The Eagle Mountain Classic Boat Club and the Fort Worth Boat Club will host the Annual Wood, Waves & Wheels Show on Saturday, May 7, from noon until 5 p.m. It's a great show, with a good variety of antique and classic boats, classic cars and even motorcycles!

This show is another good opportunity for the WBA to mix and mingle with our like-minded friends from the other side of the Metroplex.

Come on out for the day! Let us know if you can attend!

Next WBA Monthly Meeting March 17, 2016. Don't Miss It!

Our next meeting will be Thursday, March 17, 2016 at 7 p.m. at Two Guys from Italy at 11637 Webb Chapel Road, just south of Forest Road. WBA member and benefactor John Parish will be giving away one of his many boating and woodworking related books as a door prize.

Our meetings are a great opportunity to socialize with fellow WBA members and to talk shop on questions on everything from paint and varnish to carburetor kits. We'll be finalizing our plans for the Keels & Wheels launch support, and detailing other upcoming events, so please make a special effort to attend. Marc Hill will provide our program, discussing the restoration of his '68 Chris-Craft Grand Prix. Preview here!

As always, we'll have generous helpings of fellowship and Italian food.

Join us for a light meal and moderate libation at 5:30 p.m. at Two Guys from Italy prior to the meeting. We encourage you to join us for dinner, so we'll always have the required minimum number of diners to avoid a room charge.

A Message From Steve:

We had quite a lot of feedback from our February planning meeting, some of it favorable and some of it not so favorable.  Clearly, my approach and message missed the mark.  The following is my general understanding of the sources of discontent.
Some members would have preferred a more relaxed approach to the conduct of the meeting and felt that my presentation style was too structured and corporate, that it was all “lined out,” and that my use of a PowerPoint presentation was off-putting.  However, while I intend to be fully prepared for every meeting, I can certainly take a more casual approach that makes people more comfortable.  Surely, I could have done a better job soliciting input and ideas from the meeting attendees.
The number of initiatives presented caused a sense of being overwhelmed to those who thought it was too ambitious and that we would never be able to find enough people to get them all done.  Further, issue was taken to the fact that they were predominately my ideas, rather than having been solicited from the membership.  Some members perceived that growth just for the sake of growth was being advocated.  I agree that the sheer number of initiatives proposed was ambitious, but they were simply ideas for the Club to consider with no real expectation that we would devote all our energy to accomplishing them this year or any year.  However, let’s just wipe the slate clean and start all over again.  This time we’ll focus on your ideas.
I want everyone to understand that I heard what you had to say.  I assure you I viewed your comments as constructive criticism and received them in a most accepting and appreciative manner.  I am truly grateful for your honesty and frankness.  I especially appreciate the kind counsel of David Kanally.
Please know that I understand that the WBA is not a business.  Rather, it is a social club where like-minded individuals come to have fun, enjoy the fellowship of long-term friends, and share their common passion, doing all of this in a relaxed, casual, and stress-free environment.  I intend to respect and honor the traditions, style, and culture of the WBA that have been developed over many years through the contributions and efforts of a large number of loyal members.  I hope we can go forward together and accomplish those goals with which we are all in agreement, whatever they may be.

Sincerely,

Steve Griffitts, President, WBA

Shop Talk and Musings

It's fair to say that we've been through a bit of choppy water the past few weeks, and it's also clear that our members care very much about our Club. We're sorry, but understanding, that Gay Perry has stepped down as our Secretary. She's done such a wonderful job for many years. Gay remains active in the Club, of course, and has already signed up for Keels & Wheels. Have you?

So we find ourselves looking for a new Secretary for the Club. Duties include attending monthly meetings, taking notes and drafting the meeting minutes for distribution to the members. If you would like to support the club by becoming its new Secretary, please let Steve Griffitts know. This is a great way to serve the WBA!

And finally, please take a look in the shed or garage for leftover parts or other salable items you can donate to the club. Bring them to any WBA meeting, or contact David Kanally at david@historywithheart.com for pickup.