| Including an update from our Lucas Shop! | January, 2009 |
Forty WBA members, spouses and friends attended the Annual WBA Installation Banquet at Canyon Creek Country Club in Richardson, TX on January 17, 2009. It was, in fact, the Banquet of the Century because the program featured Century boat expert and restorer Frank Miklos, who shared the history of Century Boats with pictures and commentary from the very earliest days of the company in the late 1920s through the end of their wooden boat production in the late 1960s.
(l-r) Elizabeth Webster and Judi McGeorge; Mark Webster, Lewis Lawson, Seb Borrello
(l-r) Nancy and Les Burton, Charles Bowser; Bill Baldwin, Gay Perry, Pat Baldwin
WBA President Bob Van Guilder presided over the festivities, introducing the current group of officers, all of whom are beginning the second year of their two-year terms. Bob introduced Vice-President Mark Webster, Treasurer Phil Wolff and Secretary Richard Haug. Mark Webster then presented books from the collection of the late Dick Peterson to six lucky winners who found winning tickets taped to the bottoms of their chairs. Bob then returned to the podium and presented special recognition awards to members who had made extra contributions of time, resources and creativity to the club in the past year. Recipients included Robin McGeorge, Mike Gomes, Phil Wolff, Bill Baldwin, David Kanally, Walter Hill, Mark Webster. The officers then distributed gifts for the club's "boatresses", the patient and supportive spouses who complete our club. Each gift of hand cream was wrapped in a package adorned with a nautical charm.
(l-r) Troy Marshall and Walter Hill; David Kanally, Bev Peterson, Bob and Mildred Van Guilder
Bob then introduced Frank Miklos of Pittsburgh, PA as the speaker for the evening. Frank is well-known in the Century boat community, having developed the Century boat judging system and serving as the Century Club's head judge since 1988. He's also judged at the Concours d'Elegance at Lake Tahoe on two occasions. Frank has been restoring boats, mostly Centuries, for thirty years. His presentation was thorough, showing the 30-year evolution of Century boats from small racing hydroplanes to luxury runabouts. The evening was adjourned at 10 p.m. with fond farewells until our next gathering.
(l-r) Bob Van Guilder, speaker Frank Miklos; Elizabeth Webster and Carol Harvey with their Boatress gifts.
Troy Marshall's 1948 Hacker Triple
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Clockwise from above: 1. Banquet speaker Frank Miklos was in town early, and stopped by the Lucas shop on Saturday morning to have a look at progress on work there. Troy and Robin fit the finished dash, as Frank lends a hand. 2. Frank Miklos, Jim Wolfe and Robin McGeorge discuss the structural elements of the stem and bow. 3. Steering wheel and rudder linkage are installed now. All deck framing is installed and painted. Dash and glove box panels for the two front cockpits are installed, and other trim pieces are cut and finished. Soon, woodworking will yield to engine installation. Troy and Mark want to drop the engine in before the hull is enclosed, for ease of access to the engine, and to avoid the risk of damaging decking planks during installation. A number of WBSers were at the shop on Saturday to have a chance to see the boats and speak with Frank. A lunch at Midway Point followed the morning's work. |
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Phil Wolff's Century Sea Maid
Frank Miklos, Phil Wolff and Jim Wolfe discuss progress on Phil's Century Sea Maid. Progress on bottom frame continues. Phil took advantage of Frank's time in Dallas to pick his brain about all aspects of Century restoration.
Limited Free Tickets Available for Dallas Boat Show
Frank Pillsbury has graciously offered the Club a limited number of complimentary tickets to the Dallas Winter Boat Show, January 30-February 8. If you are interested, please email Bob Van Guilder or Mark Webster.
February 19 Meeting: Antique Tools and Methods
In addition to our traditional annual planning activities, the February WBA meeting will include a visit to the shop of Lynn Dowd, a local antique tool and woodworking specialist who will give demonstrations of some classic woodworking tools and techniques. Some of the tools may also be for sale, so this will be a unique opportunity to learn how things were done "back in the day." The meeting will begin as usual at 7 p.m. at the Midway Point at LBJ and Midway Road. We'll have a brief planning meeting and then proceed to Lynn's shop.
Join us for a light meal and moderate libation at 5:30 p.m. at the Midway Point prior to the meeting!
Please take a look in the shed or garage for the leftover parts or other saleable items you can donate to the club. Bring them to any WBA meeting, or contact David Kanally at david@historywithheart.com for pickup.
