It’s time to look forward to another summer boating season, as indicated by our ever-growing Calendar of Events. Start making your plans to attend one or more of the many first-class boat shows hosted by our chapters across the U.S. and Canada. Check the Rudder or our website (www.acbs.org) for the latest information.
Our Quarterly Meetings are always a very enjoyable mix of business and pleasure, and our Spring Meeting, hosted by the Blue Ridge Chapter, was no exception. Many thanks to Goody and Nancy Thomas and Bill and Gail Turner for all their hard work. In April over 80 enthusiastic members met in the historic city of Charleston, SC and were treated to Southern hospitality at its finest. From tours of the Yorktown, the Clamagore, and Ft. Sumter, to trips to plantations to Southern barbeque lunches, a delightful weekend was had by all. We even found time for meetings! Kudos to all involved in the planning and execution of our Board Meetings, and I look forward to our Summer Meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Our Board Meetings are open to all members and are a wonderful way to spend time in the company of fellow boating enthusiasts in many beautiful locations.
One of the missions of our Society is to protect the heritage of boating through preservation and restoration; another is to promote and further the love and enjoyment of antique and classic boating. To this end, I am happy to report that Tim Robinson of the Southern California Chapter has become the first recipient of a grant from the ACBS Education and Safety Fund. Tim will attend a six-month course at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding and will receive reimbursement of one-half of his tuition upon completion of the course. I am proud that ACBS is supporting this worthwhile endeavor in an effort to ensure the preservation of the art of wooden boat building. Also, the proceeds from the raffle of the Hickman Sea Sled, generously donated by Lindsey Hopkins, will benefit the Endowment Scholarship Fund to ensure opportunities for other deserving recipients.
I recently had the pleasure of spending the weekend with the Toronto Chapter for their annual Spring Boatshop Tour, coordinated by Gerry Lodge. Ken MacStephen volunteered to be my “tour guide”, and together we visited many wonderful shops, including Butson Boats, Duke Marine, Clark Wooden Boats, Stan Hunter Boat Builders, Woodwind Yachts, Windsor Boat Works, Peter Breen Antique & Classic Boat Company, Clarion Boats, and others. I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to see firsthand the very impressive work being performed by these remarkable boatbuilders. I’d also like to thank all involved for their warm welcome and gracious hospitality.
I also attended the 7th annual “Wooden Keels & Classic Wheels” in Houston, TX, hosted by the Southwest Chapter and co-chaired by Bob Fuller and Paul Merryman. I’d like to especially thank Dr. Jacob Deegan for his generosity and time and for being the perfect “escort.” The show included an outstanding display of antique and classic boats and cars, including three boats built by Houston-area boatbuilders – Helton, Holmes, and Proske. Because of its location, the show was able to accommodate everything from an 8’ pram to a 67’ yacht. An added attraction was a Pearl Harbor re-enactment by a group of Air Force pilots known as the “Tora Gang.” All in all, it was an exciting weekend under beautiful sunny skies. This show is a must for any boating enthusiast; make your plans to attend next year’s show which will highlight boats built by Higgins.
Plans for our Annual Meeting in Coeur d’Alene are progressing spectacularly. A great deal of interest has been shown in this meeting that will include the first ACBS-International sponsored boat show. John Harvey, our Annual Meeting Chair, and Jeff Stebbins, International Boat Show Chair, recently returned from a very successful weekend in Coeur d’Alene, where they finalized meeting plans and met with local television, radio, and newspaper representatives. To date, over 90 boats have registered for the Show. Don’t miss history in the making! If you haven’t already done so, register to attend what promises to be a very memorable weekend.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the key focal points during my Presidency – involvement of our youth. Summer boating season is the perfect time to involve your children – and don’t forget to pack crayons and paper on your boat trips so the kids can capture their memories for inclusion in the next Tiller! We are continually developing new programs to encourage young people’s curiosity and love of boats. We recently instituted the “Junior Achievement Award” with three chapters already on board. Contact Les Demaline for details if your chapter is interested in this program.
I wish you all a happy, safe, and fun-filled summer on the water!