Your Latest Bilge Pump

Wood, Waves & Wheels - A Great Show!

Wood, Waves & Wheels was a great way to kick off the month of July, with a beautiful day of classic boats, cars and motorcycles on display at the Fort Worth Boat Club on Eagle Mountain Lake. Eric Wueste took Best of Show with his rare fiberglass Yellow Jacket (above.) Dan Stober took these photos, including the one above showing his own beautiful boat. Thanks, Dan!		Trey Bull did an excellent job of organizing the boat side of the show. There were boats in both on-land and in-the-water displays, offering visitors a delightful variety. Trey also shot a video of the event, which is posted on the WBA website's "Photos & Videos" page. Watch it here! Utilities, runabouts, classic wood and classic glass. What more could a vintage boating fan ask for?

Wood, Waves & Wheels was a great way to kick off the month of July, with a beautiful day of classic boats, cars and motorcycles on display at the Fort Worth Boat Club on Eagle Mountain Lake. Eric Wueste took Best of Show with his rare fiberglass Yellow Jacket (above.)

Dan Stober took these photos, including the one above showing his own beautiful boat. Thanks, Dan!

Trey Bull did an excellent job of organizing the boat side of the show. There were boats in both on-land and in-the-water displays, offering visitors a delightful variety. Trey also shot a video of the event, which is posted on the WBA website's "Photos & Videos" page. Watch it here!

Utilities, runabouts, classic wood and classic glass. What more could a vintage boating fan ask for?

Project Updates from the Robin McGeorge Boat Shop!

(Above) Carl Lapiska recently had a surprise visit from the WBA's Quality Control Guru, Lew White, and his daughter Deb. Happily, Carl's work was up to standards, and he was able to continue his project.

(Above) Ann Hallam sands a dashboard overlay that had been made last year for another project by the late Robin McGeorge. It was just the right size for Ann and John's Yellow Jacket Catalina. The original dash had lots of holes.

(Above) Ted Dysart furthers the work on his Sabre's lower transom frame, which has proven a challenge. Ted's persistence has paid off, though!

(Above) Chris Sterlacci and David Kanally align the grain in two pieces of 6mm 5-ply marine mahogany, under the watchful eye of Carl Lapiska (just off camera on the left).

(Above) Carl drills and cleans out several limber holes in the frames of his Super Sport. The bilge had been reinforced with plywood in an earlier restoration, and some of the drainage between frames had been compromised.

(Above) The Hallams' Catalina received a coat of varnish on the preserved interior, taking the boat one step closer to completion. The black floor will be painted yellow in keeping with the 1958 Yellow Jacket color scheme.

(Above) Alan Oppenheimer holds a support block which he subsequently installed under the steering rod of the Century Partners' Sabre.

(Above) The foredeck of Joel Odom's '58 Yellow Jacket Catalina will soon have a foredeck with nice, matching grain. The pieces have been rough cut, and are ready for fitting.

Next Monthly Meeting August 17th at Two Guys, Don't Miss It!

Our next meeting will be Thursday, August 17th, 2023, at 7 p.m. at Two Guys From Italy in Dallas. 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: Putting in the Miles for Yellow Jacket

Dennis Cheatham has put in some miles over the years to make sure that Yellow Jackets are preserved for future generations. Most recently, Dennis made a round trip to Geneseo, IL, to retrieve a 1957 model from Carla Franz, the widow of "Mr. Yellow Jacket", Marty Franz. The Franz Yellow Jacket is the latest in the collection Dennis is curating at his storage facility in Denison. Dennis is also working earnestly behind the scenes to include a significant Yellow Jacket display in the Denison Fall Festival on October 7, 2023. Dennis' dad, Richard, worked for Yellow Jacket in the early to mid-'50s, and Dennis is intent on reminding the good people of Denison and classic boating enthusiasts everywhere about the legacy of the Yellow Jacket Boat Company. Dennis is hoping to catalyze the creation of a Yellow Jacket Museum in Denison one day, and would welcome others to join him in the effort.

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.