglass, but are made to look like an old mahogany boat - pretty amazing! Expensive, and thus too rich for my blood, but they sure look very cool!

See:

elitecraft.com/elite-craft-boats-the-best-runabout-boat/

www.elitecraftowners.com/

Interestingly enough, since the company started making these in 1978, none of them would qualify to be judged at an ACBS show. But they likely will be at some point down the road, if changes get made. And, after the Elite Craft company was recently reorganized and production started again, they took their boats to ACBS shows for the people to see.

I'm seeing more angles to this great hobby every day!

Dave, Thank you that is a good and precise post on the topic at hand.
It makes sense then for us to continue to have a glass presence at ACBS meets.

In my experience, dealing with the wood boat crowd is an exasperating experience to say the least. In one breath, they will tell you that they welcome your boats, but in the next, they will forget all about them. They talk a good game, but their actions sometimes speak louder than their words. Sure, they would love to have your membership check, and your boats at their shows, but feature them in a magazine or flier? Happens sometimes, but not nearly enough.

I feel that we need a voice, and or an organization to represent us when dealing with these people. Keep the heat on and keep them heading in the right direction.

That's why I formed the Classic Fiberglass Boats Owners Association a few years back.

We started a little group, with a private website to exchange ideas, but the promotion of the group has been put on hold for a variety of reasons.

First: money, we charge for membership, but we only got a few paying customers. It's going to take some money to get the word out. T-shirts, banners, advertising. Not much, membership dues should take care of it. Right now we have one sponsor that provides the money for the website, and that's about it.

Second: commitment from members, we have a few interested parties, but we need more.

Third: commitment from someone to help run the show. I have a young family, and can't commit the time to do it all myself.

I see some interest here, and that is encouraging. If there is enough interest to get this off the ground and running full speed, I'm in.

Let me know here, and I'll be on chat tonight. We will also have the private chat open over at CFBOA, so anyone that is already a member can add their $.02.

Dave
716-602-8344
classicfiberglasboats.com/

I think that used to be the case, but ACBS people are realizing things are changing. A couple of issues ago, ACBS added a new section to their quarterly publication, the "Rudder". This new section is specifically dedicated to smaller outboard classic boats and motors, and is called "The Outboard Dock". The current (Winter) issue has a three page article on the 1957 Evinrude Lark and subsequent Cadillac Sea Lark boats we're all familiar with. I'm guessing many of the woody boaters reading the piece are probably learning about them for the first time.

Even better, there is a separate three page article in the same issue on the restoration of an aluminum boat, one from the era I'm most familiar with. The boat is the 1963 Starcraft Holiday, an 18 foot outboard. The article references the FiberGlassics.com web site several times as a source for info, and even better, the boat is on the cover of the magazine!

So yes, while they may have just talked a good game in the past, I sense things are really changing this time. Highlighting these kinds of boats in a publication that only comes out quarterly, and has a traditional preference for wood boats, is huge.

And at my local chapter show, the North Coast Ohio Portage Lakes, Ohio (near Akron) show on June 28, 2014, docked and surrounded by lots of beautiful mahogany, will be my little MFG, with as many other classic glass boats as I can get to come, so we can ALL be part of the show. 90% of being successful is to show up and keep showing up. And I also have a feeling that if I stay by my boat all day, I'll have a lot of people stop by and want to talk about when their dad or grandfather had one like it. It will happen, because for many years there was an MFG dealer right on the water at Portage Lakes.

Eventually, once I retire, I hope to become an ACBS judge, specializing in classic glass. The judging is just an excuse to get together and talk boats. I think it will be a blast a few years years down the road to see ALL kinds of these boats, fiberglass, aluminum and wood alike, all beautifully restored and/or preserved, on the water, with people talking about them and sharing memories.

To me, that's what it's all about, and ACBS is just a conduit to help make it happen. Just like FiberGlassics.com is a very important conduit for this hobby.

As Morris knows as do a few others here I've been around this site for several years. I have never owned a wooden boat and I have always been an active member of the ACBS and my local Michigan Chapter and served on the board of directors for six years.
I used to visit this sight and would find that most people here did more bitching about fixing ACBS that finding good things to say. In those days people here would whine about everything but try to fix nothing! They were good at complaining but would never show up at ACBS events. I think a lot of people here felt that the woodie acbs members were snootie and thought they were just to good for us glass heads. I can only say this, that in general is not true! and you are cheating yourself of wonderful friends and we can learn a ton from them and they us.
if they are given a chance. Go to the shows, attend events and parties, and get to know the people face to face. You can not break down barriers and make something better by staying home. Remember, there are never problem,only solutions. you short change yourself by assuming things that you really don't know about people, they are just like us, they love their boats and love talking about them.
This year the Michigan Chapter marquis boat for our premier event in Saint Clair Michigan is "Classic Glass" From responses so far looks like its going to be a great event, we should have easily over 100 boats and always have fun events planned. Keep and eye on The Michigan Chapter web site for registration Information it should be on the site by June 1st. I have hotel rooms blocked so call me for the hotel contact info. These rooms are blocked until three weeks before the event after that time they go back into inventory . E me or call me for hotel info. 517 439 1115
Remember, if yah want to here a concert yah gots to go sit in a seat and listen.
JAG

Your post is spot on JAG. I too have been involved with ACBS for many years but also come here to check things out and learn what is going on in the glass world. I admit I swing both ways (I own both classic glass and wood boats) but I tend to keep from many posts here since wood boaters tend to be looked at as the enemy which I do not agree. I would invite all of you the check out a site called woodyboater.com . These guys are running a daily blog but the boat they are restoring to take to shows to report from or on is a fiberglass Chris Craft ski boat and the people posting on the site seem to love the boat. Campaigns to force glass boats on the ACBS may be detrimental to the end game so I would agree with JAG and invite you to head out to an ACBS show and get to know the people.
As per the Taveres / Mt Dora meeting I am not convinced it is a conspiracy to put non wood boats in their place. As we learned earlier there was a directors meeting foiled by weather and I am sure there is a place in the ACBS bylaws that the meeting needs to happen and they decided to plug it in at that venue. I personally feel the ACBS is in sight of a huge membership issue since for years they have been stagnant in attracting the late baby boomer generation to the club. As of the past 5 - 8 years they have been pushing the kids program but what about the parents of those kids who have been completely looked over. Lets face it I would guess most of the people here are in the generation I am referencing and how many of you have the time or funds to commit to a wood runabout at this point in your life? That is why the answer most definitely is glass boats and there are way more out there for would be collectors / owners. Time, funds and desire to relive youth will certainly get the late boomers into old boats and I think the ACBS may be recognizing this and making classes so we all can enjoy winning awards or showing off our vessels. So again I say go check out the local ACBS show and take your boat along and ENJOY !!

I think what we need to do is show up. I know in New England there are classic boat shows in Essex, CT, Mystic, CT, Northampton, MA, Salem, MA, Worcester, MA, Lake Winnipesaukee, NH and maybe a couple of others. However, there has been very little attendance by the glassics crowd. If we want to be included, we need to be a part of it.

I’m glad that the ACBS is recognizing the Glassics. I’ve been a member of the ACBS since the very late 80’s.
I know full well about the “ good ole wood boys”. They are / were good folks, but they didn’t want to cross the wood vs glass line. Even if they owned or liked fiberglass boats.
Sad part is: a lot of the good ole boys are now gone due to age. And the newer generation is becoming the officers and members of the ACBS.
The ACBS really has started to look at the trends:
The wood inboard runabout supply has pretty much dried up, and are so expensive that it prohibits younger folks from a purchase and use.
(Unless you find the old barn with one hidden in the corner)
So the next trend was the wooden outboard boats, because they were abundant, smaller, trailer able, and affordable.
Now we are at the glass and aluminum trend for the same reason above.
And honestly ? I think the glass an aluminum boats have so much of their own characters, with all of the different designs, colors, and hardware…. It’s like being
a kid in a candy store when you see something different.
Of course this just my opinion.

So put on you Tyvek Suit, goggles and respirator, and let the glass attack begin !

Just remember at the ACBS meetings if you are speaking alone:

“If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito”

- Unknown

AND

“Before you give someone a piece of your mind, make sure you can get by with what is left.”

- Author Unknown

Is everyone willing to recognize that there are 57 ACBS clubs? Each have their own membership, attitudes, and likes for Pre-World War II wood boats, Post World War II wood boats, outboards, fiberglass, and metal boats. Even classic boat judging which usually cuts off in the mid-70s time frame has exceptions at some of these 57 separate clubs.

Fiberglass boats are at the Chesapeake Bay Chapter Classic and Antique Boat Show. This show is always held in June in St. Michaels and this is my photo from 2010.

Just a note about the ACBS Blue Ridge chapter
. I entered my 1958 FeatherCraft Ranger III in he 2013 Lake Hartwell show and took 1st place in the outboard class so people are coming around

I for one am very impressed and encouraged with the "general consensus" expressed in this discussion! I'm sure there are some pockets of resistance from the old guard in the organization, I think that should be expected. The common goal of enjoying our hobby/obsession with others who are like-minded will prevail in the end, as long as conversations like this set the tone IMHO. Well done folks, and please carry on with heads held high.

Personally, I'm not interested in getting my Glassic "judged" by others, as I performed the renovation to suit my taste and preferences. I would like to get together more often with others who share the love of the classic water craft, no matter what the material of construction.

we need to figure out a way to get together with others like us to cruise and fellowship any ideas?

Setup a Fiberglassics member's map here

Helps to know whose close & whose on 'the other' coast. And seen visually, you can 'see' where clusters of members are located AND what waterways are close by or at least close enough to be a weekend trip for many.

Any questions, you can PM or email me. I haven't set one up but am on a board w/ 80+/- pins on the map.

MarkS wrote:

The common goal of enjoying our hobby/obsession with others who are like-minded will prevail in the end, as long as conversations like this set the tone IMHO. Well done folks, and please carry on with heads held high.

Personally, I'm not interested in getting my Glassic "judged" by others, as I performed the renovation to suit my taste and preferences. I would like to get together more often with others who share the love of the classic water craft, no matter what the material of construction.

Well said, Mark.

We use to have a map that you could go to to see who all lived where. Have to dig through the site again and see where it is.

Bob

Waterwings wrote:

We use to have a map that you could go to to see who all lived where. Have to dig through the site again and see where it is.

Bob

Well, you were right, map is here:
Glassics map of the known universe

Not current/up to date, I'm not on it

But it's still here. You fella's are like ants at a picnic: Everywhere

jbcurt00 wrote:

Waterwings wrote:

We use to have a map that you could go to to see who all lived where. Have to dig through the site again and see where it is.

Bob

Well, you were right, map is here:
Glassics map of the known universe

Not current/up to date, I'm not on it

But it's still here. You fella's are like ants at a picnic: Everywhere

jb, the map updates automatically if you put an address in your profile, may work with just a zip code if you don't want to put the whole address in.




Agree with all that we need to get boats to shows if we are to show our support for the "old boat" hobby. In my opinion, one or two at a show are nice, but more is better. Getting them all together in one spot is quite impressive. I had the good fortune of being involved with the 2011 Wine Country meet where Fiberglassics North East showed up in force. It was quite impressive! We got all the boats together in one area, (we asked that they all be displayed together). Just listening to people comment on the "pretty fiberglass boats" with their different colors and styling's was very rewarding. I think the show sponsors and ACBS in general gained some new enthusiasts that day.

So get you boats out to the meets. The more the better! If you can organize a few in you area to get together, even better!

Hey, I realize an organized group isn't for everyone, we're not trying to shove anything down anyone's throat's. We just have a group of old fiberglass boat owners and enthusiasts that is there to serve as a communication channel and to promote the use and enjoyment of old fiberglass boats. It'll be there whether you want to use it or not.

The map does not work on iOS. Must have Flash

thetudor wrote:

The map does not work on iOS. Must have Flash

Sorry.

One could always ask for a lest of Awards for a given show. My chapter gave out a G-3 Award last year, for one example.

cc1000 wrote:
jb, the map updates automatically if you put an address in your profile, may work with just a zip code if you don't want to put the whole address in.

Thanks, I didn't realize I didn't have more then WV in my profile

Guy's. We boat three and four times a season with others from this site and all I have ever done is announce on this site that I was going to get it wet. When our Falls lake outing looked like just three G3's I posted let's Get them wet on this site and we had 9 beautiful boats show up from the RDC triangle, and Raleigh AOMCI.
Jim and his wife with their Beautiful Aristocraft, Scott and his brother with their sweet Glasspar, Denny Cole and his cool hand built hydro planes, Jim M of RDC triangle and several others whose names I would remember if I weren't so darn old. 9 nice antique glass boat and wood hydro's in all.

This site has so much to offer to individuals wanting to boat.

1). Post a time and a place.

2). use Glassic Chat to talk to others in your area.

3). Do both of the above.

This site has always produced boaters any time I want to go out. It's a great tool.