DryDock Newsletter

 In this Issue….

Presidents Message

How’s your Burgee

Infiniti Commercial update

What’s your winter project

Bruce’s summer

Steve’s short season

Notice of AGM

Kelly Williamson

OACBS President’s Message – November 2021



It seems we went from Summer to Winter very quickly this year. It caught me a little flat footed as I was suited up in the lake just the other day getting my dock and lift removed. Had to hit the Hot tub when my entire body started convulsing before completely finishing the job; so, it seems that I`m going to have to brave the elements one more time before snow ski season begins!

This was clearly another disappointing year as far as club activities and antique boating goes. Our group was hoping to participate in a poker run at Shuswap Lake however we were scuttled not only by Covid, but the horrendous wildfire situation in our province. Several members of our club were looking forward to attending the ACBS International show in Couer d`Alene and/or the Mahogany and Merlot in Lake Chelan but were forced to cancel when the border opening kept getting delayed. This has all resulted in a strain on the cohesiveness and fortitude of our group but perhaps adversity will make us stronger. There has been much talk at the Board level about the importance of having some in-person events in 2022 and I am committed to helping make that happen. The border to the US is also now open and we look forward to a relaxation of the testing requirements so that we are able to participate in events with our friends to the south in 2022.

Just a couple days ago I represented the club at an ACBS National Chapter Roundtable Meeting on Zoom. The meeting was well attended with, I believe 45 or more people on the video conference. The ACBS executive shared demonstrated the resources that are available to the Chapters and individual members. There were a couple of power point presentations that I am more than happy to share with any of our interested members.

Stay Warm!

Jim Cooper

Jim was fortunate enough to go to Europe this Fall… These are Rivas in Monaco!

 So far… not many events have been set up yet.

It’s possible we may get a spot in the 2022 Vancouver International Boat Show in February.

We are hoping to start off the new season with the Peachland World of Wheels Show, usually held on the May 24th weekend.

The Pacific Northwest Chapter has no confirmed dates on any events yet.

This year’s big International show will be hosted by The Lake Champlain Chapter…If anybody is planning a road trip this could be for you?

“On the Great Warpath”

The 2022 ACBS Annual Show and Meeting

For those members of ACBS Chapters that were unable to attend the impressive events at Coeur d’Alene this past September; salvation is at hand, perhaps closer to home. The Lake Champlain Chapter will be hosting the Annual ACBS celebration in Burlington Vt during the week after Labor Day in 2022. The Champlain Valley is at the center of “The Great Warpath” that witnessed most of the major conflicts that defined early North American history. For those that can spend more than the 2-3 days of the Show, there is much to see along our 120 mile pristine, mountain ringed lake. Bring your boat!

Burlington Harbor Marina/Larry Asam Photography

The locus of the events will be on the pictured new marina on Burlington’s elegant waterfront. The Chapter plans to populate the adjacent Waterfront Park with an array of attractions, including local artisans and crafters, exotic automobiles, vendors of vintage boating supplies, a display of historic racing sailboats, and and of course a rich variety of Vermont delicacies – all within easy walking or shuttle distance of the event’s hotels and the downtown “Church Street Marketplace.

Beyond the immediate waterfront activities the Chapter host pre-events throughout the week at storied locations along the Lake that will be accessible by both boat and land. For the more adventurous attendees there will be 3-4 day cruises to the show site from Montreal and Kingston NY. Yes, Lake Champlain connects to the Atlantic Ocean via both the St Lawrence and Hudson Rivers!

Burlington Community Boathouse and Marina

If you are interested in spending a week but won’t be cruising all the time, there are many many beautiful rides to be taken and historic sites to be explored. These include 1) the Saratoga National Battlefield where Washington’s Continental Army defeated “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne’s larger army of seasoned troops. This set the stage for the critical intervention of France that led to the US victory at Yorktown and subsequence independence. 2) The handsomely restored Fort Ticonderoga where Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold captured the cannons that drove the British out of Boston; 3) Plattsburgh and Valcour Island where heroic patriots prevented the British from driving south to split the colonies in the Revolution and War of 1812, and 4) The Canadian Ile aux Noix on the outlet of Lake Champlain from which the British launched their successful campaign to drive the French out of Canada in the French and Indian War, and from which the Americans launched their failed attempt to enlist Canada in the Revolution. There are too many more to cite here, but one little known battle involved a Rebel raid on Vermont’s lakeside town of St. Albans during the Civil War. And not to be missed is the Underwater archaeology focused Lake Champlain Maritime museum with its replica Canal Schooner Lois McClure, replica of Benedict Arnolds Revolutionary war gunboat USS Philadelphia (the original was raised and I s in the Smithsonian) and the startling video of Arnold’ sunken gunboat Spitfire, as it rests today on the lake bottom 250 years later.

So the Burlington area has a lot more going for it than ice cream, teddy bears, and craft beer – as important and interesting as those venues are.

Please plan to take some time to come to Burlington for at least a few days next September, first to see the boats, (and have yours be seen if possible), but also take advantage of the many other attractions that make the Champlain Valley such an attractive and special place.

Details of the planning for this week of events will be kept up to date on the Chapter’s web site lcacbs.com. Registration for all of the events will open around April first on a first come first served basis via the acbs.org web site. Numbers of slips and event seats are finite. Feel free to email questions to the Chapter President, Sue Haigh at suelafever@gmail.com.

/s/Gene Porter; Co Chair ACBS 2002 Annual Meeting and Show!

How’s your Burgee?

Leagh Gerllays just had a new Bergee designed and made by Rick Means. Rick is from the PNW Chapter and can design and build any kind of Bugee you need. You can contact Rick here… mailto:rudy@skipperrudy.com

A bergee and a flag are the finishing touch to any classic boat!

Infiniti Commercial update

 I’ve been searching the web for the commercial that we filmed last year… this photo and a short video are all I’ve found so far. Here’s a link to a u-tube video. Don’t blink….https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=4259657077461212

What’s your winter project?

I just started to strip my 1947 Greavette Streamliner.
Over the winter I plan to completely strip the hull / bleach the mahogany / restain and varnish.
I also plan to have all the chrome redone as well as a complete new interior.
The trailer could also use some paint as well.
I will be consulting Andrew and Bruce at Absolute Classics on the project.
I’ll send more pictures as the work continues.

Jim Dixon OACBS Chapter member

Bruce Wilson’s summer

I think there was a boating season this year but when I look at my numbers on the engine hour meter and the notes in my written log, I am not sure it counts for a season.

Engine hours show a grand total of 3.3 hours of running time which includes 2.8 hours on the water on June 4th and a total of .5 hour for the run up in early June and the shut down on October 20th.

We should all try to remember our good seasons and just hope we can back to those times and forget about the fires, the smoke, the 40+C temperatures and ???

Reta & I did manage to see a lot of water and a lot of boats as we spent 3 weeks in the Maritimes in September. It was the time of year that many of the trawlers were being hauled out as the seasons of the various fisheries were closed and many of the boats are trailered to the yards of the fishermen’s homes and put up on blocks. A lot of these are wonderful looking trawlers and look ready for next year’s season.

We did see one exception and I just had to take a picture of it. I am only guessing as we did not meet the owner but we assume he has decided to retire his boat from fishing and make it into a unique “TRAWLER B&B” complete with a private deck with great and changing views. Don’t forget your fishing gear as you will never be far from the water.

This could be the before photo as this is the style of most trawlers. Maybe the very 1st “TRAWLER B&B”

Kelly & Jenni were in town with “Joy Ride” a few weeks ago and we were going to get an afternoon of boating with them but the water in Lake Okanagan was so low that the boat ramps were too shallow to allow for a safe and smooth launching. While at the Eldorado launch ramp we watched one boat try to pull out and he got stuck ( yes, stuck) at the far end of the launch ramp dock. His prop was stirring up mud!!

Well, a short season leads to a short article. Stay safe and healthy and cheers to you all.

Bruce Wilson

Past Pres.

 Steve’s Short Season

Well just like Bruce it was an odd year for boating for me too. I spent the front part of the summer finishing my vintage travel trailer and was fortunate to go on a few short camping trips. I really need to find a way to bring the trailer and the boat.

I started off in earnest mid-June and got JoVon soaked up on short evening trip out on Stave Lake. A week later we took my nephew and his family out. It was a very first boat ride for both of his kids.

The smile never left my Niece’s face the whole time we were out! Louise and I were so happy to have given them their first ride. Hopefully mahogany will run in their blood!

The boat never went out again until late September when I tried to go for a last gasp boat ride. After the record high temperatures of the heat dome we had in the summer I guess the old girl just dried out too much. By the time we launched and I returned from parking the truck and trailer, the water was close to the top of the stringers! I had to rush to get JoVon out in time!

Well they say there’s always next year!

Hopefully scheduled events will get back on track this spring and life can return to some resemblance of normal. We are hoping for low Covid numbers, no wildfires, no flooding, and open, test free boarders!

Stay Safe,

Steve Leslie

 Notice of Annual General Meeting

At 7:00pm December 2,2021 we will be holding our annual general meeting. We encourage all OACBS members to attend via ZOOM. Jim Cooper will be sending an email out with a link. Hope you can join us!