Every wooden boat carries a story of her own revealed in the gleam of her deck, the gentle creak of her hull against the dock, and the graceful lines carved by craftsmen and time. Some stories are passed down; others are built quietly shaped by countless mornings on glassy water and evenings spent chasing the last light across the lake. What follows are stories from the caretakers who know these vessels best, the captains who have loved them, restored them, and carried on their legacies with every voyage.
This 30 ft Chris-Craft Cruiser was built in 1941, the year before Chris Craft began World War II production.
Abandoned in a Seattle boat yard, the vessel was rescued in the early 90s and restored by a husband, wife, and her father who was a wooden boat builder and restorer. The family relaunched the boat in Seattle and enjoyed it for several years before relocating the boat to Coeur d’ Alene Lake.
While returning the boat to water after an insurance inspection, the boat keel was severely damaged at the dock, and fortunately a neighbor spotted it sinking. The owners battled insurance for several years, but finally decided to let the boat go and give it to a marina located in Coeur d’ Alene.
In 2021, I spotted the boat on a Craig’s List ad. She had been stored in an open shed for over 5 years and needed some major restoration work done to get the boat back on the water. Lake Boats located in Polson, Montana removed and re-planked the bottom, replaced various other related parts and rebuilt the damaged keel sections.
Classic Boats in Somers, Montana reworked the upper planking and some of the mahogany to get the exterior of the boat completed for launch in 2024. We reworked and repaired the interior, and continue to make small improvements each year in order to bring this boat back to its original beauty. Metal plating of lights, portal window & bell was done by Acme Brass in Kansas City, Missouri.
We had discussed several names for the boat, but upon seeing its name when we first spotted it, we decided At Last was perfect. She now spends most of her time cruising on Flathead Lake, and up the Flathead River.
ATOMIC BLONDE
2009 Chris-Craft Woody Speedster
Carl Straub
&
BB Bernheim
In 1874, Jesse James’ gang robbed a train at Gads Hill, Missouri; Harry Houdini, the magician and escape artist, was born; Levi Strauss began marketing blue jeans with copper rivets at US$13.50 per dozen; and the Sydney General Post Office in Australia opened. Later, barbed wire was invented before Jesse James’ gang returned and decided to take another train, this time in Kansas, just before Christmas.
It was also the year that Chris-Craft began building pleasure boats and, in the ensuing decades, a lot of water has passed under the hulls of this enduring American icon. And one can’t overlook the list of dignitaries who haven’t
recoiled from being seen aboard a ChrisCraft. We acquired our first Chris-Craft Speedster (2005). However Porsche filed a Trademark suit against ChrisCraft so the Speedster name became a Lancer. Our Speedster was fitted with a six cylinder and we wanted more speed. This led us our current boat a 2009 Chris-Craft Woody Heritage Edition, #74 out of a total of 99 built. It was a one owner boat kept in a custom made garage for the boat and trailer in the Delta in California. Best of all it had 100 hours so in 2017 new upgraded. It has continued to serve us well. This Boat is an absolute head turner! With the combination of the sleek looks and the sound of the roaring exhaust, it’s almost guaranteed that every time you’re out on the water you will have people pointing and asking about the Chris-Craft Woody Heritage. It is the Maserati of the waterways! A boat that will never go out of style and can be kept in families for generations.
BIJOU
1956 Chris-Craft Capri
Michael Roberts
Bijou is a 1956 Chris-Craft 21 ft Capri. We have owned the boat since 1997. Over the last three years it has been restored by Fred Goughnour of Helena, Montana. The boat’s original 158hp six cylinder MBL has been replaced by a 1956 Chrysler M45-SP-3, 354ci, dual 4bbl, 275hp purple Hemi engine (stock color). A single 21 ft Capri was similarly equipped from the factory in 1957.
BLEW BY YOU
1967 Chris-Craft Cutlass
Steven & Kim Liss
Blew By You is a 1967 Chris-Craft Cutlass 26ft twin engine manufactured in Algonac, Michigan. It is one of 250 of which 50 were twin engine models.
I first became aware of the boat in 2018. John Witcomb had a snow mobile trailer for sale and was all too happy to show the boat to me as well.
In 2020 Ken Gimbel let me know the vessel was for sale. I had to have her. We agreed on a price and she was mine. In September 2020, the boat then called My Mistress, was moved to Glen Dutro’s. Under the careful tutelage of Terry Deems and Glen with encouragement from Ken and Murray Danzig, renovation began. There was no interior, sole, seating boards, helm seats, lights, pumps, or starters. Improvements and repairs took 30-40 hours a week for most of the year.
In summer of 2021 we launched and found out the engines and transmissions were junk. Last year, we installed new tuned engines. These two engines are custom built, General Motors 350s, built as marine engines, broken in on a dyno rated at 305 horse power each, 400 lb ft torque.
I’ve recently added a foot rest, cup holders, a spotlight, and a life ring bracket. The bottom has been sanded with new copper anti-fouling. The painter did a beautiful job of cutting and buffing the harbor rash. The name of the boat, Blew By You, aside from the song is Maricious Blue and quite fast.
‘BOUT TIME
1940 Chris-Craft
Special Race Boat Jeffery Hendrix
‘Bout Time is hull number 150 of 167 hulls that were built between 1937 and 1940. It left the factory September 16, 1939 for New York City. It has the original hardware, gauges and the Chris Craft model KB engine with triple downdraft carburetors.
While living in New Hampshire in 1977, I noticed a boat which I learned had been sold at an auction. It remained in the office parking lot through the winter filling with snow which caused icicles to form on the keel. I was told that the original purchaser bounced a check for the boat and several vehicles which allowed me to purchase the boat from the auctioneer. After many years
prioritizing family, work, travel and several moves around the country, we settled in Boise. I was able to complete the restoration in the spring of 2025. A 48-year process, hence the name.
This boat was my first major restoration project and it had many starts, stops and re-dos. It was a valuable learning process. Moving a partially finished wood boat from humid New England to dry Idaho to humid Oregon and back to dry Idaho caused a lot of problems. An important lesson learned from these moves is that new wood does not mix well with old wood. They don’t always shrink and/or swell the same.
We enjoyed our first boating season on Payette Lake and Lake Lowell and look forward to expanding our boating in the Intermountain and the Pacific Northwest waters.
CHIPS & CAVIAR
1956 Chris-Craft Cavalier
Bob Bailey
This 1956 Chris-Craft Cavalier was purchased by Rob Bailey, its third owner, in 2024. The boat has spent most of its life between Whitefish Lake and Coeur d’Alene. Known for exploring the edges of what’s possible in life, Rob now gets to explore from the helm of Chips & Caviar.
CLASSIC PLASTIC
1966 Century Fibersport
James West
A good friend of mine said one time, “You know, you need a boat.” Well, what do you know…not long after hearing that I bought a 1966 Century Fibersport in its original condition. Of course it did not run very well. So, the effort went into getting the original engine to run and it wasn’t going to cooperate.
While this work was going on, the trailer was actually falling apart. So, I had a custom trailer built for the boat. The new trailer looked really nice and the boat did not, showing the years of neglect. So that weekend I tore the boat apart and spent the next couple of years restoring her to what you see now.
My goal was to create a model you could not get Century to build no
matter how much money you gave them. I spent several hundred hours removing the gel coat and making the boat as fair as possible. I decided to paint her black and several friends said, “You don’t want to do that because you’ll never get her flat enough.” I used Avodire mahogany to have the blonde deck that were a Century trade mark instead of the vinyl over plywood decks that were seen on the ‘60s boats. A new interior was installed and all the hardware was re-chromed.
Since I was not a fan of the original engine that came in the boat, I took the original engine and threw it in the dumpster, then built a 390 Interceptor 330 hp version with some specialty 427 parts.
It’s amazing how time flies by as that was 18 years ago that I did all that work. Ever since then we have been using and enjoying Classic Plastic as we should. And yes, I still water ski behind her on wood water skies and nothing sounds better than an FE making music.
CUMMINGS CANOE
Self Built Freedom 17
Bruce
&
Cheryl Cummings
My journey toward building a cedar strip canoe began with two motivations: practicality and a love of woodworking and craftsmanship.
For years, my wife and I paddled a 77-pound Mad River canoe. Eventually, carrying it became a chore and a friend suggested a lighter alternative—a cedar strip canoe. There was, however, one catch: I would have to build it myself.
I had always admired craftsmanship and enjoyed working with my hands, though my previous woodworking experience was modest. I had only built a few simple pieces. Still, the idea of creating something functional and beautiful was irresistible.
Construction began January 1997, in the basement of our Billings, Montana home. Progress came in late evenings, weekends, and stolen moments. Strip by strip, the canoe took shape over the course of 18 months. On July 1, 1998, I launched her for the first time.
The finished canoe is 17’ 6” long and weighs a comfortable 56 pounds. She is built from northern white cedar and red cedar strips, with ash outwales and inwales, cherry decks, and a matching cherry portage yoke. Fiberglass cloth, epoxy, and varnish complete the structure.
This project quickly became my teacher. If ever there was a way to learn the adage “measure twice, cut once,” this was it. I also learned the value of patience, and that cleaning up wood glue as you go is wise.
Looking back, I feel a sense of satisfaction. Commitment, patience, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn can yield something truly special. I’m continually impressed by her stability on the water and how effortlessly she tracks.
Most of all, the canoe has given my wife and I countless moments gliding across postcard-perfect mountain lakes here in Montana. To share this canoe at Whitefish Woody Weekend is coming full circle: celebrating not just a boat, but the process, the learning, and the joy of creating something enduring by hand.
I’m honored to display her among the beautiful vessels that reflect the same appreciation for timeless design and craftsmanship that first inspired me.
DEBBIE TOO
1957 Correct Craft Custom Fred & Beth Goughnour
Debbie Too is not my old girlfriend...literally or figuratively! The Correct Craft 19.5 ft hull is technically a Debonnaire model. She is the first antique wood boat I purchased after working in wood boat restoration for 15 years. Debbie Too arrived in our stable of boats for sale at the Minnesota shop where I worked. At the time, I was restoring the same make/model only 4 hull numbers difference. I became impressed with the combination of Correct Craft construction and performance on the Debbie One, as she was referred to. So when Debbie Two showed up I made her mine. The details that impressed me include a non-batten construction alternative, which uses a twolayer planking method similar to a ChrisCraft bottom but uses .25 in plywood for the inner layer for not only the bottom, but the hull sides and decks as well. This, along with a lower freeboard, make a stiffer hull resulting in a 20 ft hull that handles like a 24-footer.
Because I restore boats for a living, working on my own was going to take a while. A step-by-step restoration process was completed in reverse order as compared to what we typically do with a customer boat. First, I redesigned the decks to compliment a racing runabout model that Correct Craft put out in 1950 with basically the same hull. After completing the custom deck installation and switching the powerplant from a Ford Y-block to a Chevy 283, I got married and had kids. So the one cockpit boat with Debbie Too on the transom was prefamily. After about two years, I cut out a rear cockpit for some extra room. (I did pre-frame the opening when I re-did the new deck, just in case.) The hull sides were replaced a couple years later. The bottom was replaced when water started coming through on plane and drenching our feet. I eventually replaced the old 283 Chevy with a 350 Chevy crate motor, which gets her up to 45 mph. She has been a reliable runabout! It is fun to take to boat shows and explain the customization and my skills working on wood. My wife Beth will tell a different story on how the name Debbie Too came to be!
EMPRESS
1992 Hackercraft
Triple Cabin Runabout
Shawn & Christina Isakson
Hackercraft has been building wooden boats since 1908. The Empress, built in New York in 1992, is what a century of knowledge looks like when it all comes together.
At 30 feet, she’s powered by a 454 XL Crusader engine—the kind of combination that looks right at rest and sounds better underway. The triple-cabin runabout layout is one of Hackercraft’s most admired designs, offering real performance, genuine elegance, and enough space to fully enjoy the people you brought along.
We acquired the Empress in 2021 from a private collector in California. In 2022, the team at Coeur Custom at Hagadone Marina in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho spent 1,000 hours bringing her back. The mahogany alone was a serious undertaking — fresh wood throughout, stem to stern. Updated upholstery. A stowable cocktail table. A bow thruster for precision docking. Ambient LED lighting throughout. The varnish you see is the kind that stops people mid-step. She now calls Whitefish Lake home—and she belongs here.
On a calm day, 30 feet of mahogany at speed is something you feel in your chest, not your feet. Big, unhurried turns. The lake barely notices her passing. The people do—from the shore, from their own craft, they stop and look.
The name comes from a summer ritual— Indigo Gin and Tonics, and the slow transformation as dark indigo meets tonic and turns glacier blue. Mountain dusk in a glass.
At her inaugural Whitefish Woody Weekend appearance in 2024, the Empress took home the People’s Choice Award. This same model appeared in Netflix’s The Crown—portrayed as a Mediterranean leisure craft for Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and their children. Fitting company.
Not everyone gets on the water. Some people in this community have never seen the shoreline from the lake. Never felt anything like it. When they do— aboard the Empress—it tends to become the moment they don’t forget.
Some days it’s East Coast oysters and Champagne. Other days it’s pimento cheese and baguette. Either way, you stay until dusk — when the cabin lights glow, the flag catches the last light, and the Empress earns her name on the way back to the dock.
GOLDEN DAYS
1967 Thompson Offshore
Mitch & Tracy Johnson
Golden Days was factory ordered new on August 1, 1967 by my father. He primarily used this boat for fishing in Puget Sound. In 2010 we completely restored her and completed her in 2016.
95% of the wood is all original.
Today we show Golden Days exactly how my father had it set up for fishing including the original trailer, original upholstery, Ross depth sounder, Zenith short wave radio, compass, pole holders, helm instrumentation, fishing gear with Penn reels, aluminum ice chest / fish box, 1967 Evinrude 3 horsepower trolling motor.
GRAND ROUGE
1939 Chris-Craft Special Race Boat
Tom & Kris Bassett
Grand Rouge is a Special Race Boat, built in 1939 at the Chris-Craft factory and delivered to its first owner in Ames, Iowa. Her history is sketchy until she was re-discovered in New York in 1997 in “gray wood” condition and her restoration began. Mid-way through restoration, the boat was purchased by a couple from Colorado, who vacationed on Lake Pend Oreille in Hope, Idaho. They were members of the Inland Empire Chapter ACBS and entered the boat in area shows. The day after the Sandpoint show in 2004, our neighbors informed us this little gem was for sale. We called the owner that same day and drove to Idaho to see her. She was everything we wanted—size, shape, and new engine! We had even seen the boat in prior years at area boat shows, knew it was a rare boat, and had photos of her! Once we took a ride, we knew how GRAND she truly was. Less than 24 hours after deciding to purchase a wooden boat, we owned one!
At 86, Grand Rouge has been refinished 3 times with excellent care by a local boat mechanic, she takes pride in her place parked in a boat slip under a sun canopy at our Lake Coeur d’Alene summer home.
It’s hard to believe that we have owned Grand Rouge for 22 years. We were thrilled to be featured in a 2024 article in the Volume L, Issue 4 of The Brass Bell.
The name Grand Rouge came from the previous owner’s wife, a gorgeous red head. It’s also the name of a French red wine, and even though the boat isn’t “BIG”, she is grand enough for us.
While people say, it’s “just a boat,” we all know these boats are more than that— and we consider her a floating piece of furniture. Grand Rouge has won several awards including 2004 Skipper’s Choice in Coeur d’Alene, 2015 Skipper’s Choice at Whitefish Woody Weekend, 2010 Kid’s Choice at Mahogany & Merlot, 2010 Best of Show at IEACBS, Sandpoint, and the 2008 ACBS International Boat Show award for Second Best Preserved Antique Runabout! She may be little at only 16 feet long, but she has a mighty GMC 180 hp engine that gets people’s attention, is fun to drive, and is simply beautiful!
HEAVENLY DAYS
1948 Chris-Craft Sportsman
Bob & Betty Moore
In 2008, my Wife Betty and I were attending a Wooden Boat Show in Michigan, when we came across a bulletin board that had a listing for a 1948 twin engine 25ft. Chris-Craft Sportsman. This was the boat of my dreams, although I had only seen one in my lifetime. When we returned home I placed a call to the owner, and made arrangements to see the boat, which resided in Rice, Minnesota. The only date that worked for both parties was the 10th of December, not the best time to visit Minnesota. My wife and I drove to Rice to meet the owner and see the boat. After a quick “how do you do” our host handed me a flashlight and pointed to an unheated metal shed that housed my dream boat. We stepped outside into minus 25 degrees, with a wind chill of around 30-to 40 below.
This is where that marriage pledge of “for better or worse” comes in handy. Neither of us had ever been that cold before, but my wife of now almost 68 years, stayed close by with only a few whimpers, while I crawled around that beautiful 25 foot Sportsman that now calls Flathead Lake, Montana her home.
HOBO
1929 Chris-Craft Model 3
Triple Cockpit
Dean Sackett & Barb Rigg
Hobo is a 1929 24ft Chris-Craft Model 3. Built in Algonac, Michigan, she was inspected on May 6, 1929 and shipped to Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey. Hobo was purchased by a 24-year-old well driller, Harry Tarakajian, for $2750. Harry built a two-story boathouse which he nicknamed “Hobo Jungles” for the new boat. Bud Abbott of Abbott and Costello fame was known to go out with Harry in Hobo
For a time, Harry operated a Speed Boat Ride business. The Speed Boat Rides poster displayed in the boat is a copy of the original which is currently displayed in the Lake Hopatcong Museum. In the late 60’s Harry removed the original 106HP Chrysler LM Motor and replaced it with the Chevrolet 327 that is still in the boat today.
Harry passed away in 1989 at the age of 84. He had owned Hobo for 60 years. Harry left Hobo to his only daughter Winnie, who passed away in 2001, which was the last year Hobo was registered when I purchased the boat in 2007.
In 2017 Hobo travelled to Stanwood, Washington where Restorer Alan Thomle did a complete restoration, including bottom replacement, engine rebuild, upholstery and refinish. Hobo now resides in Queens Bay in Polson, Montana.
HUCKLEDYBUCK
1953 Shepherd Sportsman Runabout 22-302
Tom & Janet Cathcart
Our Shepherd 110-S, 22 foot Chrysler Hemi powered Runabout was produced in NiagraOn-The-Lakes Ontario in 1953. We are the third owners of this boat and are simply amazed at the performance and comfort it affords us. This is our first and only boat, and have owned it (or has it owned us?) for the last eighteen years. It is rugged and dependable, and its high freeboard allows easy movement within its spacious interior and keeps us dry in rough waters.
HUTCH
1958 Chris-Craft Utility
Tony & Jill Keyser
Hutch was born in Algonic, Michigan at the Chris-Craft factory 1958 and raised in the deep blue of Lake Tahoe. Mr. Hutchinson was the sole care-taker for many years. At her mid-life crisis, Hutch needed a makeover and was sent to Post Falls, Idaho to the fine craftsmen at the Wood Boat Restoration Company in 1998. Upon completion, one of the skilled woodworkers Nick Kerfoot, honed his trailering skills and returned Hutch to Lake Tahoe and Mr. Hutchinson.
At some point later, Mr. Hutchinson retired Hutch to a fella who abandoned Hutch in a warehouse at the north end of Flathead Lake. She sat for some 16 years. The next & current owner had a longing for a wood boat. Having the tentacles of
the internet at their disposal and cold, dark winter nights, the Keyser’s began a journey to find the perfectly crafted yacht. They found Century Runabouts without a trailer, and Chris-Craft’s without engines–until they chatted with Steve at the Classic Boat Company located at the north end of Flathead Lake.
A quick transaction occurred, and once again Hutch was towed directly back to the Wood Boat Restoration Company in Post Falls. Exactly 24 years later, Nick Kerfoot skillfully rebuilt Hutch with new planking, a rebuilt engine, and insane amounts of varnish. A rebirth of her original trailer cradles her for a smooth and classy transport.
Sparing no expense, Hutch is completely new and showing for the first time at the Woody Weekend. Thank you to everyone who has owned, shared, and voyaged with Hutch, we welcome you aboard!
IDLE RICH
1956 Dixie Runabout Rich Halbert II
Idle Rich was found by my father, Richard Halbert, Sr., hiding in a barn near Plymouth, North Carolina in 1999. She was designed and built by Melvin Little of Dixie Boat Works, Newton, NC, an outboard hydroplane racer from the 50’s. Idle Rich and my Dad visited Melvin on Lake Norman in 2001. While there, he autographed her dashboard and showed him a photo of her original windshield.
A running 1956 30 hp Johnson Javelin was located in Cleveland in 1999. This Javelin is highly collectible, beautifully chromed, produced for only one year and a perfect match for Idle Rich. The motor was completely restored in 2022 by Silver Marine Outboard Restoration of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
Idle Rich was moved from NC to Seattle in 2015 where my Dad joined the PNW Chapters of the Antique & Classic Boat
Society and the Antique Outboard Motor Club. DaPron Marine Restorations of Seattle refinished Idle Rich and installed the proper windshield as described by the builder years earlier. For comfort, nonoriginal seat cushions were also added.
Sadly, my father, Captain Richard Halbert, Sr. passed away in September 2024. We were blessed with several years with our fully-restored Dixie runabout, Idle Rich, one of only two known surviving Dixie Boat Works wooden boats. The time spent together restoring her will never be forgotten. For my Dad, Idle Rich was a museum piece to preserve but also a conduit to timeless freedom on the water. Everywhere we went people loved talking about his unique find – and he would happily tell you all the stories of her history and background! Now my Dad is a part of that history and we cherish the memories forever. May the Idle Rich continue to bring great times with great people for generations to come. We love and miss you Dad.
IN THE RED
1966 Century Fibersport
Michael & Bree West
Produced for a single model year, the Fibersport was a short-lived but important step in Century’s transition to fiberglass construction, blending mid-century styling with emerging fiberglass technology. After 1966, Century discontinued the Fibersport name, offering wood and fiberglass Resorter models instead—making the ’66 Fibersport a true one-year offering. In The Red retains the original Ford Interceptor 352ci V8 engine and rides on a custom-built Ryan trailer, complete with redline tires.
This boat has been thoughtfully maintained with a few updates. The gel coat was refinished in the 1990s, and the fore and aft deck vinyl was
updated from white to red. A custom dash crafted from red-stained Khaya wood adds a warm, period-appropriate touch while honoring the boat’s original character.
The path to ownership began not with this boat, but with a ride on her sister ’66 Fibersport, Classic Plastic, owned by Michael’s brother, Jim. A sunny day cruising on the Columbia River proved unforgettable—the view from the water, the warmth of the day, and the simple joy of the ride sparked the search that ultimately led us to In The Red.
Often seen alongside her sister boat cruising the rivers and lakes of the Pacific Northwest, In The Red celebrates not just classic design and craftsmanship, but the relationships that grow around them.
INTERCEPTOR
1957 Correct Craft Collegian Jim Livie & John Bourquin
This 18 ft., double planked runabout is powered by a Ford Dearborn 312 Interceptor V-8 215 HP.
The Interceptor was built in Pine Castle Florida (near Orlando) by Correct Craft. Correct Craft was originally named Florida Variety Boat Co. which started in 1925. In 1930 they changed their name to Pine Castle Boat and Construction C and again in 1938 to Correct Craft. In 1961 they introduced their first “Ski Nautique” fiberglass ski boat. The Interceptor operated out of Cypress Gardens, Florida until the early 1970s and then relocated to Flathead Lake, Montana with a new owner. In the 80’s the Interceptor was entered in local classic wood boat shows by the fourth and fifth owners.
The current owners, which are the sixth, purchased and started the extensive restoration in 2004 working on her only as time permitted. Due to a heated garage and beer, they were not in any big hurry. In 2020 they began to realize that father time was beginning to catch up with them and earnest restoration began. With guidance from Doug Tweto replacement included a cold molded epoxy bottom, wiring and electrical components, deck and stern planking, plus many other parts. The engine was blue printed and balanced in the 80’s and gone through in 2005. The original trailer was completely rebuilt in 2021. All varnishing and polishing were done by Doug Tweto in Woods Bay. The restoration was completed in the spring of 2023. Now that the Interceptor is finished, the owners are considering another project, and the Interceptor is for sale.
JACK
1963 Lyman Hardtop Sleeper
Wes & Sue Yandt
Jack is a 1963 Lyman 25’ Hardtop Sleeper. Since being put in service in 1963, Jack has called Lake Pend Oreille home. Sandpoint businessman Mr. McFarland ordered her from the Lyman Boat Company in Sandusky, Ohio. The McFarland family loved the boat so much that they quickly purchased a second one. Jack was used very little after the second Lyman arrived, so it is very well preserved. Other than one major refinish and repower in the early 2010s, Jack is today as she left Sandusky. The Yandt family is the third owner of Jack.
Jack is named in tribute to Sue’s maternal grandparents, Gladys and Owen Jacklin. Owen with his two brothers and dad started Jacklin Seed Company in 1936.
KILLER
1942 Chris-Craft Custom Runabout
Steve Zwarg
Killer is a 1942 Custom Runabout 19ft.
In the summer of 1975 I went to look at a ’71 Cadillac with a friend out in Chattaroy. When we were looking at the Caddy, I noticed a boat in the barn and the car’s owner Ray said it wasn’t for sale. In my mind I always wanted to buy that boat, a 1942 Chris Craft custom Runabout.
Months later I stopped and asked again. Ray wasn’t there and the kids said go ahead and look at the boat. That’s when I found out the CC belonged to their older brother in Texas. They gave me his number so I called him up. I told
him I wanted to buy the old boat in the barn and to my surprise, he said I could have it.
A few years later, my phone rings and its Ray wanting to sell the ’42 CC because his daughter was getting married and he needed the money. He wanted $1,000 for the boat and I said ok. I loaded up my trailer and went to get the boat but when I got there he wasn’t home. I loaded up the boat but he never showed up so I left the trailer there and went home.
The next day I called and found out he was in jail. I called the jail to find out when he was going to get out. Ray said he wanted me to come bail him out of jail. I told him I would but I had spent part of the $1,000 I had for the boat. I said I had $750 left and he said ok. The rest is history.
KRYPTONITE
1970 Chris-Craft XK19
Michael Cavaille
Kryptonite was designed by the trio of Jim Wynne (offshore race champion), Dick Avery, and Walt Walter. Aimed to be a low and wide, high performance runabout with a 24 degree deep-V hull inspired by offshore racing technology, the XK19 seamlessly combined speed, performance, and stability earning its title as the Corvette of the Sea. Only 276 XK19’s were manufactured making it a rare and sought after Chris-Craft sport classic.
LADY OF THE LAKE
1990Windsor Craft Classic
Brian Averill
The Lodge at Whitefish Lake
The Lady of the Lake is a 1990 31 ft Windsor Craft, a rare and elegant cruiser born from a unique chapter in American boatbuilding. Windsor Craft was founded in Minnesota by Irwin Jacobs, CEO of Genmar Holdings, as a true “labor of love.” The original 31 ft models were known for pairing durable fiberglass hulls with rich mahogany cabins and teak decks, creating a beautiful blend of classic wooden-boat styling and modern construction.
Powered by twin 454 Chevy V8 engines in a twin-screw configuration, The Lady of the Lake offers the strength, balance, and confident handling expected from a timeless cruiser of her size. Her craftsmanship, warm wood detailing, and graceful presence make her just as captivating at the dock as she is underway.
With only approximately 100 Windsor Craft boats produced before manufacturing was paused at the Glastron factory, The Lady of the Lake represents a rare piece of boating history.
LAMBCHOP
1941 Chris-Craft Barrelback Jake & Mary Amsbaugh
Lambchop is a 17 ft Chris-Craft Barrelback that we purchased because Chris-Craft only made 5 with port side steering and was the last one produced on May 28, 1941. As far as we know, after extensive research, it is the only one in existence. I asked the seller how it handled in the water with port side steering and he told me that as second owner never put it in the water because they had several larger boats. It was stored in a boathouse for more than 50 years.
When my son and I started the restoration the 1941 wood was absolutely perfect with no dents or nicks and, except for the installation of a 5200 bottom, she has the original wood and engine which is 95 hp Hercules.
Thanks to Lambchop , my wife and I have been able to travel across the country meeting wonderful people who share their love and knowledge of antique and classic boats.
LAST CALL
1954 Chris-Craft Holiday
Chris & Courtney Werner
Last Call has been in my family for 25 years before I acquired it 5 years ago from my father feeling it was better time spent on Whitefish Lake. It was sitting in storage for many of those years not getting used to its potential. Since then, have used it constantly for summer cruises with my wife and 2 children, either cocktail cruising, cove swimming or towing the kids behind it for a quieter ride onboard.
LAUGHING RAVEN
2020 Glen-L Marine Riviera
Frank Leftwich
Laughing Raven is 21.5 ft. long with a 7’1” beam and Indmar Marine 5.7 Liter V8, Carbureted 315hp engine. With a Borg Warner Velvet Drive model 71C 1:1 ratio transmission, her top speed is 45 mph.
This boat was hand-built from blueprints. The hull design was slightly modified from the blueprints to more closely resemble the style of hull designs of the 1950’s era. It incorporates the “Cold Molded” construction method of epoxy encapsulation coated with varnish. This prevents the shrinking and swelling of the wood that causes wooden boats to leak. Effectively, the wood never gets wet.
Laughing Raven’s story started as a dream to own an old Chris-Craft runabout when I was a boy, but after years of woodworking experience and the evolution of acquiring the space to restore or build one of these beautiful boats, the actual journey began in 2009. It was a “Labor of Love” and a joy to build over the years.
Her name comes from observing the ravens on my property while building the boat. They would be flying, playing, and calling to each other in their unique sounds that often sounded like them laughing. In June of 2020, the Laughing Raven was completed and launched on Whitefish Lake.
LAURIE JO
1990 Windsor Craft Day Cruiser
Brian Averill
The Lodge at Whitefish Lake
Laurie Jo is a 1991 26 ft Windsor Craft, carrying forward the distinctive style and limited-production heritage that made Windsor Craft such a special chapter in American boating. Created in Minnesota by Irwin Jacobs, CEO of Genmar Holdings, Windsor Craft was originally developed as a “labor of love,” blending classic wooden-boat character with modern construction.
This 26 ft model showcases the elegant design language Windsor Craft became known for, with rich wood detailing, timeless lines, and a warm, refined presence on the water. Powered by a
Chevy 350 V8, she offers a smooth and enjoyable ride well-suited for cruising the lake in classic style.
Named in honor of Dan Averill’s wife, Laurie Jo Averill, this Windsor Craft holds a special connection to the history and heart of the property. With limited production and a story rooted in craftsmanship, family, and place, she is a meaningful addition to the Wooden Boat Show and a beautiful representation of the marina’s heritage.
MEANS OF ESCAPE
1958 Century Coronado
Rick & Jan Means
It was the fall of 2006 when I received an email from a boating friend telling me to check out an eBay listing, a 1958 Coronado—complete, attractive, and practically in my own backyard.
As tempting as it was, I was not ready to take on a wooden boat. At the time, I already had a 1970 Century Resorter that was perfect for the lake we lived on. But my friend kept after me, insisting that this was one I should not let get away. Eventually, I gave in.
After some back-and-forth with the owner, we reached a deal in the spring of 2007. During the survey, the marine surveyor advised me to “pull the motor and put in modern power,” warning that parts for a Cadillac motor would be hard to find. Otherwise, he said the boat was in “pretty good shape”.
A few months later, I found a spare Cadillac motor nearby and picked it up. I now feel much better about my decision to keep the original motor with the boat.
“Pretty good shape” lasted until Fall of 2010, when issues began appearing in the hull and the motor was getting tired. The Coronado then sat for several years while I researched what would be required for complete restoration.
Over time, I began accumulating parts and information, and in 2018 the restoration process finally began in earnest. Progress slowed during the Covid years, and again when we moved from Mason Lake back to Spokane in 2024. In the Spring of 2025, the Coronado is back into restoration mode with the end goal finally in sight. The adage “two steps forward, one step back” played out often in the quest to make this boat look as though we had bought it new in Missoula, Montana, on Labor Day weekend in 1958.
After years of planning, collecting, waiting, and working, we are looking forward to our first event in Whitefish, Montana!
MISS MONTANA
1954 StanCraft Torpedo Ken Cook
Built in 1954 at StanCraft Boat Works in Lakeside on Flathead Lake, Miss Montana is one of only eleven Stan Craft Torpedo wooden boats produced between 1945 and 1956 and the first built with a V8 engine. Her power came from Detroit, Michigan, where famed boat racer Danny Foster, winner of the 1948 Gold Cup on the Detroit River, hand-built her engine for speed.
Originally purchased by Dr. Casebeer from Butte, Montana, who wanted the fastest boat on the water, she became legendary on Georgetown Lake, rumored to have once pulled seven water-skiers at a time.
Discovered years later at Lake Tahoe, Miss Montana was purchased in 2022 and returned home to Montana, where her story first began. A careful restoration started in 2023 and was completed in September 2025, bringing her back to her original glory.
Today, Miss Montana is one of only eight surviving Torpedoes—a rare piece of craftsmanship, history, and Montana heritage reborn on the water
NEMO
1928 Schillo Runabout Triple
Jim & Holly Winslow
Nemo was built in 1928 by two brothers in Chicago, Illinois. As far as we know, this is the last boat built by the Schillo Brothers before they went bankrupt in 1929. We believe this is the last Schillo in existence. As far as we can tell, they built between 10-20 boats. We purchased the boat from Jim Staib in McHenry, Illinois. He had found the boat sitting on a hay trailer in a barn in the 1980’s. We picked it up in Illinois, brought it to Idaho and did a complete restoration.
OBSESSION
1990
Hacker Craft
Triple Cockpit Runabout
Jim & Chris Valeo
Obsession, a 24ft triple cockpit runabout, was built in the Hacker Boat Company shop in Lake George, NY in 1990. Like most reproduction Hacker’s, she is built along original lines drafted by John Hacker, a famous marine architect of the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. He was responsible for designing many successful racing boats found on the internet.
We bought Obsession in Gig Harbor, WA in 2005 from a man who had bought her used at the Hacker shop in Silver Bay on Lake George. The previous owner toured his way back West stopping along the way at lakes to use her. Afterward, he kept Obsession in a shed and used her for vacations in Washington, Idaho, and Montana. I don’t think she was ever in salt water.
My family could not think of a more suitable name (some say it’s bad luck to change the name of a boat), so she is still Obsession Obsession lives in a shed on our ranch outside of Missoula and is used sparingly on Whitefish Lake and Flathead Lake. She was stripped to the bare wood a refinished by Fred Goughnour in Montana in 2016.
ORO-Y-PLATA
1930 Chris-Craft Upswept Runabout Konrad Cook
In June 1930, the boat was shipped to George & Bliss, a large Chris-Craft dealer in Clear Lake, New York. Those who sold the craft to me had no prior history of the boat. They bought it in New Hampshire as a grey shell.
The original name was Isis, which is an Ancient Egyptian Goddess. It carried that name for 88 years. Obviously, with the current world environment, I changed the name to the Montana motto Oro-y-Plata. I have owned the boat since 2018 it is a model 103 –new cost $ 2852.00. Muller Boats did the woodwork and I freshened the mechanical items.
The Kroh top is a real original and has been used to caste reproductions by Muller Boat works.
RED, WHITE & BRUT
1942 Chris-Craft Special Runabout
Derek & Amber Bronken
This 1942 17ft Chris-Craft Special Runabout, one of 241 produced for the model year, was delivered new to a dealer in Greentown, Pennsylvania in September of 1941.
The original owner cared for her for roughly a decade, before Dr. Evans “Beau” Guequierre purchased the vessel, in 1954, and christened her “Infidel”; derived from Masonic nomenclature, of which Evans was a devout member. Dr. Guequierre would own the boat until the day he died in 2017. Following his death, the good doctor’s brother sold the boat to us.
It was decided that, prior to crosscountry transport, the Chris-Craft would undergo an exhaustive restoration, carried out by Wooden Boat Restoration of Millington, Maryland. Following the yearlong restoration, the boat was delivered to its new homeport of Whitefish Lake in May of 2019. She was re-christened Red, White & Brut; a punny, patriotic nod to the Bronken family business in wine and beer distribution.
She is enjoyed as frequently as possible by our family as well as my parents Peter and Barb. The boat retains its original Hercules “K” engine, producing 95 HP. Everything but the varnish and gold-leaf are as it left the Chris Craft factory in Algonac, Michigan.
Red, White & Brut was featured on the cover of The Brass Bell magazine, Spring of 2022.
RIVELLE
StanCraft
Founded in 1933 by W.H. “Billy” Young and his son Stanley C. Young on the shores of Flathead Lake, StanCraft has been making hand-crafted, iconic wooden boats for over 90 years. No two boats are the same, as they are as unique as their owner. Every boat is built on our campus in Hayden and is tailored to the vision and specifications of our customers.
The 290 Rivelle is one of StanCraft’s flagship models, instantly recognizable for its sweeping lines and timeless profile. With a deep-V hull and responsive handling, it delivers a smooth, confident ride even when the water is less than perfect.
StanCraft Wooden Boats has become an iconic brand on Lake Coeur d’Alene and has delivered boats around the world. Throughout the four generations of family boat makers, we have always been dedicated to preserving the art of wooden boat building while infusing modern innovation. Because simply said, no one else does what we do.
SECOND KISS
1953 Chris-Craft Sportsman
Bob & Wendy Nelson
The Chris-Craft 22’ Sportsman was arguably the most popular boat ChrisCraft built and is often referred to by its model name, U-22. This U-22 was built at the Cadillac, Michigan plant and was completed just before Christmas in 1952. She was then shipped to Bryant’s Marina in Seattle to begin her life on Lake Washington and Lake Union.
In the 1950’s, the “more power” craze was common in cars, hot rods, and pleasure boats. In 1956, this boat’s first owner removed the original flat-head 6 and installed the largest horsepower new engine that would fit. Yes, she still has that same 275 horsepower, 354 cu. inch Chrysler Marine HEMI engine. This almost doubled the boat’s horsepower.
The second owner purchased this U-22 while high school in the late 1960’s. He and several of his friends spent many
hours polishing the U-22 and cruising the Seattle waters in this beauty. The current caretaker had the pleasure of meeting this previous owner shortly after purchasing the boat. He told Bob, “While in high school, I didn’t have a car. I didn’t have a girlfriend, but I had a hot boat.”
We purchased this boat in 2014 and immediately began cruising around the Portland, Oregon rivers. Unfortunately, she met a submerged rock reef in the middle of the Willamette River and was severely damaged. This set off a 5-year complete restoration. The goal of this rebuild was to make a beautiful, stronger “user” boat. Second Kiss now has a rebuilt 1956 HEMI, a ¾” thick laminated bottom, full 3” wide stringers, laminated sides and decks, as well as a bow thruster and much more. And use her they do. Most summer months she is found cruising the water the Pacific Northwest’s rivers and lakes. Rough water or smooth, she is a dependable delight.
Here’s to the next 70 years, may they be as good as the first 70.
SHADY LADY
1955 Chris-Craft Continental Hardtop
Tim & Deb Salt
Shady Lady is a 1955 22ft Chris-Craft Continental Sedan Hardtop. Chris-Craft introduced this top-of-the-line utility model in 1955. Of 102 Continentals built that year, 28 were equipped with a 200 HP Hemi engine and 20 were built with the sedan hardtop. Only three were built with both the Hemi and sedan hardtop options.
The Shady Lady is believed to be the only one of the three built still on the water today.
The boat shipped from the ChrisCraft Michigan factory to a dealer in San Francisco, CA in June of ‘55. She underwent a complete makeover in the mid-80’s and had a West System bottom installed in the mid-90’s. The Shady Lady arrived in Montana from
Indian Lake, PA in 2010 and was then refinished in 2011 and 2014 with the engine being rebuilt in 2013. She is a “preserved” classic boat.
The Shady Lady was reportedly used for illegal activities in the Sacramento Delta area in the 1970’s. With her signature hardtop and the legend of her illicit past, it was only fitting to rechristen her the Shady Lady on June 14, 2010, her 55th birthday.
SOLLAZZARE
2000 Hacker Craft Runabout
Tom Suiter
Sollazzare is a Hacker Craft Runabout 2000 built by Hacker Craft in their factory on Lake George, NY. I took delivery of the boat in July of 2000.
When we took Sollazzare for its first ride, the first boat my son Scott and I encountered was a wooden boat called Red Dog. The captain of that boat was Skip Kennison, who was known around Whitefish Lake. Skip used to be the captain of the Lady of the Lake, the wooden boat owned by the Lodge at Whitefish Lake. We found it coincidental that the first boat that crossed our path was a wooden boat! Scott always loved Red Dog and ended up buying it from Skip many years later. To add to the tale, Scott and his wife Maryly named their first child (and our first grandchild) “Skip Thomas Suiter”. So now we have an official “Skipper” in our family!
Sollazzare is in its original condition, and has only had some minor clean ups done
over the years by Steve Nichols, owner of The Classic Company in Somers, MT. During one of the clean ups, I needed to have the transom gold leafing redone, so I did it myself. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had!
When we named the boat, my family was having breakfast at the Buffalo Grill in Whitefish. We had recently returned from a vacation in Italy and one of our boys had an English/Italian dictionary. We found the word “Sollazzare” meaning, “to entertain and have fun”. That is exactly what we’ve done with our boat for 23 years!
On our inaugural boat ride, after crossing paths with Skip, I looked down in the bilge and saw quite a bit of water. I reached down to unscrew the brass drain turnkey, and the whole turnkey came out! I couldn’t screw it back in! My co-captain and son Scott, being a modern “McGyver”, jumped out, took a wine cork we had and shoved it into the hole. Once we got it back to our dock we were able to screw the turnkey back in correctly. I had visions of my boat sinking on its maiden voyage! Thank goodness we didn’t have a “Titanic” on our hands! She still floats perfectly today, 23 years after that scary incident!
STILETTO
2001 StanCraft Torpedo
Brett Sargent
Stiletto is a faithful recommissioning of the original StanCraft Torpedoes built in the 1940s and 1950s. It was built in 2001 at the StanCraft facility located in Post Falls, Idaho. Stiletto was built during the transition period from the original owners son, Sid Young, and the present owner, Rob Bloem, making it a unique blend of the traditional StanCraft as well as the modern StanCrafts that are being built today. The boat retains the beauty and romance of the original
Torpedoes, but is equipped with modern power (a GM fuel injected 502) as well as many other modern conveniences making it a pleasure to operate. It was originally ordered by a classic car collector in Chicago, Illinois. The boat was then purchased out of the original owner’s estate, by a collector in Indiana. This Torpedo has been used primarily as a display piece in a high end boat and car collection and currently shows 20 total hours on the engine meter. Presently the boat is receiving a complete recommissioning at Coeur d’ Alene Boatworks in preparation for Whitefish Woody Weekend and the 2026 boating season.
TOMGIRL
1955 Tomahawk Spirit Deluxe
Linda & Tim Babiak
Tomgirl is a 1955 12ft Spirit Deluxe made by Tomahawk Boat Manufacturing Corporation in Tomahawk, Wisconsin. She was already 50 years old when we purchased her in 2005 and at the time was being restored 300 miles away from her home in Wisconsin across Lake Michigan at Starboard Marine Restorations in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
We were told she had all of her original hardware and the original steering wheel. She is sporting a vintage and sometimes problematic 1956 18hp Johnson Seahorse motor. This motor has an electric start, which that part is very dependable and also rather hard to find. Unwilling to give up on our electric start motor, hope springs eternal, we continue to nurse along the vintage Johnson Seahorse.
The couple who had this boat for sale had never been to Yellowstone Park and offered to meet us in the Park for delivery, so that’s how we came to acquire our cute as a bug’s ear, Tomgirl.
This is an interesting sidebar written by Gary Thompson, son of Royal Thompson, co-founder Thompson Brothers Boat Manufacturing, about the founder of Tomahawk Boat company:
“Tomahawk Boat Co was started by a guy named Franklin Winters. He worked for my dad a bit in northern Wisconsin, then went and worked for Rhinelander Boat Co. for a while. Then he started the Tomahawk endeavor, but had a hard time making it thrive. Of more interest, he was EARLY into fiberglass, and for quite a while was a major supplier of fiberglass bodies for Harley Davidson Golf carts. (Harley being based in Milwaukee, WI.)”
ULFBERHT
2016 Levator Boatworks
Excellence
Robert & Kathy McElrath
Ulfberht (Viking Sword) is a single racing shell (single person rowing boat) designed and hand crafted in 2016 by Jurgen Kaschper, owner of Levator Boatworks Limited, Dorchester, Ontario, Canada. Jurgen is the son of renowned designer and shell builder Jakob Kaschper, who brought his skills and expertise to North America in 1958 from his ancestral home in Eberbach, Germany. Ulfberht is a hybrid woody construction, incorporating traditional wood and contemporary materials. It was built using a carbon fiber/s-glass inner hull and honeycomb Nomex deck for maximum racing stiffness, and steam laminated with figured South
American mahogany. The A-frame riggers are anodized aircraft tubing fitted with titanium oar lock pins. The hull was finished by hand brushed polyester with hours of wet sanding.
By the numbers, Ulfberht measures 27ft 4.5in in length, the waterline beam is 10in, and her weight is 35 pounds. It is stiff and fast on the water with an excellent run.
I purchased Ulfberht in 2022 out of the Atlanta Rowing Club and have logged many kilometers on Whitefish Lake and other Flathead area lakes. Unquestionably, however, Ulfberht is most in her element on the majestic flat water of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park.
