Including Updates From Lucas and Eastcreek Customs!
April, 2017

Register Now for Keels & Wheels, May 6-7!

  

We are fortunate to be a part of one of the nation's premier boat and car shows, Keels & Wheels, scheduled for May 6-7 this year at Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook, TX, about 40 minutes south of Houston. As is our custom, the WBA will provide the launch crew for the event. This year's featured boat is the Utility, of which there are several fine examples among our membership. Please consider seriously the opportunity to bring your boat to the show (whether it's a utility or not!), and enjoy the event to the fullest.

Read more and get registration info here.

See video of last year's Keels & Wheels here!

WBA to Restore 19th Century Gunship!

  

Since the donated Holiday is finished, Robin and the guys at the shop have been scouring the globe for their next project, and voilà, the HMAS Protector!

According to the World Roamer website, "The gunship was built in 1884 for the South Australian government and served in several conflicts including the Boxer Rebellion, World War I and World War II. In 1943, while serving for the US Army, the ship collided with a tugboat and was abandoned, later on being moved to the Heron Island where it was deliberately sunk to act as a breakwater." Should keep Robin out of trouble for a while.

APRIL FOOLS!

Wood, Waves & Wheels May 13 at Eagle Mountain

Our friends at the Eagle Mountain Classic Boat Club will once again provide a wonderful opportunity for us to show our boats at the Fort Worth Boat Club on Eagle Mountain Lake on Saturday, May 15th.

View the full flyer here!

It's a wonderful venue, and this is a great opportunity for us to support a sister club and mingle with a fine group of antique and classic boating enthusiasts from the other side of the Metroplex.

Please register by contacting Trey Bull at louisbull@charter.net or by giving him a ring at 817-247-7980. Let's have a good turnout for this show!

  

Annual Ride 'n Show at Rockwall, June 16-18!

After some conversations with our friends in Rockwall, we're pleased to confirm the dates of our Annual Ride 'n Show, June 16-18, 2017. That's Father's Day weekend, and the perfect opportunity for dads and sons to enjoy the lake together! Watch a video from last year's show by clicking here!

  

We'll have a Friday welcome event, a Saturday show at the Rockwall city docks in front of the Hilton (make your reservations here, or on your favorite hotel reservation site). We'll do a Saturday dinner somewhere in the nearby shopping/nightlife area, and a fun run and brunch on Sunday! Read more. And once you've decided, register here!
Sedberry Details Classic Glass Jet Boat Resto at March Meeting

Special thanks go out to Grant Sedberry who brought a detailed slide show of his restoration of '73 Nordic jet boat to share with the WBA at the March 16 meeting. Grant had his own ideas about the boat's color scheme.

  

After sanding down the old gel coat, Grant found and repaired a number of stress cracks, then sprayed on new red gel coat with metallic flakes, then clear coat. These are the skills of the new generation of classic boaters!
Project Update from Lucas and Beyond!

(Above) Bill Mott and Mark Wilson take the donated '56 Holiday out for her water test on March 2. The bilge remained dry while Mott put the boat through her paces on Lake Lavon. Acceleration and engine performance are solid, and the ride is smooth!

(Below) Bob Adair and Lew White are ready to varnish and paint their 12' sailing skiff. This aft view shows the tiller mounted on its pintles, the gunwales, and the seats and centerboard trunk all ready for varnish. Hull will be white, inside and outside.

(Below) Jim Donovan inspects Dennis Cheatham's 1958 Yellow Jacket after he helped get the Merc outboard mounted on the transom. Dennis plans water tests soon!

(Below) WBA President David Sheets is leading by example with the restoration of his Skiff Craft. A refreshed 350 V8 has taken the place of the original faulty engine, with a major assist from Jim Wolfe.

 

 

(Above) "Surprise" is the donated Holiday's given name, and it's entirely appropriate, since the donation was a very pleasant surprise, indeed. The craft's 20' length, deep hull and wide beam give her lots of room and a comfortable ride. Watch the video here!

(Below) Lew and Bob built this little beauty from plans, making tweaks along the way. They're also custom fitting the trailer to cradle the boat properly as their project nears completion. They plan to offer the boat for sale sometime this spring. Beautiful!

(Below) Rex Hoecker was on hand to help Dennis with the installation of his 65 HP Mercury outboard on his Yellow Jacket. Dennis' restoration gleams with its Awlgrip finish.

(Below) Loretta and David Sheets collaborated to stretch a new outdrive seal over the outdrive to seal it agains the freshly varnished transom. The boat is now both mechanically and aesthetically ready for the season!

Next WBA Monthly Meeting April 20th, 2017. Don't Miss It!

boatOur next meeting will be Thursday, April 20th, 2017 at 7 p.m. at Two Guys from Italy at 11637 Webb Chapel Road, just south of Forest Lane. We'll be continuing our door prize tradition, giving out a classic boating book from collections donated by Pat Baldwin and Bill McNally to a lucky winner.

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 feature a presentation of special interest to antique and classic boaters, of course. 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.

Shop Talk and Musings

The 2017 season is starting with a bang, with three major events over the next couple months. With lots of water in area lakes, it looks like this will be a banner year for antique and classic boating in Texas. We'll see a couple of new WBA member projects emerge from months (and in some cases years) of work for their maiden appearances. We'll also have lots of opportunities to participate in activities with boating cohorts from around the state and the region. Don't worry if you don't own an antique or classic boat...just sign up for these events and enjoy them as a passenger in a fellow member's boat!

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.