Including an Update on the Hafer History Project
August, 2019

Rudders and Rods to Rock Texoma August 10!

Steve & Denise McCune of the WBA, in cooperation with Highport Marina on beautiful Lake Texoma, invite you to participate in Rudders & Rods 2019 on August 10, 2019.
This is a free event for both participants and the public. Highport Marina is providing space, launch ramp and support. Come be a part of this show of vintage and classic boats and automobiles.

Schedule:

Display/ Show: Cars, Trucks & Boats will be on display in a reserved area at the Highport’s launch ramp and trailer parking area between 9:00 and 12:00.
Lunch & Entertainment: A private lunch will be provided from 12:00 to 1:30 to all Rudders & Rods participants at the private boat dock of Steve & Denise McCune.
1:30 – 3:30 Boat Parade and Lake Cruise: A Parade through the marina and a cruise around the lake.
3:30 – to whenever: Wooden Boat Association members & guests return to Steve & Denise’s dock for more refreshments, relaxation and fellowship.

RSVP to Steve McCune.

  

Cypress Springs Rendezvous was a Blast!

Twenty or so WBA members and friends gathered on July 20 for the Dils' Rendezvous on Lake Cypress Springs. The weather was warm, breezy and sunny. (Above) Steve and Denise McCune ply the lake's waters in their 1948 Hafer. (Below) Hosts Stacey and Jeff Dils wave to the camera from their Chris. Trey Bull photos.

  

(Above) Despite the club's healthy financial position, these members are pretty much underwater for a refreshing swim on a warm Texas cruise. Trey Bull photo. (Below), the WBA crowd gathers at the Marinas at Lake Cypress Springs for lunch. Later, they gathered at the Dils for refreshments. Thanks, Jeff and Stacey, for a great time!
Pier 121 Boat/Car Event Slated for October 19!

Mark you calendar! The WBA will once again participate in the Pier 121 boat and car show, slated this year for October 19 at the Pier 121 Marina on Lake Lewisville.

  

Plan on joining with your in-the-water or land-displayed boat for a day of good times with fellow classic boat and car enthusiasts. Let David Sheets know if you can attend.
Kanally Presents Derwentwater Wooden Boats, Hafer Boats at July Meeting

  

On their recent trip to England and Scotland, David and Cheryl Kanally found that wooden boats are alive and well in the United Kingdom! In England's Lake District, '30s vintage wooden power launches and small wooden rowboats are in daily use, as evidenced by the photo at left, showing "Lady Derwentwater", one of four such launches on Derwentwater, one of the many lakes in the district. Kanally also reported on progress in the gathering and sharing of the history of Hafer Boats on the WBA web site. In addition to the information already gathered from the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum, Kanally, with substantial help from Steve McCune, traveled to the Okoboji area to interview key individuals involved in the preservation of Hafer history. Results of those interviews are covered in the following Bilge Pump article. Hafer web site here.
Hafer History Project Boosted by Interviews in Iowa

(Above) Iowa business executive and Okoboji area benefactor Irving Jensen shares his memories of his early life on the Iowa Great Lakes and his first encounters with John Hafer, founder of Hafer Boat Company.

(Below) Avid Hafer collector and historian Mark Jensen (Irving's younger brother) takes us on a narrated tour of the Hafer boats at the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum. (Click on individuals' photos to watch interviews)

 

 

(Above) Jerry Rosenberg worked for Hafer Boat Company as a kid, learning techniques for sanding, painting and varnishing the boats. He helped build the last Hafers ever made.

(Below) Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum curator Mary Kennedy tells of the origins of the museum, the brainchild of her late husband, Steve Kennedy. Mary also talks about the Queen II excursion boat serving the Okoboji lakes.

Next WBA Monthly Meeting August 15, 2019, Mark Your Calendar!

boatOur next meeting will be Thursday, August 15th, 2019 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 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 be swapping stories of our various boating and project adventures. Plus, we'll have a presentation of general interest to antique and classic boating enthusiasts. And, of course, 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.

There are two single storage units available at the Lucas Shop! Please let David Kanally know if you are interested. $150/mo. per unit.

Shop Talk and Musings:

2019 seems to be the year of the Rendezvous. Our informal gatherings hosted by various members at different lakes around North Texas seem to have better participation than any time in recent memory. But our newer members should know that the Rendezvous of the early years of the WBA were at the very heart of the organization. The "Hands-on Boat Club", the nickname given the WBA by its founders in the 1980s, often gathered at these informal events, usually at the lake homes of members. I remember learning years ago from the late Leroy Newkirk, "They were kind of 'you bring the cold cuts and I'll bring the bread' kind of deals. Nothing fancy, but we sure had a good time." It seems that the WBA has rediscovered its youth.

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.