TOPIC: Define a classic boat

I thought I saw this before but lets put it out there. What identifies a Classic a Boat? Age? Limited production? What it was built for or Who it was build for?
I think any boat 25+ years old and is still around is Classic. ???????

Its my opinion (for whatever that might be worth! ...heh) That there are plenty of old boats that are not classic, but just old junk... but then again, there are plenty of old boats with cool lines, with character, and make me imagine them in their glory... these to me are classic! Damn, I miss the '60s.

It's quite simple, really. When you see a classic boat, you'll know it. If you have any doubts, it's not a classic.

I would have to agree with Nautilus on this. I have a '73 Cuda and a '75 Duster they are considered classics, a '78 LTD not so much, but a '78 Trans Am.....you get the point.

I was curious about my boats ('61 Uniflite 19' Express and a '75 Chris Craft 25' Tournament Fisherman) so I wrote my local ACBS officers and the following is part of an email I got back. The ACBS definition of "Classic".


The official classifications of ACBS boats are:

Historic: A boat built up to & including 1918
Antique: A boat built between 1919 and 1942, inclusive
Classic: A boat built between 1943 and 1975, inclusive

Boats built after 1975 fall in to one of two categories:

Early Contemporary 1976 to 1988 (more than 25 years old)
Late Contemporary Present to 1988 (built in the last 25 years)
These contemporary ranges change each year and apply only to wooden boats.

So Nick, all three of your boats fall into the "classic" designation and would be welcome at any of our events and we would love to see them.

I hope this answers your question and if I or any of the other members can be of help let us know.

64 you got the correct info From ACBS. I asked them awhile back to consider Fiberglass in their definition of classifications. It seems like they only want to talk about WOODEN BOATS thats ok all chapters welcome any and all boaters.

The Antique and Classic Boat Society (ACBS), for judging in shows, has a non-wood boat classification with published judges scoring guidelines, but they address only boats with inboard or inboard/outboard drive systems. There is also a wood outboard boat classification, one with steering and controls, and one without those, but again, wood only. What is missing are published scoring guidelines for non-wood outboard boats. I see a particular need for non-wood outboards with steering and controls, since those represent the vast majority of the kind of boats people on this website have and enjoy.

I've actually emailed to ACBS at their HQ on this just this week, and turns out that there is work going on right now in committee to look at judges scoring guidelines for non-wood outboards, along with also taking a look at the 1975 cutoff year for classic boats.

In the meantime, there are the current ACBS overall boat designations, as shown in an earlier post above, along with specific judges scoring guidelines for more specific categories. (If you are a member of ACBS, you can access those detailed guidelines on the member-only side of the ACBS website.) My feeling is that the cutoff year of 1975 is fine, but in any case should not be extended past 1980 right now, and there definitely should be specific judges scoring guidelines published by ACBS for non-wood outboard boats.

Right now, to get a fiberglass (or aluminum) boat properly judged relies on the individual judge (or judges) to take some sort of amalgam of what is currently published by ACBS, and then try to apply those rules when they see a fiberglass outboard wanting to be judged at an ACBS-sponsored show. It also relies on a judge who often has a lot more experience with wood than fiberglass, particularly since much of the judges scoring has to do with how close the judged boat is to factory original, and if you have not judged very many fiberglass boats, then it makes the job a lot tougher.

One of my personal goals as a new member of ACBS is to learn all I can about about judging, and try to become an ACBS fiberglass boat judging specialist over time. I can see having to have a photographic memory of all the sales brochures in the Fiberglassics Library, plus other sources!

Good news is the ACBS board recognizes the need to be more inclusive of classic fiberglass boats and is trying to do something about it this winter. My guess is it will take some time, so we'll likely need to be patient. I do think they are by far the best organization to do this. So far my comments to those on the committee have been well received and they recognize the need. So, I think the time is right for ACBS to make changes.

Let's see what they come up with.

And if anyone came to an ACBS show with a 1942 or earlier fiberglass boat, if such a thing exists, it would get a ton of attention!

Yes I think you are correct and ACBS is on the right track because there is a lot of worthy glass out there.
Lets keep our fingers crossed that things proceed.

I have never heard or read anything indicating ACBS judging excludes non-wood outboard boats. I have participated in many, many ACBS sanctioned shows in three states and if they have judging, they have never disallowed classic fiberglass outboard boats (same for aluminum).

ACBS is made up of chapters all over North America. Chapters are under NO obligation to use the ACBS judging guidelines. In fact, most shows do NOT use the ACBS guidelines if they have judging.

If you want your outboard fiberglass or aluminum boat to be judged I cannot recall an instance of it not being allowed.

Participation in the shows is the key to being accepted. When I first got involved in ACBS 15 years ago the outboard wooden boats were snubbed at many shows, even thought ACBS guidelines never have said anything against outboards. But thru tenacity and participation and getting involved, that attitude against non-inboard vanished mahogany runabouts and utilities has changed a hundred fold.

Andreas Jordahl Rhude

I think you all should start an organization for classic fiberglass boats,there are many of you that are very competent in this area of experts,
Heck I would nominate Dave albertson,Ron v,frank alguire,and Tim calms to run the northeast shows.they have extensive knowledge of these boats
As for shows at other areas of the country let's hear your ideas,john

I think you all should start an organization for classic fiberglass boats,there are many of you that are very competent in this area of experts,
Heck I would nominate Dave albertson,Ron v,frank alguire,and Tim calms to run the northeast shows.they have extensive knowledge of these boats
As for shows at other areas of the country let's hear your ideas,john

Being brand new to ACBS, I'm beginning to understand that there is some variation from chapter to chapter how fiberglass/aluminum outboard judging is handled, and that makes sense. Any organization is made up of people, and the makeup of any organization is going to have differences.

And that's OK. My point is that by having these issues addressed by the national organization. and having a specific set of guidelines for non-wood outboards developed, things will even out over time, and it will make judging easier for judges if they have something written down to go by. I suspect some local chapters may already have locally written guidelines for non-wood outboards already. I'm also finding that there are a lot of members who own multiple boats and often have a classic fiberglass or aluminum boat, or maybe more than one, all as a part of their collection, and thus understand that there is more to the hobby than just wood boats.

Also, there is more to this than just having a show winning boat. Rather, it's having a chance to talk to other classic boat enthusiasts about their boats, talk to people who attended shows about our boats and their boats, or perhaps share a memory about a boat they or we had at an earlier time. That all happens by just participating. I also hope to learn a lot by just listening to others talk about this wonderful hobby.

And at the the end of the day, the most important thing is to just be on the water away from the routine of daily life. We can take judging seriously, but the overall point, to me, is to have a little safe fun on the water doing it.

It's all good.

Great thread and information on the ACBS!

Dave,....thanks for all your information. I just learned alot from what you wrote.

I am fairly new to antique boat show scene even though my Dad bought our 1960 Glasspar G-3 brand new in 1959 and kept it in our family all this time. I had one experience with entering a boat show with our G-3 in 2010 at the "Sunnyland Antique Boat Show" in Mt. Dora, Florida. I can't remember if it was ACBS judging that show or not. BUT,....I was told by one of the Sunnyland Officials that our one-family owned 1960 G-3 would never win an award because it was a fiberglass boat with a newer outboard motor on it!! I also have "Hagerty" Insurance on both of our classic boats and they send out a regular newsletter with info and updates about their members and antique boat shows. That newsletter almost always is about the high dollar old wooden boats (like Chris Craft etc.) and hardly ever mentions antique fiberglass boats. I have nothing against the old woodies (in fact I would like to own one but can't afford one) but would like to see more exposure for our classic fiberglass boats.

You get it Thanks for posting your thoughts. This is really whats its about

I am trying to be a little more active with the ACBS over here too. There were a handful of classic glass at the Coeur d'Alene show this summer and they were very well done.

There was a recent article about judging and how these boats were intended to be used and enjoyed not just sit on a trailer and hit the water only for a show. That they want to have a bit more focus on using these boats and enjoying them. After all that is why they were built in the first place.

1960RedG-3 wrote:

Great thread and information on the ACBS!

Dave,....thanks for all your information. I just learned alot from what you wrote.

I am fairly new to antique boat show scene even though my Dad bought our 1960 Glasspar G-3 brand new in 1959 and kept it in our family all this time. I had one experience with entering a boat show with our G-3 in 2010 at the "Sunnyland Antique Boat Show" in Mt. Dora, Florida. I can't remember if it was ACBS judging that show or not. BUT,....I was told by one of the Sunnyland Officials that our one-family owned 1960 G-3 would never win an award because it was a fiberglass boat with a newer outboard motor on it!! I also have "Hagerty" Insurance on both of our classic boats and they send out a regular newsletter with info and updates about their members and antique boat shows. That newsletter almost always is about the high dollar old wooden boats (like Chris Craft etc.) and hardly ever mentions antique fiberglass boats. I have nothing against the old woodies (in fact I would like to own one but can't afford one) but would like to see more exposure for our classic fiberglass boats.

If you want Hagerty to have articles on classic fiberglass, the owners and users of classic fiberglass must submit articles and photos. That's how Hagerty gets articles on classic wooden boats; someone with a classic wooden boats submits the information.

Hagerty may have had an issue that focused upon classic fiberglass boats a few years ago. I may be mistaken.

Andreas

I would like to add to the posts above and to Andreas' accounts. I thinkg Andreas and I have seen alot of change in our tenures with ACBS over the years. I have been a member of ACBS since 1993. I also participate in about 4-5 shows per year and am president of our local chapter here in Iowa. I will tell you that fiberglass in recent years has been welcome in every show that I have attended, international included. The Fall ACBS International Show in Couer D Lene in September had a 1965 Glastron Futura that won top awards in the fiberglass selection. As for Hagerty, Carla has asked me for a photo shoot with my 1968 Donzi 18 Classic, (mechanical difficulties did not allow for that shoot.) I showed that boat in Mount Dora in March at the Spring Show. Also had taken it on the St. Johns River Cruise the week before. It got a lot of attention and all was positive.
I can tell you that within the ranks of ACBS, fiberglass and Aluminum are getting well deserved attention and appreciation. I own wood, glass and aluminum. I can understand that we all may have certain stories where someone makes a comment on fiberglass at a boat show, but I love to put it right back at them and debate that in a fun spirited manner!
Our show at Lake Okoboji has two award categories, Peoples Choice and Skippers Choice. It has made for a nice show and I believe encourages more people to bring their boats.
I can also tell you that in my observations, the public viewing loves seeing the glass as well as comments are very positive. My best advice is to get out, get involved and enjoy the boats as that is what it is all about. Merry Christmas to all!

72 .
I would like to have ACBS officially recognize non wood boats look at you ACBS Directory. In the classification section it does not address non wood boats. I would bet their membership would increase if they would update their classes. Thank goodness the chapters are more proactive. I believe that ACBS is looking to up date their position on this issue

I do not believe that the ACBS omits non-wood boats from its descriptions. It's about boats no matter what the material used to manufacture them.

I am away from home and do not have my ACBS Membership Directory near me therefore I cannot check the wording. But as far as I know the ACBS charter and mission statement and definitions have NEVER restricted it to wood only. Maybe I am wrong.

How 'bout we hear from those folks that have participated in antique and classic boating events with non-wood boats and have had fun, been welcomed, maybe won awards, and enjoyed themselves.

Wasn't the "best outboard boat" awarded to a classic fiberglass boat at the ACBS International Show a few years ago? I'm not talking a category for fiberglass boats, I'm talking any outboard boat; wood, fiberglass, steel, aluminum, magnesium, whatever...

I most often use my classic non-wood boat. I have never had anyone disparage the hull material and say I cannot participate in ACBS or other events.

Andreas

Personally, I don't give a damn about ACBS one way or the other. First of all, I'm not a "joiner" and second, I can see no reason to have a boat judged other than to say to the crowd, "look at me." If a group of people want to pay to band together to have boat shows, terrific. I generally stop by to take a look.

However, paying chapter on top of national dues and then paying an entrance fee to show one of my boats seems ridiculous to me. Besides, for the most part, it's always the same clique of people with the same boats who take turns giving each other awards: best this, best that, oldest, most original, whatever. As if...

Give me an unorganized ad hoc group of vintage fiberglass boat enthusiasts who get together on a sandbar somewhere...no rules, no judging, no fees...just hot dogs, beer and boat B.S. THAT'S vintage boating and I don't need ACBS to tell me how to do it...or judge it.

(There goes my karma...right down the toilet!)

my glass boat was the first to be on a front cover of an acbs magazine. i thought that was quite a feat. there are many boats owned by members on this site that surely belong before me. i happen to enjoy being with the woodie owners. the owners in my chapter (philadelphia) are terrific people. ron

Nautilus wrote:

Personally, I don't give a damn about ACBS one way or the other. First of all, I'm not a "joiner" and second, I can see no reason to have a boat judged other than to say to the crowd, "look at me." If a group of people want to pay to band together to have boat shows, terrific. I generally stop by to take a look.

However, paying chapter on top of national dues and then paying an entrance fee to show one of my boats seems ridiculous to me. Besides, for the most part, it's always the same clique of people with the same boats who take turns giving each other awards: best this, best that, oldest, most original, whatever. As if...

Give me an unorganized ad hoc group of vintage fiberglass boat enthusiasts who get together on a sandbar somewhere...no rules, no judging, no fees...just hot dogs, beer and boat B.S. THAT'S vintage boating and I don't need ACBS to tell me how to do it...or judge it.

(There goes my karma...right down the toilet!)

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Nautilus:

That is a good opposing opinion on this whole ACBS thing. I agree with many of the things you have said.

Your view hits home on the whole Florida Glasspar Club which a guy with the initials "BS" runs! LOL! IMHO,....most of what you said applies directly to him and his huge ego which you better not challenge or have an opposing view!

Thanks for your analysis Sir!

If you go to the "Thompson Dockside" website, on the home page there is a link to a letter from Andreas and Miles Kapper to explain their views on judging of outboard classics. I think that even though it was written about Thompsons, you could look at their viewpoints for most brands. I think that all of us here are in this for the right reason - to enjoy our hobby with our family and friends. We make these boats "our own". The only judging I need is the attention at the gas station or boat landing every time I take it out, by people I don't even know. I love sharing the history we represent by what we do with these boats. I grew up (or should I say got older) here in La Crosse on the banks of the Mississippi and have loved every minute I have spent on the water, most of them in a classic boat.
Merry Christmas to everyone, and keep enjoying our lifestyle for what it is - not what others think it should be!!!

Bill

If it floats and is old let it in. I have a concrete boat that was made in the 50's, really thin material and was made by Ford. It floats and has a little old rude 5 hp on it. I will have to get some pics and post them here. It is just an open runabout. So what would it be classed under?

I would say VERY VERY COOL

skipthescrounger wrote:

If it floats and is old let it in. I have a concrete boat that was made in the 50's, really thin material and was made by Ford. It floats and has a little old rude 5 hp on it. I will have to get some pics and post them here. It is just an open runabout. So what would it be classed under?

I'd class it a little bit below Aluminum. LOL!

I wouldn't "class it" at all. Why should vintage boats be pigeon-holed into some arbitrary classification, generally by those with "better" boats for their particular subjective reasons? When did classic boating become an exclusive club? A vintage boat is to be enjoyed and cared for by it's owner and admired or at least appreciated by others. Why does a boat have to be classed or judged or even worse, excluded? I just don't get it.

Nautilus, that is just what I mean.

Why judging? Why join a group that is boat oriented? All good questions that each of us can only answer for our own reasons. I belong to a few boat related groups, ACBS included. I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people, viewing their boats, sharing information, learning about the areas they are from, the histories of the boats and the people themselves is a very rewarding experience for me. Having done a lot of the restoration work myself and all that it entails gives me great pleasure. It is also amazing how many boats that I have had the pleasure of actually driving at the various shows from my fellow club members.
As for the judging, it is not for me. I had a judge tell me that it is a good way to document your boat, and to have a thorough understanding of how it should have been when newly built. On most of my boats, I know what is stock and what is not, so I am not that motivated by that need. For others, having their boat judged is important to them. That is all great and wonderful, but not my cup of tea. If it comes to safety, I feel that it is wise to err on the side of safety, Bilge pumps, blower etc. In doing some restorations and one that I am doing now, I am replacing some formica covered bulkheads with mohagany and adding some indirect under gunnel lighting. I know that it was not available on that model in 1961, but it will be on this restoration.
If you have visited any antique or classic boat shows recently, you will see all sorts of wonderful adaptations, in wood and glass. Look at the wood Aristocrafts that use modern outboards that have been retrofitted with old style engine hoods, the same for many of the glassics that we so enjoy in this forum.
I enjoy reading others points of view and while we may not all agree, it is fun to understand and hear what is important to others in this hobby.
I have made so many new friends from all over the country because of ACBS, this group, the Donzi group and the hobby in general. I love to share with others what I have collected, learned and enjoyed. I will continue to do so as I have been very blessed to have a lot of great treasures shared with me.
That's all I got to say about that! Merry Christmas to all!

Older boats are cool. That's for sure. You can't buy them like that anymore. I agree with Nautilus when he says you'll know it when you see it. I too would rather spend my time sharing boats on a sandbar somewhere and talking about how we came about this hobby. Others go show them at boat shows and such looking for recognition. It's all in what you want. I agree with 1960RedG3 in that some people let it get to their heads, have big ego's, and dictate rules to others. Some need to follow that, others like myself do not. Sharing information and knowledge is important. I think I would show a boat at a show only to share with others how I did the restoration and such things. But being judged…don't really care about that either.

nautilus, I agree with you 100 percent. if you have a boat that you are proud of and some one at the boat landing gives you a compliment on it that is all that matters. just the way I think. frog

Short story...Early last year, I registered Bettie Page in a local boat show for no other reason than to identify the business and present an example of our work. I milled around like everyone else but of course, nobody knew who I was or who owned Bettie. I would stand there staring at the boat and just listen to the comments by others. (Boy, is that enlightening!) Anyway, two "officials" walked up in their AACA jackets with little name tags and began to tear her apart: "Century never made anything like that; The steering wheel is wrong;" and incredibly enough, "Too much wood." That one almost made me laugh out loud. Well, we left early but I heard later through the grapevine that Bettie Page had won some type of award, most likely something like "Least Original." Whatever it was, I never did find out and you know, it just plain doesn't matter. Don't you just hate it when there's "too much wood?"

jan, should of sent that in for the calendar...luv it. ron

Been off the board for a while but I'll chime in on this one. I have judged and been bringing vintage glass outboards to be judged since about 2000.
Why have your boat judged...well speaking for myself it makes you push hard on workmanship and correctness, that's of value from a historical perspective. It's always great to see something old and brought back to life with some personal touches but it's also cool to see how it really was.
You learn when your boat is judged BUT for us glass guys it is a process that educates the ACBS as often owners know a lot more and can share some of the background as to what makes the boat unique. This generates interest and curiosity in glass boats. Often the glass will be of high interest where most participants grew up or had glass boats so they are generally glad to see them.
For the fellow with the G-3 and modern motor...from a judging point of view there is a BIG points deduct if the outboard and boat are more than 3 years apart. The deduct gets bigger as the years diverge so you won't "win" because you will score to low due to modern motor deduct. My own opinion is this promotes keeping the old motors running and preserved there is as much interest in old motors as there is in boats at the shows. It also sets the owners apart for taking the challenges often presented running an older motor which again helps.
It's true there are many classes for wood and only one for glass, it's in it's infancy. I suspect there will be more classes added probably splitting inboards from outboards first would make sense, go to the shows and generate interest by displaying your good works. It takes time and the head honchos of the ACBS will soon be from the age of fiberglass so be there to lend support and demonstrate there is something to enjoy outside of varnish and stain. It's a well run organization with members who love boating so glass guys can only add to the fun. I believe the shows are way more interesting with variety. I like most active guys here bridged the gap growing up from wood to glass so I like it all. I'm also thinking the ACBS should ditch the new remade wood JUDGING class, seems rather silly to me and fosters the "because it's wood" mentality (my opinion). It might be helpful to adopt a sliding scale for the years allowed, why not have a 30 or 35 year requirement so glass boats will continually age in, rather than an an arbitrary cutoff date. Geez an 82 Century boat doesn't seem "old" to me but it is! that's over 30 years ago! Cars are "antiques" after 25 years.
I think this would help on the preservation of some cool stuff.
Hunkered down for the winter biding my time till ice out.
Randy

Actually, I am all for any organization of vintage/antique boat owners who want to get together, have shows, meets, regattas, whatever. However, I do not see how classifying and judging serves any purpose other than to single out one boat and owner over another...and I still contend that that is not what the hobby is all about. Preservation yes, but the preservation of every single little original feature is, and should be, a personal choice. To me, safety, reliability and personal preference will always take precedence over the opinions of others. Originality be damned. Vintage boats belong in the water, not the Smithsonian.

Great comments 63G3! We even changed the name of our show to be "Antique and Classic Boat Show" for the very said reason. The public comments on seeing classic glass has been overwhelmingly supportive while I have yet to hear any negative comments. I have had people ask me about the inclusion of classic glass in a very positve manner. We are seeing alot more people that are in attendance at our shows that can relate to the glass. At 48 years of age, I grew up in the "glass era" and if not for our next door neighbors having a wood boat, I may never have caught the bug, (Highly unlikely) I might add. But you all get the point.
In restoring a glass boat, it is just as arduaous a task as a wood boat with many of the same issues. I think we can all relate to that point. We have the same obstacles, high costs, materials, labor, time, etc. The boats are what pulls us toghether and should not pull us apart. In viewing the boats at shows, I find that while I have certain tastes, It still does not stop me from viewing a certain model that may not interest me. What is of interest is that I can relate to all of the work that was put into a project, the how, what, and where if came from and of course the owners story. That is what I get a kick out of. A nice aside to this is that the networking, friendships and cameraderie that you gain at shows are really immeasurable.
When I joined ACBS in 1993, I raised the question of glass incusion and was met with some skepticism, but that quickly changed that year when we had Lee Wangstad come to our show with his beautifully restored Larson Thunderhawk. It has only grown in popularity ever since.
With any hobby or group associated with it, you have differing opinions. We all need to relax a bit, take a big breath and quit sweating the small stuff.
Go out and enjoy your boat as you see fit. Get involved with what gives you pleasure. If you want to see things changed, then be a part to change that. Go take an stodgy woody boater our for a ride in some classic glass. Who knows, you just may make someone (along with yourself) very HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!

I got the answer I was looking for. John Howard, Judging Committee Chairperson for ACBS, graciously replied back to me and explained how new categories get added. It all makes good sense.

So, if you are inclined, bring your boats to an ACBS show or two. If not, that's OK too, of course. Keep in mind that at these shows, some have judging and some do not, so there's something for everyone. I'm looking forward to doing this and getting a chance to look at some great boats I might not otherwise get to see, whether they be made out of fiberglass, aluminum, steel, wood, ABS-clad Styrofoam, roto-molded polyethylene, ABS plastic sheet, or concrete, and kept factory original, or customized by their owners. It's all good.

See you on the water next summer!

Mr. Howard's response:

To: David Nau

You are right. There is no specific judging sheet or guidelines for fiberglass outboards. The development of judging sheets and guidelines is an evolving process. When we started, there was only one sheet for all types of boats. And, there were no written guidelines. The five major categories (construction, interior and upholstery, hardware, finish and engine) were listed but it was up the each judge to decide what to look at and how many points to deduct. Over the last twenty years, we have designed eight sheets and guidelines as their need arose. There are many more we could create: Fiberglass Outboards with Steering, Fiberglass Outboards without steering, Metal Inboards, Metal Outboards with Steering, Metal Outboards without Steering, Fiberglass Cruisers, Metal Cruisers, Sailboats, Unmounted Inboard Engines, etc. Those are some that come to mind quickly. I'm sure there are several more.

The point is, judges frequently experience a boat or motor that doesn't fit precisely into one of the categories for which we have sheets and guidelines. Judges use judgment when they encounter those entries and apply the principles of ACBS judging; originality and quality of workmanship.

So far, relatively few non-wood boats appear at our shows. When they do, they are judged using our principles and frequently win top awards. I'm reminded that at the first ACBS International show at Coeur d’Alene, a Mullins (steel runabout) won the best Antique Runabout award. At the Toronto show, an Aristo-craft (fiberglass outboard) won Best of Show.

We respond to member’s wishes and needs. When fiberglass outboards come to our shows in reasonable numbers, we can define judging principles for them. And, when that happens, we will solicit your input so the guidelines are meaningful and proper.

Thanks for your comments.

John Howard

Nautilus wrote:

Short story...Early last year, I registered Bettie Page in a local boat show for no other reason than to identify the business and present an example of our work. I milled around like everyone else but of course, nobody knew who I was or who owned Bettie. I would stand there staring at the boat and just listen to the comments by others. (Boy, is that enlightening!) Anyway, two "officials" walked up in their AACA jackets with little name tags and began to tear her apart: "Century never made anything like that; The steering wheel is wrong;" and incredibly enough, "Too much wood." That one almost made me laugh out loud. Well, we left early but I heard later through the grapevine that Bettie Page had won some type of award, most likely something like "Least Original." Whatever it was, I never did find out and you know, it just plain doesn't matter. Don't you just hate it when there's "too much wood?"

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Nautilus:

Bettie Page is one BEAUTIFUL boat Sir! I don't care what those judges thought! LOL!

Once in a while I see other older boats on my little local lake. I always try and get an opportunity to speak with the owners. I have thought of starting a club of some sort, and being very inclusive of what type boats are involved.

I think any boat that is cool enough for the owner to keep maintained or rebuild beyond the normal life expectancy of a boat should be considered a classic. If they were interesting enough for the owner to keep around, thats cool enough for me.

I may print up a flyer or something and see if I can drum up any interest in a club of some sort and see what kind of response I get.

Bernie