TOPIC: Special meeting at Mt Dora

A few thoughts. For some being judged is very important and can understand wanting to be part of a larger show. Last year the G3 club was hidden behind a banner and behind atvs/life style stuff.
Even if felt invited I think there is some glass friction so some will never go. I think join forces with race boats. They could use the increase in attendance. I would invite the steam guys too. May as well invite those damned Amphicars too. I really think it could become a big fun event. No matter what, the waters are fantastic as is the weather.Do not allow negative emotions ruin one second of your visit Lake Dora. Later Dave the Wave

Large show that welcomes Classic Fiberglass is the June show in St. Micheals, MD. 17 acre site. Room for everyone and everyone is invited.

davnau6345 wrote:

I think that used to be the case, but ACBS people are realizing things are changing.

I agree. Things are changing, slowly, but they are changing.

Maybe I get a little cynical because I've head it all before, but I do agree we have to stay positive, so on a positive note I propose a couple of things we can do to help promote Glassics:

1) Support those ACBS Shows that actively encourage Classic Glass. Here is the start of a list from just this thread:

ACBS Shows that welcome Classic Glass:

Chesapeake Bay Chapter, June, Contact: Chris (seabuddy) Brown at 518-281-0045

The Tidewater, The Chesapeake Bay, and The RDC Triangle Chapters all have Glass membership.

The people of my local chapter, North Coast Ohio, have been extremely friendly and welcoming to me.

You can add the Philadelphia Chapter to that list. many glass boats

and terrific people

The Iowa Great Lakes Chapter of ACBS actively encourages Classic Glass at all of our shows

Southern NE Chapter. They would welcome more fiberglass boats if

anyone is interested

Large show that welcomes Classic Fiberglass is the June show in St.

Micheals, MD

I'll add the Niagara Frontier Chapter, September (first weekend after Labor Day), Contact Dave Albertson at 716-602-8344

2) Submit good quality pictures of your Classic Glass Boats to ACBS and your local chapter websites:

ACBS Photo Gallery: acbs.org/photogallery/index.html

Email pics to webmaster: email: webmaster at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

3) Of course get out to your local show and be an ambassador to our hobby, (we all love old boats). If you can get more than a few boats together, see if you can ask to have them displayed together, (if you need help, contact CFBOA, we're here to help).

4) Join your local chapter and serve on the board of directors.

Dave the Wave wrote:

A few thoughts. For some being judged is very important and can understand wanting to be part of a larger show. Last year the G3 club was hidden behind a banner and behind atvs/life style stuff.
Even if felt invited I think there is some glass friction so some will never go. I think join forces with race boats. They could use the increase in attendance. I would invite the steam guys too. May as well invite those damned Amphicars too. I really think it could become a big fun event. No matter what, the waters are fantastic as is the weather.Do not allow negative emotions ruin one second of your visit Lake Dora. Later Dave the Wave

Lets not leave out the Fiber Reinforced Concrete or Reed boats either.

Hopefully we'll see some of those pesky Amphicars there too!!

Chris (seabuddy) Brown will be at the meeting.

Chuck Warner, the Chesapeake Bay Chapter Dockmaster and one of that chapter's founding members--- will be there.

Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the ACBS (1 of 57 Chapters) President will attend the meeting.

seabuddy wrote:

Chris (seabuddy) Brown will be at the meeting.

Tell seabuddy Jim L said hey when you talk to him.

Hopefully you guy's will enjoy the Correct Craft display this year, stop by and say hi,I'll have the light blue '69 Mustang. There will be some amazing boats there, mostly owner restored and maintained.

Ask about latest ACBS news out of Georgia, ? " the lack of time to restructure the 2014 "Woodies on Lake Sinclair" is cancelled, " ?

OK,Chris (seabuddy) Brown.

SO. What were the results of the meeting? Anyone attend?

Hello IslandBoatStuff,

I was fortunate to have been able to attend and participate in this meeting although I cannot be sure of the results.

The meeting was led by Peter Stephens, an ACBS Executive Director.
Peter came to our Florida Glasspar Club display on Friday before the Saturday meeting where he cordially introduced himself and his wife Debbie. I was able to track down Brian Slager, the Florida Glasspar Club Director, and introduced him to Peter and Debbie. This introduction gave Brian a chance to give the FGC mission statement firsthand to the ACBS.

The meeting on Saturday commenced around 8 am and lunch orders were taken at 9:30. This conflicted with the boat show in which I was hoping to participate. I excused myself to pray to the Glass Gods for the rain to stop about 10:00 but first gave a brief comment to the congregation.

My take on this discussion is that ACBS respects classic fiberglass boats and their owners and want us to join their group and participate in ACBS events. You will always have the stalwarts that say a real classic boat must be wood and that fiberglass boats are just plastic and Tupperware and make other such comments which could be interpreted as derogatory. With time these guys are fading away and this animosity should soon end.

There will always be a cultural distinction between Glass and Wood and Metal boats and the people that own them. Many boats and individual collections cross these boundaries. So as a wise man once said “Let it be, Let it Be”. Let us have a good natured rivalry and collect and restore and show or just drive these great old boats for all to enjoy.

Thanks,
Terry

Yep, it’s one of those gol darn plastic boats.
Award Winning Boat at 2014 Tavares ACBS Sunnyland Boat Festival


1960 Glasspar Club Mariner owned and restored as original by Vernon Turner.
Please believe me, and pictures can lie, that this is one beautiful watercraft.

Thank you so much for giving us your perspective of the meeting, as well as the general consensus of the masses within ACBS Terry. I for one am encouraged that Mr. Stephens is attempting to lead the organization into a new era of inclusion. I also believe you are correct that change with some of the members may be slow in coming, but at least the process has begun.

Kudos to you and the Florida Glasspar Club, and all the other Glassic owners who attended. Sounds to me like you represented the "plastic" boat community well sir!

Thanks for the meeting update. I was at the show but lost track of time with the impending monsoon and then ran for cover when it arrived. I was impressed with the awesome display of Correct Craft glass as well as the Glaspar display. There appeared to be no shortage of glass at the show. Thanks Again for the update.

TERRY, THANKS for your time / effort..I still have the 2008 Tavares
card with ACBS new PRES GENE PORTER , who came to the same Glasspar
tent & talked to the same Brian S, that it was one big happy family
going forward.. Ask Peter S for a review of the last six years. !

The same day of the show I got small post card in U.S.Mail from Clayton Hq's.. OVER-looked on this years dues.?? Please go to
website & do Quick Click for payment. !! Picture of a wood ,
Please get back in Drivers Seat.. Sincerely Peters STEPHENS
ACBS. ORG

Thank you Terry,
This is what I was hoping to be made public when I started this long thread. Your report is right on target and is very much appreciated.

Basically, The ball is in our court from this point forward. We must make our presence known if we really want the acceptance and recognition of our boats.

Thanks again - Al

I went over to the pow wow with Terry, and I was actually impressed with the talk about wanting to get to the public more and invite the fiberglass,, I did let them know that even on this site there is a place for wood boats,, but I did leave there with a better feeling,,I am definetly going to St Claire Mich with a plastic boat in June,,as well as quite a few ,,just to help John Gamble let his fellow member know we exist,,,come join us,,see ya Bill,,,and Yes the resurrection that gary mcNorius did for Shannon Steele was the talk of the town as it should be it was perfect and made it from scratch

Hello All,
The ACBS recently conducted an online survey of Chapter Officers and Committee Chairpersons.

A “Best Practices” initiative is being implemented to gain ideas from the chapters to help access where we are and where we need to be. A major question is benefits of membership and gaining and retaining new members.

A concern often raised among our ‘Fiberglass Aficionados’ is whether the ACBS respects and is interested to include Classic Glass and their owners.

The results are in.
A few pertinent questions regarding this issue were:

Do vintage fiberglass boats have a place in the ACBS?
Of the 130 responses a resounding 96% believe fiberglass has a place in the ACBS.

Do you feel ACBS has done enough to encourage “Fiberglassic” boat attendance in events, shows and judging?
66% feel ACBS has not done enough.

How do you feel ACBS should attract the “next” generation of vintage boats and owners?
Many good ideas were suggested including;
Be inclusive-fiberglass and create more fiberglass classes for shows.


Well it seems spring has finally sprung here in Chicago. Near 80 predicted for today and no snow in the forecast.

After a long winter up here in the Northland it’s time to go get our ‘Mama Mia!’ wet. Planning to do some fishing and cruising and bring her out to some shows too.

Terry

ACBS is an International group and each of the 56 clubs that band together for liability insurance purposes have different policies and follow a different path.

Thus, I think anyone that says this or that about ACBS should name the Chapter and the practice that they are referring to in this thread to avoid mis-representing any other of the 56 chapters as to what they do and not do.

I am not saying that this or that does not go on at a given chapter, what I am saying is that is rather destructive to paint all 56 chapters for one or two chapter's behavior. Or, come to the Chesapeake Bay Chapter St. Michaels Show and show that chapter where there are no g-3s, no outboards, Cobalt's, etc.

Each Chapter is an individual club. International makes suggestions to each club. Each of the 56 clubs sets their own policies, rules, and choices.

So as I see it, the ACBS chapters overall are open to embracing fiberglass boats, and the most important thing to do is to show up. If almost all the boats at a particular show are mahogany that's OK; makes our glass boats stick out because they're different.

Got my registration materials for the annual ACBS North Coast Ohio Chapter show on Portage Lakes near Akron, OH this weekend and I plan to be there on June 28 with my little MFG. If anyone would like registration materials, shoot an email to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I'll forward them to you.

Exactly, Dave. I was the only FG boat at the show in Essex (Southern NE Chapter) and one Best In Show - Preserved. They asked me to go to the New England Chapter show in MA, but had a conflict. Will probably do both this year. It would be nice to get a couple more New England boats involved.

Nice job to attend meeting. i am also interested to attend. Please provide further information about ACBS.

www.chesapeakebayacbs.org/membership/membership-information/

Nautical Mile newsletter of the Philadelphia ACBS...the first chapter to highlight a glass boat on its front cover. you won't find a friendlier group of men anywhere. ron

Interestingly enough, the ACBS was never intended to be a "Wood Boat" club, it was originally formed as an "Antique and Classic Boat Club".

I believe the "Best Practices" that Terry is speaking of are recommendations for chapters, not necessarily requirements.

We will be offering our recommendations as well.

I, too, highly regard the Philly chapter. I am a member there, too.

Join before the Xmas Party at a member's home. It is great.

I've been a member there since 2005.

I'm about half way between Philly and Hopatcong. Does anyone have any comments about the Hopatcong chapter to help me decide which one to join?
Thanks
Verne

Philly is more relaxed, by far.

totally agree and the tuckerton seaport show in september is an ideal place. after missing the 2013 show due to health problems, i'm anxiously awaiting this years show. we've been attending every year since 2006. ron

Our local ACBS chapter president just sent out the same report Terrydi referenced, showing the results of the complete survey.

In that section on fiberglass boats that Terrydi summarized, there was also the following final note:

"This data is unequivocal and very strongly suggests we have to do more to encourage fiberglass participation – there can be no other conclusions drawn from it. We believe the chapters want to deal with attrition and want to attract new members and that they feel the generation we wish to attract most likely has non-wood boats. So, how do we get them? By acknowledging them and encouraging them. With such unequivocal opinions as these being so strongly advanced, we cannot afford to ignore the voices from the grassroots, and both recognition of this data and a response is required."

Wow, looks like there will be changes happening even faster than I was hoping and expecting! At the very least, I would like to see judging scoring sheets developed for non-wood outboard boats with steering and without steering. There are already sheets for non-wood inboard boats, and for wood outboards with steering and wood outboards without steering. Thus, to judge one of our common old fiberglass boats with steering, a judge would need to combine sheets plus use their own judgement.

When I see a standard scoring sheet for non-wood boats with steering (the most common combination for those at Fiberglassics), I know ACBS has finally fully embraced our boats. And it will come.

In the meantime, I'll just keep showing up.

Good to hear, thanks for passing along the info Dave!

There'll be more changes to come, stay tuned!!

I thank the two people who responded to my question above. Is there anyone on this site from the Hopatcong chapter who would like to comment? If not, that pretty much sums up the interest in that chapter regarding non-wood boats.
As it so happens, I only have a wood boat, but I grew up having vacations on Lake Hopatcong and seeing many wood and fiberglass boats in the early to mid '60s. My Pop had one wood rowboat and 3 different fiberglass boats over the years we spent there. I love the lake, but I wouldn't want to be part of a chapter that has no interest in non-wood boats. I don't want to be a part of a chapter that cuts a slit in the clouds with their noses.

Verne

verne, i boat on lake hopatcong and attend the knucklebusters aomci meet every october held at the northernmost end of the lake.
i attended the lake hopatcong acbs show 3 years ago and was quite disappointed with the reception. NO ONE greeted us for the 8 hours that we displayed our boat there. i could not believe the reception we did receive from the philadelphia acbs 3 years earlier at our initial trip to tuckerton seaport acbs show. great people, the men and their wives. we've never felt more comfortable anywhere else and i've attended five different chapters shows. i strongly urge you to attend the tuckerton seaport show in early september and see for yourself. ron... in lodi,n.j.
feel free to call me about show dates.201-8431347, or just visit the acbs web site for info.

Thank you for your post. I wanted to make the Tuckerton show last year but I was sick. I am also a member of the Knucklebusters.

Verne