Your Latest Bilge Pump

WBA Brings Home Heavy Metal from Keels & Wheels!

Seen here early on Friday, May 5 at Keels & Wheels in Seabrook, TX are members of the WBA Launch Crew for the event. (l-r) Jim Donovan, Phil Wolff, Steve McCune, Jerry Zlomke, David Kanally Alan Oppenheimer, Steve Seale and Bill Mott launched boats that were displayed in the harbor. Many other boats were on land display at the event, along with over 200 classic cars. See the event video here.

WBA members also took home plenty of trophies and awards from the event. There were too many to picture here, so we created a special web page to recognize these folks for their beautiful boats. Thanks to all who helped make Keels & Wheels 2023 a success!

Summer Kickoff Party at Harvey Home June 9!

Ray and Carol Harvey are once again hosting a season kickoff party at their home on June 9. Dues paying WBA members should have received an eVite and a few reminders of the event via email. If you have not received your eVite, please let Scott Myers know.

The evening will give us a chance to socialize in a lovely setting, and catch up on our plans for the boating season. Cost for the event will be $30 per person to help cover costs of food and other expenses. We will be accepting cash at the event. The food and refreshments are well worth the price of admission. The venue and fellowship are a bonus!

If you have not sent in your RSVP yet, please do so today, so we can confirm a headcount with the caterers.

Wood, Waves & Wheels Rescheduled for July 1

WBA Secretary and Eagle Mountain Classic Boat Club President Trey Bull announced late last month that the Wood, Waves & Wheels show, originally scheduled for May 13, would be moved to July 1 due to severe weather concerns.

The WBA has supported this show faithfully over the years, and we plan on continuing that tradition in 2023. The show includes the water and land displays of classic boats from canoes to cruisers, as well as a rich variety of antique and classic cars and motorcycles.

Join your fellow WBA members and friends for this great show. Let Trey Bull know if you can attend.

McGeorge Tribute, K&W Summary Featured at May WBA Meeting

The May 18, 2023 meeting of the WBA was held both on Zoom and in person at Two Guys from Italy restaurant in Dallas. In addition to the business of the club, the meeting featured a tribute to the late Robin McGeorge. Several members spoke of their memories with Robin, sharing how much Robin helped them and meant to them. We made a little tribute video in Robin's memory, which you can see here. The Shop crew has decided to rename the Lucas Shop the Robin McGeorge Boat Shop, or "Robin's Nest" for short.

In addition, David Kanally presented a walkabout video of the Keels & Wheels show. You can view the Keels & Wheels video here. The meeting was well-attended, with over 20 people participating in person or via Zoom. Our meetings are a great opportunity to socialize in person, and to stay in touch virtually with the people of the Club. Plan to join in on June 15!

Project Updates from the Robin McGeorge Boat Shop!

(Above) Relief and joy are clear in the faces of Carl Lapiska (seated in his Chris-Craft Super Sport) and the other WBA flippers who turned Carl's boat upright on Saturday, May 20.

(Above) Joel Odom fits the side support braces on the transom for his 1958 Yellow Jacket Catalina. The new transom will soon be ready for installation on the boat.

(Above) Seb Borrello is seen here removing some stubborn epoxy coating from the fins of Joel Odom's Yellow Jacket. Seb and his wife Bonnie are making their annual migration North to Clayton, NY, so we'll see Seb again in the fall.

(Above) Ted Dysart uses a large Forstner bit to create a recess in a frame member for his Century Sabre. Lots of work goes into frame restoration. Just ask Ted!

(Above) Bill Mott's reflection can be seen clearly in the the gleaming deck of Hallams' Yellow Jacket Catalina. A few finishing touches remain to be done before this boat will be completely done and ready for the season!

(Above) David Kanally is helping out with the Odom restoration, and is seen here sanding the bottom transom support piece. The transom is now fully assembled.

(Above) Alan Oppenheimer has been working on the vents and covers for the gas tank compartment of the Century Partners' Sabre. The chrome on the Sabre has all been redone, and will make that boat shine!

(Above) Phil Brosseau uses a flaring tool to install a fitting in the end of the fuel line for the Century Partners' Sabre. Things are beginning to warm up at the shop!

Next Monthly Meeting June 15th at Two Guys, Don't Miss It!

Our next meeting will be Thursday, June 15th, 2023, at 7 p.m. You'll receive an email reminder for the meeting a few days prior. We'll be continuing our door prize tradition, giving out an e-book, or print book of the lucky winner's choice, or a complimentary design of a boat show placard. The meeting will include a presentation of general interest to the classic boating community.

If you can't join in person, you'll be using the Zoom application for your cell phone or your home computer. To make things easier at meeting time, it would be a good idea for you to go to your normal smart phone app store to download Zoom Cloud Meetings, or go to Zoom.us on your home computer and sign up. Prior to the meeting, you will be sent an email with a link to join the meeting, and further instructions. Those who wait to download Zoom will also receive a link to do that just before the meeting starts. If you are among those who need a few attempts to be successful with technology, you may want to get the downloading taken care of ahead of time.

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. Please join us on Zoom to be a part of our monthly fellowship!

Shop Talk and Musings: *Lucas Shop Now "Robin's Nest"

It didn't take long for the crew at the Lucas Shop to come up with the idea to rename the shop for its Senior Advisor, Robin McGeorge. In fact, when David Kanally sent out a text to the group suggesting the idea, he found out that Bill Mott had already pitched the idea to Robin's daughter, Missie, and had received a positive response. Bill's idea was to call the shop "Robin's Nest", and he's already in the process of making a plaque to hang in the shop with this name emblazoned in chrome letters on a mahogany board. The formal name of the shop is now the Robin McGeorge Boat Shop, and that change has been made in references to the shop on the WBA web site. But "Robin's Nest" will be our nickname for the place where Robin taught us all so much about boat restoration, and set the example for craftsmanship and helpfulness for all of us.

And finally, please take a look in the shed or garage for leftover parts or other salable items you would like to donate to the Club. Contact David Kanally at david@historywithheart.com for more info.