The President’s Pulpit - acbs-pnw.org

1 Antique and Classic Boat Society Pacific NW chapter 23913 NE 54th Place Redmond, WA 98053. February 2009. Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest chapter Antique & Classic Boat Society ACBS PNW 2009. Officers and The President's Pulpit Board of Directors Officers Cabin Fever it continues to develop. It I went to the boat show also contains the registra- President Dick Dow today, looking for inspira- tion information so any- tion, diversion, electronics one who may be interested Vice President can easily get the form and Rob DaPron and a new marine refriger- ator. The effort was worth register. Secretary it for all but the first thing com. You do not have to Craig Magnusson on the list. I guess I've be- be an ACBS member to at- Treasurer come an old boat snob, but tend this event it's open Kirk Knapp to my eyes, there wasn't to all.

2 This is going to be a a boat in the show that I great time! Board of Directors would walk to the end of The board has decided to Peter Bro the dock to board The eliminate the garage tour Tom Cathcart only one I saw with a line from our schedule this Frank Gonzales up its viewing stairway year due to the timing and Barent Hoffman was a newly-built mahoga- effort that is being put into Ike Kielgass ny speedboat with a radical the symposium, which is Warren Olson Don Palmer design, Arneson drive and sort of the same thing on Greg Price the standard Bryant's color steroids anyway. The tour Ron Stevenson scheme with a stained hull will resume in 2010. Alan Thomle and bright yellow bottom. What is exciting is We are still seeing a decline in our mem- the continued innovation in electronics, pow- bership, but I am pleased and excited at the At Large Positions er plant and drive systems, safety products number of new members showing up at the and the things that make using a boat more monthly meetings, participating, contributing Cruiser Class comfortable and convenient.

3 Did I just say to the process, and volunteering to work on the Karl Hoffman I was getting old? symposium and other events we are planning. Fiberglassics Liason Marty Loken Clearly, this is an event that would bene- Despite the challenges, I think 2009 is going to fit from an ACBS display. We used to have be a good year for the club. Historian a regular presence, the last time in the final Rob DaPron Boating weather is just around the corner! Kingdome show, where we were featured cel- Kathy and I now have a running Tollycraft, Chief Judge ebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Seattle Tom Cathcart, (this month's editor Thank Alan Thomle Boat Show and Bryant's Marina. Our space You!) has a new gas tank on order for Huck- Membership was used for publicity, a backdrop for inter- ledybuck , Kirk Knapp views, and was one of the busiest places in the show.

4 The Best of Show award we re- Ron Stevenson is back to work on the Cus- Newsletter Editor Tom Cathcart ceived from the NMTA hangs on my wall. It's tom, Ike has another race boat in process, new for February time we return. member Dave Cossette and Alan are redoing Dave's SuperSport, I'm not sure how many Safety Correspondent This month's Rudder' contains the regis- boats the Franchini family is working on . Open tration for the ACBS 2009 International Mo- but I am sure there are many more in process Webmaster torboating Symposium, to be held at South around the region, so we're just going to have Pat Ford Lake Union Park and the Center for Wooden to find excuses to use them aren't we? Boats April 24-26. We have set up a website to provide information on the symposium as Let's do just that!

5 Dick Dow The Editor's Corner Guest Editor: Tom Cathcart It's a beautiful Saturday morning here at Cathcart Park & Arboretum in east Redmond, and I am still recovering from the red eye express' that brought me home from a three-day sojourn to Rome .. New York, that is! Our Museum of Flight's Senior Curator and myself were dispatched to perform an acceptance inspection on our 1954 Lockheed Super G' Constellation airliner, just having gone through a year and a half of major structural repairs and sporting a new Trans Canada Air lines' paint job compliments of Air Canada. The Constellation, a late 1930's design, was the epitome of piston powered airline development, and thought by many to be the most aesthetically pleasing made up of all of us who enjoy sharing our treasured aircraft ever to grace the skies.

6 It was while I was artifacts with the public. We pass these craft on to the brushing the snow from the wings and photographing next generation of admirers, and in doing so, pass a the aircraft, that I thought of how much of the styling bit of ourselves along with them. from this Art Deco' period of American history Please share this passion we pursue with those transcends all forms of transportation, be it aircraft, around you. Let them know they don't necessarily automobiles or boats of that period. The beauty of need to own a boat to enjoy the activities of our an elliptical airfoil, or the graceful sheer-line on one organization, and that we all subscribe to sharing of our boats, seems to recall a point in time that is our treasures with others. If everyone in our chapter worthy of preserving.

7 Could just interest one person in the benefits of We are fortunate to live in a society that still membership, we can arrest the decline that we have embraces its history. We are all but stewards of this experienced of late. endeavor, keeping these boats we love seaworthy I'm looking forward to seeing as many of you as much longer that their original designers ever possible this coming season. Let's make 2009 a great imagined. The ACBS is in effect a museum of sorts, year for our club! Jerry's Kid At the Museum of Flight's restoration facility in Everett, I was having a conversation with some of my volunteers, when by sheer accident of course, the subject turned to boats. One of my Comet restoration volunteers, Mike Mellinger, said that he had a 1961 21'. Chris Craft Continental, one of only a few delivered with the Gull wing hardtop.

8 As the story unfolded, I took notes. The boat is disassembled and living in a shelter next to Mike's home in Redmond. Mike purchased the boat many years ago from a Marina owner in San Diego. geous 21-foot Chris Craft, and named it The Bellboy . What's interesting is that the boat was shipped brand cause I was planning The Bellboy (the movie) at the new to this same marina, then a Chris Craft dealer, and time . Jerry's ownership was to be short lived though. the first owner of the boat was none other than comedian He continues: So the guy who used to be my manager Jerry Lewis. and I take the boat into what is now the Sheraton Marina. In a 1996 interview Jerry Lewis talks about his first We're skiing; we're having a great time. We've bought a boat: I went to San Diego to water ski. I go to the Ho- little ice chest and put tuna sandwiches and Cokes in it.

9 Tel Del Coronado to rent a ski boat. They ain't got ski We stop skiing. We pull up on the bank. We eat our sand- boats. I say, where can I go for ski boats? They say, wiches. And I say to him: why does this sandwich taste we're the only ones that rent them, and we're all out. So like chateaubriand, and the coke like Dom Perignon? I go over to Shelter Island and I bought a boat, this gor- What is it about being on the water? He says: It's just 2. Jerry's Kid Continued Classifieds: 1955 Aristo Craft 14' Torpedo with 1955. Merc MK55E & trailer. Accurately restored, that magical connection between relaxing and water and food . never in water. Show winner-$20,000. 1969. I say: So in other words, those people with those boats over Century 18' Resorter (fiberglass) & trailer. there that have curtains, and a shower, the food there must taste FWC Chrysler 318-V8.

10 Nice condition, almost unbearably wonderful! Next week, I bought a 41-foot good user-$10,000. 2002 Lexus LS430 (I. Chris. He returned the Continental to the dealer, who kept the didn't know Lexus made boats Randy!). boat themselves, letting their kids use the boat until they burned up the original 430 engine. It would remain in storage for Light powder blue with gray leather interior. the next thirty plus years, until purchased by Mike. Jerry Lewis 69k miles. Second owner & always garaged, would go on to collect a variety of wooden boats, including a excellent cond-$22,000. 71' Grebe, which he worked on extensively himself. Contact Randy Mueller @ (253) 858-2120. Mike's plans for restoration of the Chris were interrupted (home), or email: by marriage and children of his own. His friend, Dave Lobb, of Northwest Classic Boats, put a new bottom and transom on 1961 CC Continental 21' w/ Gull Wing the boat in 2003.