Boating

The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and more than 40 antique boats, restored to splendor, lined the Charles F. Moore Boat Harbor.  What an outstanding way for any boat lover to spend their Saturday.   Wes Summers was aboard his 27' fully restored 1938 Cedar Temlearn Sailboat, raising his; American flag. Summers restored "Thunder" in his garage with his own sweat and toil.   Antique boats from all over the country were represented here.  The boats varied vastly in age and style, but there seemed to be a common thread of pride in restoration floating across the docks.

With summer just around the corner its time to start thinking about pulling out the boat and heading for Lake St. Clair. And before you head out the door, you'll want to make sure everything is in good working order. Just like your boat, your trailer needs proper care to give you the performance you deserve. The experts at ShoreLand'r Trailers offer these simple, do-it-yourself tips for trailer owners:

Keep it clean. Be sure to rinse your trailer thoroughly after each use. If you own a painted trailer, use a good car wax to help protect the finish. Your dealer should be able to provide touch-up paint for repairing minor rock damage. Regularly check all nuts and bolts to see that they are tight.

Read more: Handy Tips To Make Your Trailer Last

The Chris Craft and Antique Boat Club put on a great display of vintage wooden boats for the patrons of the 2010 Detroit  Boat Show.

 

 

 

 

 

Former Commodore of the Michigan Chapter John Adams, built a 1930’s Gentlemen’s Racer out of a modified 1968 Chris Craft Lancer Hull, designed by Jim Winn.

This 2009 23’ Adams Craft features a 454 cid crusader engine with 330hp. Constructed of 3 types of mahogany: Ribbon Sapple, Honduras, & Philippine.  Rechromed period hardware & many coats of Varnish complete the vintage racer look.

Rascal…..A Perfect Father & Son Project!

Rascal was built over a 9 month period starting tin the fall of 2008 and launched in the summer of 2009.  Mark, who is 16 years old, worked on every phase of construction from interpreting the plans, to cutting and installing framing, keel, deck, mechanical, and finish work.  Built with a unique keel, this boat gets up on plane quickly, rides level, and handles very well!

You can usually find Mark Brenner & Rascal on Summer Weekends zipping across Anchor bay in Lake St. Clair, Mi. at 30-40mph. Nice boat Mark!

They call him……Ziggy!

AKA Mike Zadigian of Northville is a long time ChrisCraft & Antique Boat Club member and volunteer organizer of the display at the Detroit Boat Show.  Ziggy has 2 displays: “Great White”, a 1961 19’ Thompson Sea Lancer featuring its original 75 hp Johnson Outboard.  Ziggy & boat partner Jeff Moon modified it to a “Dory” style in 2009.

Ziggy & Mary Fife have this restored 1955 18’ Century Resorter that is docked in Cedarville, Mi, among the Les Cheneaux Islands.  This boat was purchased in Warren, Mi in December of 2008.  The restoration consisted of a new 5200 bottom, new frames, decks, wiring, stain, & varnish.  Wild Mare started right up on the first turn of the key & made its debut at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club show on May 23, 2009.

Do you have a wooden boat or boat restoration project?  Join us in the Forums & share your pictures & story with others!

“The Real Deal” according to Jason Lemerand of Wilson Marine in Brighton.  “We’ve sold over 40 pontoons (as of Sat. Feb. 20^th, 2010) this week. Manufactures are taking note of what consumers want in order to spend money: quality, value, & great service.”

Bennington is such a company.  “ I’ve been looking at Pontoon boats for 6 months. I chose the Bennington 20SLi because of the quality of construction.” – Dian  Schuchmann, Sylvan Lake, Mi.   Tilt wheel, adjustable captain seat, removable cup holders, & deep seats, were amenities that created value for Dian & many others.  The Bennington 20SLi was the best selling pontoon for Wilson Marine.

 

At the helm of her new pontoon - Dian Schuchmann of Sylvan Lake, Mi.

Since 1959, Lake Shore Boat Top Co. has been serving the Lake St. Clair and Metro Detroit area, by providing a specialized service to the boating community. With office locations in Harrison Township, and Detroit ( Kean's Marina ), the business remains a family operated company, and is owned and operated by Bob and Rob (son) Kotowski. Lake Shore Boat Top Co. specializes in custom boat tops (Bimini), bridge enclosures for both sailboats and powerboats, cockpit covers, convertible top curtains, and custom boat interiors. Rob, having literally grown up in the family shop, and working by his father's side since childhood, is intimately familiar with the needs of customers who seek qualified artisans in the field of boat repair and boat restoration. Both father and son remain zealous boat enthusiasts themselves, enjoying jet skiing and various other water sports.

Read more: Lakeshore Boat Top Co.

Ship Shape Yacht Care, in business since 1982, has been serving the Lake St. Clair boating community, and catering to loyal clientele traveling from locations such as Marine City, Algonac, & Monroe Michigan. Involved with all forms of boat restoration and repair, the company specializes in fiberglass repair, custom woodwork, teak restoration, and custom paint work. In addition to these services, Ship Shape Yacht Care also performs carpet installations, stripe painting, custom vinyl lettering, bottom stripping, cleaning and detail work, winterizing, and much more. Needless to say, if your boat needs any type of service, this company is capable of providing quality work, by a team of experienced personnel.

Read more: Ship Shape Yacht Care