Click here for Antique Wooden Boat for Sale 

PERLITA TOO in 2011 is in the water again after over 30 years. The first Riva delivered to the United States, and the only remaining V-12 Scripps powered Riva and she is the oldest Riva Tritone built of 267

Our restoration has taken over four years yet the last 12 months have been a mind boggling experience of completing the many systems, re-confirming the previous 21 years of research for “1953 Italian correctness”, testing, and pushing everyone toward completion.

The dream is that Perlita Too will make her debut on Lago Iseo in Italy, where she was born in 1953
In late August, a very special 2012 event will take place on Lago Iseo; a celebration of 170 years of the Riva yard; Carlo Rivas 90th birthday, and the 50th anniversary of the Riva Aquarama introduction. This is particularly significant because the Tritone model was the precursor to the Aquarama; in fact the first Aquaramas were built on modified Tritone hulls. Perlita Too was the prototype for a significant part of Riva history.

Looking for a cool winter boat building project? Why not skeedaddle down to Annapolis, Maryland this coming Feb 6 to Feb 11th, (2012?) You can buy a kit for $1199 and receive tuition ($750) from the Chesapeake Light Craft Company to build this "Skua" model hydroplane Cocktail Class Racer. (See photo below).  Pop a 6 or 8 horsepower motor on the back and you're in business.  A lot of fun for a very reasonable cost!

Over the summer,  students at the Tennessee Technical Center-Nashville and Nashville State Community College: prepared a 400-horsepower, 5.6-liter V8 from an Infiniti QX56 auto engine for seafaring duty in a 20-foot Chris-Craft.

The engine's transformation is nearly complete, but it seems the boat needs a great deal more work. The pleasure craft, which dates from 1962, has already has three other marinized engines from car manufacturers, a Lincoln and two Chrysler Hemi powerplants. The gents at Freeport Boat Outlet in Freeport, Maine are overseeing the wooden hull restoration and have said that 85 percent of the mahogany will need replacing.

When it's finally finished, the QX lump with water-cooled manifolds and a closed cooling system will be mated with a ZF/Hurth marine transmission and tested back at Infiniti HQ. Assuming all goes well, the hull will get an SUV's worth of Infiniti luxuries and be married to its engine. In the meantime, the name of the boat is being put to the public. Come summer, keep an eye out for a very slick watercraft plying Tennessee's lakes.
 

It's hard to believe that the monstrous looking Infiniti engine below will actually fit into the Chris-Craft without sinking it!


(Many thanks to Woody Boater for this story ) 

The iconic Miss Canada IV, piloted to victory by Harold and Lorna Wilson,  is undergoing a thorough restoration in Tom Adam's Port Carling Boat Shop.  This is a major restoration, including a newly discovered, rare replacement Rolls Royce engine.  (See photos below)

Paul Brackley, of Brackley Boat in Gravenhurst Ontario, is undertaking some bright work restoration and possible engine replacement in this 1930's Chris Craft.  (See photo below).  The problem? The "Chris" wouldn't fit into the shop.  The solution? Enlarge the doors, of course!  A minor detail!. Stay tuned for more news of the restoration of this lovely classic cruiser.

Now that's what you'd call a tight squeeze!

Think excitement! The photo below highlights Will Hunter catching air in Muskoka

The owner of this Shepherd wrote: Shepherd Boats were built in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. This Shepherd (below) was on display at the Chicago Boat Show when it was purchased it new in 1961. In 1993 the boat bottom needed replacing at which time my Uncle debated on selling it. However he passed away right before doing so. A few months later I decided it was well worth saving the boat keeping alive so many fond memories of fishing & riding (getting soaked)in Uncle Muff's Shepherd. The boat has gone thru a couple of restorations and still has most of the original wood. The Chrysler motor was rebuilt once and is still in use. The boat has been docked at Pier 1 on Geneva Lake for the last fifty (50) years.

 

The engines may have been smaller, but it was just as exciting to race in the 1940s as it is today. See photo below.

The Antique Boat Museum, in Clayton, New York, is undertaking a major refurbishment of "Pardon Me", the John Hacker designed "World's Largest Runabout". Visitors are invited to drop by and view the progress.  The museum has also acquired  the Atosis, a 1907 raceboat in original condition.  (Please see photos below).

For those who love watching wooden hydroplanes in action, (for a good laugh and a scare) check out this vintage film of wooden hydroplanes racing at break-neck speed.  Obviously, safety considerations weren't paramount in the "good old days."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJH24Y3_Y9c

 In November 2011, Port Carling Boats undertook a whirlwind tour of  a few of Muskoka's premier wooden boat restoration shops, to investigate the current projects of the area's fine craftsmen (and women).  Check out the video below to see what's going on in Muskoka!

Miss America 8, currently undergoing restoration, will be auctioned off tin the Kissimee, Florida this coming Jan 24-29 (2012), along with Miss Universe. (Please see photos below. ) For a further look at Miss America 8, check out the link below.
www.vintagehydroplanes.com/missamerica8.html

Msss America's twin 1929 Miller engines have been restored to "better than new" condirtions

This stunning photo of the Segwun in dry dock comes from the lens of Ed Boutilier. To view some of Ed's other photos, please visit www.cottageblog.ca

ACBS Toronto Chapter Cancer Society Event:   a one hundred mile Segwun cruise from Gravenhurst to the tip of Lake Joseph.
Date: Aug 12, 2012.  Watch the ACBS Toronto website for upcoming details.

Don’t miss your opportunity to recreate a part of history and contribute to cancer research. On Saturday, August 18, 2012, the “RMS Segwun” will depart from the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst, Ontario and follow the route of the “Sagamo” on Lake Muskoka through the locks at Port Carling and on to Little Lake Joe. Along the route, the “Segwun” will be joined by over 100 wooden boats; some will complete the entire journey, others will join en route.

Apparently there is more than one Miss Universe: both the unique wooden kind, and the human variety, (a lovely Canadian model).

Port Carling Boats undertook a tour of several Muskoka boat shops, this past November 11, 2011, to see "what was cooking" in the facilities of the region's fine builders/restorers. Please see photos below.
Patricia Ross (Traditional Boat Finishes) is undertaking substantial work on one of of only three known Greavette gentleman's racers of this type.


Patricia is also adding some fresh bottom varnish and preservative to this generally well preserved 18 foot "Dippy".

Mike Windsor, in Gravenhurst Ontario, is replacing the bottom on this historic 1913 Lawley tender

Paul Brackley, of Brackley Boats, (Gravenhurst Ontario), has freshened up this lovely 17 foot, 1950's Chris-Craft with three coats of Petit varnish

Paul also will be sanding and refinishing the bright work on this 35 foot, 1936 Chris-Craft cabin cruiser.  The first task involves enlarging the door in his shop to accommodate this massive hull.


Stan Hunter located in Milford Bay, Muskoka)  has kindly offered one of his livery rental fleet of Duke Playmates for participation in the Bala Santa Claus Parade. Stan offers a "Frequent Floaters" program for those interested in renting on a a continuing basis.

Sea Flea enthusiasts: be sure to click on the link below to see some of David Thompson's excellent Sea Flea fest photos.
http://www.muskokaseaflea.ca/fleafest2011/fleafestgallery2/index.html

Hornett (see photo below),  was retrofitted by Howard Hughes to be the fastest boat on Lake Tahoe and was so for approximately 20 years.Today her polished aluminum hull is testament to style and function and speed. Here's to those who dare to dream!

　

The deep beauty of mahogany...

Autumn is a beautiful time of year for classic boating, particularly in the warm sunny weather that enveloped Ontario this past Thanksgiving weekend. (Please see photo below).

This 1930's Dodge Race Boat, appearing at the Toledo, Ohio, Boat Show, seems to be begging for a restoration, or at least a re-varnish. AT least it still floats!


The Niagara Frontier Antique and Classic Boat Show, held on Grand Island, New York, Sept 10, 2011, featured countless wooden beauties, some stunning antique automobiles and of course, the annual boat races. For highlights of this show, see the You Tube video below.

The Toronto Chapter ACBS Annual Boat Show, held July 9th, 2011, in Gravenhurst, Ontario, attracted thousands of visitors. This show is one of the largest in North America. Please click on the video below to enjoy some highlights:

Attention wooden boat builders and restorers:
We have just received information from a British Columbia source regarding a significant supply of Honduran mahogany
Please see the email below:

Please click on the You Tube link below to view the construction and live footage of a gentleman's racer in action.

The 38th Annual Winnipesaukee Boat Show, under the auspices of the New England Classic and Antique Boat Society, included, two very distinctive water-craft, a wonderful multi-stepped Gold Cup Racer, and "Peter Pan", by PennYan

The Bigwin ferry, used for decades as chief transport to the Bigwin Inn on Lake of Bays, Muskoka Ontario, was relaunched with great fanfare in the summer of 2010. The Bigwin should provide continued pleasure to tourists and cottagers for years to come. She is currently available for viewing in the hamlet of Dorset, Ontario.

Personal watercraft "drops in" on $250 000 wooden runabout. (See photo below).We hope that no one was hurt in this incident.  At least the point of impact was above the waterline!.  The moral of the story...be careful on the water.

Mike Windsor's shop in Gravenhurst, Ontario, has produced this beautiful outboard engine powered gentleman's racer. The twin Mercs provide plenty of power.



This unfortunate Greavette, below, apparently sank within one minute this summer at a the Greenwood Lake Antique and Classic Boat SHow in New York. Many thanks to Matt Smith of Woody Boater for these photos

Anthony Mollica Jr. (author of many wooden boat books) has created a display of the Thousand Islands boat building company, Hutchinson Boat works, at the Cornwall Museum in Alexandria Bay.  If you're visiting the Thousand Islands, this summer, a stop at the museum should provide a welcome treat.  Pictured below, a hydrofoil race-boat in action.

Canada's iconic Bluenose schooner is undergoing a major rebuild, below,  ((2010 -2012) in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia.  For a webcam view of this restoration, please click here: http://www.novascotiawebcams.com/south-shore/bluenose-ii-stern-view.html

Miss Canada 1V, an iconic Canadian race boat, has returned to Muskoka for some restorative hull work. Enjoy the text and photos below of this record breaking vessel's history:
Picton, Ont., Oct 2 [1949] (AP) -- Harold Wilson of Ingersoll, Ont., drove his Miss Canada IV to a new North American speed boat record on the Bay of Quinte today.He made two official runs, being clocked in 138.8 miles an hour in the first and 139.5 in the second. Both surpassed the listed North American mark of 126.6 mph set by Jack Schafer of Detroit in his Such Crust at Gull Lake in Michigan last August.

For the many of our wooden boat enthusiasts who also appreciate antique and classic cars, the photos below were taken at the recent Father's Day car show in Bracebridge, Ontario (Corvette, Thunderbird, Model T Ford and Roadster.)

Captain Randy Potts, operator of Sunset Cruises in Muskoka, is expanding his operations.  Randy and his wife Debbie have been hard at work since 2003, transforming the Peerless II, a former 60 ft. long delivery vessel, into a passenger cruiser.  Modifications included widening the beam from 12 feet. to 16.5 feet (a huge undertaking) and a complete rebuild of the rare Mack Marine diesel engine.  Captain Randy hopes that Peerless II's "sea trials" will occur this fall in Port Carling, Ontario.  Stay tuned for further details.  See photos below.

Peerless II is expected to accommodate 50 plus passengers

Are they real? These boats are so beautifully detailed, that it's hard to believe they're models. Jack Kipfer of Waterloo, Ontario,
 completely scratch built these 1/8-scale models of three boats designed by George Crouch for the 1924
 Gold Cup race. Rainbow IV (lower left) placed 1st, Baby Bootlegger (top) placed 2nd and Miss Columbia
(middle) placed 3rd. Rainbow IV was later disqualified for a variation in hull design.
(Photo courtesy of Lee Valley Tools)

The Muskoka Sea Flea Association, is a very active organization, with a comprehensive website, including directions for building your own Sea Flea. The club is hosting a regatta on June 18th, 2011, at Six Mile Lake Provincial Park. Over 70 boats will participate. (Please see index page for details.
 

The crew of Woodwind Yachts in Nestleton, Ontario, recently completed a total rebuild of the 6 metre yacht Merneito, which was subsequently shipped back to Finland.  Working with modern epoxies and wood preservatives should provide this sleek sailboat with a greatly enhanced lifespan.

This stunning, rare Chris-Craft Cobra was recently  captured at the 2011 Lake Dora Boat Show.  Sadly, a number of brand new Cobras were scrapped by the manufacturer when sales slowed in the 1950s.

Click on this link to view some unique footage and video of Miss America IX  http://www.missamericaix.com/

The Toronto Chapter Antique and Classic Boat Society held its annual Spring Tour this past April 16, 2011. Enjoy the fabulous boats in the video of this tour (below)

 

The striking photos below come from the Sunnyland Antique Boat Festival, in Wooten Park on Lake Dora, (Florida). This year the show was held from March 24-27 (2011).


 

This beautiful Gentleman's Racer (below) must be itching to get back into the water!

 

For a colourful videos and photos of the Muskoka Lakes Association Bi Annual Antique Boat Show, click on the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrdTNzDugTw   

Check out this video of the Muskoka Lakes Association Antique and Classic Boat Show, held in Port Carling, Ontario, August, 2010

The 33rd Annual Niagara Frontier Classic and Antique Boat Show and Race Boat Reunion was held at Grand Island, New York, this past Sept. 10, 2010.  This premier event in the antique boating world was well attended and showcased Dodge boats, as well as many other manufacturers.  Enjoy the videos!  

Photo below: The new Sea Hawks / Youth b(139,0,0)">

Enjoy this two part video of the Antique and Classic Boat Society (Toronto chapter) summer boat show, held in Gravenhurst, Ontario, July 10th and 11th, 2010/

For a different perspective on the July, 2010 ACBS Gravenhurst boat show, click on the video link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-zAEUnivss

Be sure to check out some of the beautiful woodies on display at the April 2010 Antique and Classic Boat Society (Toronto) Muskoka Spring Tour, (below).

Click below to view part two of the ACBS 2010 Muskoka Spring Tour

The annual ACBS (Toronto Chapter) Spring Tour was held April 24, 2010. The tour highlighted Muskoka's boat shops and the highly skilled craftsmen and women who build and restore wooden classics. Photos below: (left to right) Greavette I/O from Butson's boat shop, 1930 Johnson in Curtis Hillman's shop, Duke Playmate (available for rental from Stan Hunter's Boat Livery) Port Carling Boats display at Port Carling, Greavette in Paul Brackley's workshop, "Dippy" in the Gravenhurst marine museum. (Please see videos on Wooden Boats page of this website)
 

check out this Cobra for sale on our Muskoka Boats For Sale page

• 2011 Boat Show Calendar:
  Oct. 1, 13th annual Antique and Classic Boat Show - Philadelphia Chapter - Long Level Marina, Wrightsville, PA COntact Brian 856-727-9264
  Oct 1-2: San Diego CA. South Cal's final boat show of the year - San Diego Bay. Great for cruising. Contact Ken at 619-523-9539
  Oct 7: Sandusky River Run, hosted by North Coast Ohio Chapter, ACBS. Contact jeremy@custommarine.biz
  Oct 7-9: Annual Texas Hill Country Wooden Boat Show. Horseshoe Bay Resort, Lake LBJ, near Austin. River cruises. Dinners. Contact Scott at hsbadmiral@hotmail.com

This "Don't turn your back" photo is from the 2010 "Muskoka Bare it All" calendar fundraiser for the fight against breast cancer. Proceeds from the calendar benefit the breast screening programme at the South Muskoka Hospital. The calendars can be purchased for $15.00 at...

http://muskokamarketing.ca/reorder/index.html

Below is a photo of Alex Neymark's 15ft Glen-l cracker box with the side exhaust, chrome cut water and engine hatch vents. The hull was laminated with custom made clamps so the wood could be fastened without screws. Painstaking, meticulous work and Alex should be congratulated on his master craftmanship.

We can tell tell that summer is almost here with this classic American flagged runabout

May, 2010: From his workshop in Thunder Bay, Ontario, comes Jamie Zaroski's   beautiful replica fan-tail launch, modelled from an 1870's steamboat. "C.C. Brown" is constructed from 3/4" cedar-strip lengths, fibreglasses inside and out with epoxy. Other woods in the vessel include Douglas fir, western red cedar and ash. C.C. Brown is powered by a 12 h.p. Yanmar engine. She seats eight comfortably. Congratulations to Jamie for his craftsmanship in bringing this historic design back to life.  (For further information, please see boat ad # pb366 on the Muskoka Boats For Sale" page, or click here

  
Be sure to watch for Little Miss Canada, which will be making an appearance at the ACBS show in Gravenhurst, this coming July 10 and 11th, 2010.  Photo below)

 The A.C.B.S. International Boat Show, Sept. 20-26, 2009, held in Gravenhurst, Ontario, attracted boat owners from all over North America. As usual, glistening chrome, mirror-like varnishes and the deep throb of muscular engines kept the crowds enthralled.  (Photos, left to right: "Vic II", a stunning Paul Brackley Greavette restoration, "In Recognition", a 27' Shepherd, a beautiful 1950 Greavette hard top, and "Rainbow", an incredible, brand new 32' Gentleman's racer from Clark Custom Boats) See "Wooden Boats" page for more photos.

The ACBS Winter Workshop was held in Peterborough this past February 2010. On view was a stunning 33' fantail launch powered by solar/battery power with a diesel generator and shore power for back up. Steve Killing worked with Joan Barrett and Ted Moores of the Bear Mountain Boat shop Inc. to create this magnificent, environmentally friendly vessel. Also on display were several racing canoes. (See photos below.)
         

The other highlight of the Winter Workshop was the opportunity to visit the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough, Ontario  It's the only museum of its kind in the world, and well worth the visit.  (See photos below).
      
    

 Sept 20-26, 2009: The ACBS International Boat Show featured a stunning array of classic beauties.
(Photos left to right: a gorgeous 2007 Dippy, , "Shania, a 1949 Greavette,  "Artemis, a 1956, 23' Grew Eric Seepa's completely restored 20' Peterborough Zephyr.)

 
 

Miss Britain III (Historic race boat

The Niagara Frontier Antique and Classic Boat Show, Sept 12, 2009 Grand Island, (Buffalo area)
Port Carling Boats was there, representing our customers, with a booth at the Buffalo Launch Club
(See below). This year's wonderful show, comparable in size to Clayton, New York, featured a wide selection of Lyman Boats, originally built in Sandusky, Ohio.  Two of this year's highlights were hydroplane races on the Niagara River, and tours for children in a magnificent reproduction, 40 foot Gar Wood
(Photos left to right, Port Carling Boats booth pre-show, Lyman sedan hard-top, 40' triple cockpit Gar Wood with bow thrusters, and exquisite Lyman lapstrake utility.



(Photos above, left to right: rare Chris-Craft cabin cruiser, immaculate 30' Lyman, 1961, rare Chris Craft racer. historic mahogany cabin cruiser.

The ACBS (Toronto) show in Gravenhurst, July 11, 2009, featured a wonderful display of classic woodies, with an emphasis on utility boats. Port Carling Boats was there with a booth highlighting our customers' vessels for sale and drawing attention to our website (# 1 on Google for "wooden boats"). Note the brand new battery powered Dippie, the reproduction Dolly Durkin (Lady Eaton's old cruiser) and the beautiful barrel-back runabout.

How not to drop in on company...please see photo below.

 August 15th, 2009: The Hastings Waterfront Festival had a 60+ display of antique and classic boats hosted by the Trent Severn ANtique and Classic Boat Association.  Crowds of 4,000 turned out to see the boats at the docks and running on the Trent River.
Left to right below: 1) the show grounds and various boats 2).  Little Miss Canada built by Jeff Hughes with a step hull, and a
beautiful motor. (This boat will be running at the International Boat Show in September in Gravenhurst 3) Rich Hughes Greavette utility with the custom mahogany swim platform. (This 50+mph boat is brand new with aero framing built of Baltic birch plywood with mahogany planking.)
4. Chris-Craft and Mr. Hughes 16ft Shepherd with 60 hp outboard.

 

Aug 8, 2009. The Manotick ACBS hosted their show on the Rideau Canal just north of the town of Manotick. A well shaded show site gave spectators a comfortable day admiring the 45+ boats on display. Left to right below: several beautiful Shepherds, Greavettes, Dippies and fan tail boats, Rich Hughes' award winning Greavette, (that began as firewood), outboard mahagany boats.

Aug 16th, 2009. The Baysville Antique Boat and  Car Show  generated great interest from enthusiasts in the Muskoka area. (Left to right...SKIPJACK, a 19 foot Minett, built in 1909; Grand Old Lady, a 1949 Greavette Streamliner, a 1968 Duke, currently for sale, and a beautiful  dippy with canvas top.

   

July 11, 2009. The Antique and Classic Boat Society, Toronto Chapter, sponsored their Annual Boat Show in Gravenhurst, Ontario. As usual, beautiful wooden watercraft of all descriptions glistened in the water. (See below). Left to right: Peter Breen's newly minted "Dolly Durkin" tests the waters; Mark Mason's Gold Cup Racer, a 19' Greavette Gentleman's Racer  and a unique Clive Brown dippie designed to take an outboard engine. (Photos courtesy of Neil Honeyman)
     

(Left to right, below) A wonderful classic boat/car combo, "Shania, a 20' Greavette utilty, the steamship Segwun, fronted by a beautiful displacement launch and a new Blackbird Boat from its Lake of Bays boat shop

     

The A.C.B.S. Toronto Spring Tour (April 25/09) attracted some 300 enthusiasts to the shops of some 11 builders/restorers in the Muskoka area.  Needless to say, the boat displays were stunning and the craftsmanship exquisite.  (Left to right) a 30+' Minett at Butsons, custom runabout at Traditional Boat FInishes, Greavette Streamliner at Tom Adams new workshop, and a Duke playmate at Stan Hunter's site in Milford Bay.

HOT OFF THE PRESS: An exciting, colourful book of gentleman's racers has just been published. To preview or order this text, click below.
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/741049

Congratulations to Mark Harwood  for successfully building a wonderful, brand new, electric "Dippy".  Using glued, marine mahogany ply, in a lapstrake design, Mark was able to eliminate ribs to produce a light, strong vessel. The original Dippy mechanism allows the prop to retract into the hull.  Four deep cycle batteries produce 48 volts and enough power to move the Dippy along at 5 m.p.h. for hours at a time. Mark is marketing his Dippy, which is an environmental tour de force and a beautiful vessel.
 

Port Sydney area: 705-385-1452 Marc Harwood

April 25, 2009. The  Antique and Classic Boat Society, Toronto, hosted a wonderful Spring Tour of Muskoka boat builders/restorers. The photos below prove that wooden boat building is alive and well, and that Muskoka craftsmanship is second to none.
(Left to right). Reproduction Hacker (Gentleman's Racer), Billy Johnson runabout, a new custom launch and a brand new "Dippie"

     

The A.C.B.S Toronto WInter Workshop (Feb. 2009)held in Eric Seepa's Orillia workshop, featured the restoration of a rare Peterborough Zephyr (1st 3 photos) which had lain submerged in a mooring for a number of years.  The current owner is the grandson of Mr. Buchanan of Buchanan engines, who first purchased the boat many years ago. This vessel is a magnificent restoration.

The shops represented above are Traditional Boat Finishes, Stan Hunter, Butsons and Harwood Water Craft. The display (far right) highlights efforts made by Port Carling Boats to highlight our clients' watercraft at various wooden boat shows.

I hope you will take a moment to view my what interests me today section, let me know what you think

I was just looking at Dwight Boyds web site and it is a really clean and interesting site, take a look and let dwight know I sent you by!

A couple of videos you might enjoy from 2007 Lake Tahoe Boat Show, The Thunderbird designed by Hacker built by Huskins of Bay City Mich

Keels & Wheels 2007 Concur's Show from Texas features some great and unique boats and cars

The Antique and Classic Boat Society Toronto Boat Show, Gravenhurst Ontario, July 5th, 2008
It was a wonderful show, featuring over 100 beautiful wooden watercraft, not to mention floating cars, retro boats, the Segwun  and a field of dreams with boats for every taste and budget. Well done, A.C.B.S. Toronto

    

Information on the  2009 Wooden Boat Show at Mystic Seaport

Boat owners. Make sure your strapping is strong
and you're not on board when you're moving your vessel. This was a very costly error.

The Year of the Outboard was Toronto ACBS July 7th Boat show Theme

They have an excellent line up of fantastic Antique outboard speed boats, a exciting water ski show and we will have some great coverage for you

DreamBoats of Muskoka in conjunction with Cottage Life magazine has put together 3 video's on their site concerning B4, a Step hull high powered torpedo hull boat, Delta a hydro and Mineta. Click on the link, wait a few moments and then enjoy the video's.

Miss America X and other boats will be at the Old Chris Craft Plant for Michigan ACBS judged event Sat June 23 Algonac Harbor Club, 1999 Pointe Tremble Road, Algonac, MI. Tel (586) 978-7105

The beautiful Ligurian coast of Italy was the setting for the first of this year’s annual ‘Riva Meetings’, with both traditional wooden motorboats. Some great photo's and a great car site as well.

click on this picture to see some of the great early racers of the 30's

   Allison V12 powered, see photo's of the Museum of Flight

Portage Boat Works LLC is a great company with a mission - to reacquaint the public with the beauty and magnificence of mahogany boats, while of course trying to forever battle their rep for being maintenance intensive.
Check out their Gentleman's Racer and Triple Cockpit boats!

Scale and RC magazine cover that you might enjoy. Click on the picture to see the details and figures.

Matheson Launch "Ollag" - Completely Hand-built in 1921 in Port Carling, Ontario and extensively restored, this 26.5 foot launch is a Lake Tahoe Concourse winner and is the Feature Boat in the July/August 2000 issue of well-known Classic Boating magazine.

Click to see some other historically significant wooden boats, great photos

Click here for the newest wooden boat Show Movie.

10 floating Inns for those who love to holiday on wooden boats in Great Places like Bar Harbour, St.Augustine, Clayoquot Wilderness Resorts & Spa’s 16-room Floating Resort at Quait Bay to name a few.

The Thunderbird Yacht, a 55-foot mahogany and stainless-steel treasure that plied the waters of Lake Tahoe before roads made the hillsides around the lake accessible, has been transferred from its private owner to a nonprofit group to ensure it stays on the lake's clear waters.

2008 Muskoka Lakes Antique Boat Show, Port Carling

Jeff Hughes and his brother Rich are building another boat, now this hydroplane should be lots of fun ! Stay tuned.

Winterton Boat Building Museum in Newfoundland is preserving the Heritage of Wooden Boat building in the Maritime region. They have built a number of boats to date and have an interesting focus. I hope any travelers to this region might pop in. Click on the picture for more details.

I received an email from the folks at Millar Potter Boat works as the rebuild the bottom of a 30ft Hacker craft boat.

This is our first antique and classic wooden boat video that captures the boat builders of Muskoka. This second video covers a project we did that features boats, bikes cars and more Port Carling Boats video2 that is best viewed with high speed access. its 7 minutes so let it load in memory first for optimal viewing.

Please take a minute to see a fantastic photo collection of a 32ft power boat by Gannon and Benjamin boat works in Maine. wonderful story picture

Peter Breen Photo Section and his newest wooden boats. Jeff has put together some photos of the Muskoka antique and classic mahogany boat that have been worked on over the past year as well as some other boats that you will enjoy!

Tim Du Vernet is a well known photographer who has a keen interest in Muskoka and Wooden boats . His web site has an extensive number of pictures of some of the finest wooden boats to be found in Gravenhurst and the Muskoka Region.

Orange Crate is a 1964 Besotes single cockpit 21- foot custom built runabout. It is powered by the original 425 HP 8 cylinder Ford engine, a rare Hi Riser Nascar edition. Specially built for racing in Lake Tahoe, it is one of only three single cockpit 21's built by Besotes in Stockton, California. It is uniquely different with its lower profile, 9½ foot front deck and V-drive configuration.

See the construction of this 22ft Palm Beach wooden boat, designed by nelson zimmer

8-G is a 30ft 420hp replica of a 1908 Gold Cup Racer built in Australia and finished in the USA.

Rainbow III a true classic, click on this link to see more pictures of this stepped hull beauty

2009 ACBS International Meeting will likely be held in Muskoka. Stay tuned for Details.

Happy Halloween

Grain Surfboards builds custom wood surf boards in Maine in either finished or in kit form. Surf boards are custom crafted and built for the surfer, no foam here,just wood boards that look great and they plant 10 trees for every tree they use in building a board. They use white and red cedar grown on sustainable tree farms and harvested by local mills. Their plywood frames cutout using a CNC machine for exactness. The beauty of wood coupled with a fantastic ride because of the inherent characteristics of wood. Call Mike 802-598-7194 for pricing or info

An inte resting series of photos of a 22ft steam boat with a beautiful fantail ..great photo's and enjoy

It was great to see Patrica Ross shop, "Traditional Boat Finishes" on the tour, she does a terrific job varnishing the boats with her dry technique. She has worked previously for one of Muskoka's finest builders and decided she would start her own business and her level of craftsmanship is exceptional, I really enjoyed seeing the transformation of the rowing skiff.

How not to dock your woodie!

Some wooden boat builders for your Winter antique wooden boat work you might contact:

Stan Allanson near Peterborough has 24 years of experience working for shops in Muskoka and has just started out on his own, he has done work for me that has been complimented at every wooden boat show and his rates are reasonable, give Stan a call at 705-696-1481

Doug McGrath at 705-385-9072 is another builder who has done a lot of fine antique wooden boats in Muskoka

Michael Cook (705) 382-9088 has been restoring boats in his shop just north of Burk's Falls for seven + years

Tom Adams, with some 19 years in the boat building industry, has recently set up shop in Port Carling. (2009) He's a highly knowledgeable restorer/builder. Call 705-765-7718 or tomadamsboatbuilder@gmail.com

Jerome Emory at 519-728-3798 has been building boats for years, he is just finishing Two 22ft Gentleman's Racers wooden boats

Cloarec Young Boatworks, Clint and Dave are building a 22ft Gentleman's Racer boats and have tremendous skills as well, Clint 705-526-6284 or Dave 705-762-2155 or by email dyoung at surenet.net

Tom Echle has also been building boats for years call 416-834-0852

Heirloom Canoes, Rob von bitter, 416-652-7583

Check out The kazulin wooden boat web site, these antique boats are fast, exciting to run and offer superb performance. A beautiful kazulin built boat, nice lines, great speed

Michael Corrigan, Boatbuilder P.O. Box 292 Wolfe Island, Ontario K0H 2Y0 613-385-9937 builds fine boats give him a ring....

Anderson Boats works in the Dorset Area does wooden boat work and Tel 705-767-1021

Curtis Hillman, 1126 Hewlitt Rd, Milford Bay 705-764-0814

Kilpatrick Boat Repairs
Address : 318794 Grey Road 1, Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N6
Telephone : 519-371-0018

CW Marine
Address : RR 1, Dwight, ON P0A 1H0
Telephone : 705-635-1484
Chris has been doing all the wooden boats on lake of Bays for decades and does a fine job and he would be happy to give you a quote.

Prop-Doc at : 14-532 Industrial Mall, in Bracebridge, ON P1L 1C8 has a prop drop off box with 24hr turn around call 705-645-5483

New listing (2009) for antique boat parts, (some 25 000 to 50 000!), nautical gifts, and dock restorations, call GORDON GRANT after 7pm (705-722-8676) or by email: grant8676@rogers.com or write to R.R.#2, Ridge Road, W. Shanty Bay ON L0L 2L0

Now here is 1934 Hacker built Gold Cup Torpedo Hull antique wooden boat to admire

The 2006 Muskoka antique Boat show was a great success check out the video

www.johnslittleboatshop.ca  in Omemee Ontario

Wooden Boat Memories sells all sorts of antique wooden boat memorabilia like Ditchburn, Duke, Greavette, Minett Shields, Sea bird and Shepherd burgees, decals,paddles

wally is a 119ft boat with three gas turbines pushing 12,000 hp.

100 Years of Wooden Glory" is a 250-page perfect bound, soft cover title measuring 240mm x 340mm. It's textured cover and 150gsm gloss pages will be an ideal adornment to any setting.

Osburn Model Kits has some great antique wooden boat models

Our first wooden boat video and Video 2 now June 20th Video 3 June 29th

Barefoot wooden boats on Gabriola Island, B.C. providing you wooden boat building, restoration, repair, educational programs, rentals and adventure charters

Take six 20 something year olds who all have a connection to Middlebury Vermont and someone says lets row and sail and open boat from the San Juan Islands to Alaska. On we need a boat, well we will build one. Here is the story of the Hunter Bay Boat Project which is the brainchild of Ben Brouwer and his parents, Molly Bill and Steven Brouwer. It began with Ben's interest in sailing and rowing a small open boat from his home in the San Juan Islands to Alaska with a group of friends. Steven took the idea a step further and documented the construction and events. Enjoy

Purdy 74ft Commuter Yacht Restoration by Brooklyn boat yard in Maine, a fascinating look at a antique wooden boat rebuild. Some of the best photo's I have seen to date of a total restoration with superb craftsmanship! This boat can achieve speeds over 40mph, APHRODITE'S guest list over the years reads like a "Who's Who" in the worlds of government, business and entertainment with such luminaries as Fred Astaire, Sir Laurence Olivier, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Henry Ford II, FDR advisor Harry Hopkins and Nelson Rockefeller aboard for summer day cruises down Long Island Sound. APHRODITE also once served as the site for a birthday party for Shirley Temple.

Spring Tour 2006 recap with photo's. Great collection of antique boats and hat's off to all those involved

Whio , ( say feeo ) the Blue Duck.is an 29ft fantail Lauch, that can travel 17 knots per hour which will blow your hat off if you are not in the curved cabin that follows a 1920's styling cue. With a 55 hp diesel engine and unique slender hull this boat sips fuel and is a joy to drive. This boat only weighs 2,976 pounds and is trailer able. What a fantastic boat, click on the link and read more and thanks to Wooden Boat magazine for sharing this story !

Delivering Mail in antique Wood boat...now that's work

A great video of the Manitock 2005 antique Boat Show ..check this out at work or if you have high speed access

See details on The Bigwin Steam Boat Restoration Project located in Dorset Ontario is looking for contributors for there "Adopt a Boat Builder" fundraising campaign.

2006 Workshop Summary

 Meet Casey Maple, attempted to sail from Toronto to Norway on a wood sailboat which ended in family tradegdy, he then built a birchbark canoe and paddled from Sudbury to Montreal in it to raise awareness for Organ & Blood Donations - Blood guts tour- he is now 19!

 For efficiently cutting the lawn or removing snow in Muskoka click here for more V8 powered info

Bill Turners family has been building Aristocrat boats since the 1950's, these sporty sleek boats are still being made today at very affordable prices, call Bill at 770-475-5455 and see his web site www.aristocraftboats.com

Starrigan is a Newfoundland expression to describe a thing of beauty or a work of art Read here about Father and son Wayne & Peter Brown restoration of a 1955 14ft Peterborough Water Craft Fisherman Utility boat.It was a great bonding experience for the pair, it taught 13yr old Peter many skills and the family has a new heirloom "Starrigan"

.These Ladies helped out at the Buffalo Boat Show and we thought this photo might help some of that Buffalo show. Take a look at the Buffalo Wooden Boat Show - Race Boats As well

Check out more of Bruce Amos Photo's

Highlight photo's of the 23rd Wine Country Wooden boat show 2005

two seats, mahogany wood, 454 GM big block, 500hp and goes over 100mph see the new Lauterbach TS-1

                                                                        Click on T-14 for more pictures of the Mt .Dora boat Show

Click on this picture to see the 2005 Mt. Dora Chris Craft Cobra gathering

Australian boat builders and there 22ft Hacker Gentleman's Racer featured in Wooden Boat Magazine.

Check out the photo's of the New Hampshire Vintage Race Boat Regatta held in Wolfeboro. Great collection of photo's.

My boat as a work in Progress.

Golden Days is a 20ft 502hp boat that is owned and raced regularly by a 84 gentleman who has consented to share his pictures on the site

for some great reading and pictures of Muskoka Wooden Speedboats from the early 20's to now

Rapture is a 24' 6" 350hp boat that you will enjoy

Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway is a shop in Maratha's Vineyard that builds some of the finest traditional wooden sailing yachts in the world.

click here Check out this site where 2 fellows are building 21ft double cockpit boats using a cnc computer for cutting out the componets. Fascinating work by two furniture builders

For Wooden boat building, wooden boats for sale in Muskoka Canada, wooden boat restoration and wooden boat pictures are all here at portcarlingboats.com Click on the links below.

Check out the Recent Wooden Boat built by a fellow in King City Ontario,

A great collection of photo's from the Michigan Chapter of the ACBS- check out the Century Gentleman's Racer

An excellent article on the building of a replica of Baby Bootleggar, the Gold Cup winner from the early twenties. Great sources, and pictures.

Another site with some excellent photo's of some of the finest gentleman's racers

A little photo section of a Gar Wood Gentleman's Racer

Photo's of unusual wooden boats

Picture Gallery     Movie of the Port Carling Boat Show

Wooden Boat Events            Wooden Boating Magazines & Publications

The Philadelphia Chapter of the ACBS has a great site with members boats in a photo gallery

Mt. Dora Show Pictures- one of the best shows in the USA
Check out Saetta Classic Boats in Florida for some high tech, beautiful wood classics. Contact Jim Kimball at 407-889-3451

There are a number of great American Shows and one of them is Keels and Wheels show held in the Houston Region at the Lakewood Yacht Club 30 minutes South of Houston. Please check there web site to see some of the great Boats and Cars that are at this show.

Wooden Boating Magazines & Publications

How to Restore your Wooden Runabout by Don Danenberg is an excellent reference book to read before buying that restoration boat as it gives out great tips on what to look for and then how to repair that component. Volume 2 is out this spring.

A great Magazine is Classic Boating try reading this magazine once and you will be a subscriber for years!!!

The Muskoka Wooden boats such as the Muskoka Mahogany Launch, the Minett-Shields, Disappearing Propeller Boats, Ditchburn,Greavette, Peterborough and the Port Carling Seabird, are among some of the finest boats built in the Muskoka area. This site is dedicated to preserving the heritage of Muskoka and these fine wooden boats. As a youngster, I always remember all the old mahogany wooden boats in the Old Boat House at Port Cunnington Lodge on Lake of Bays. I developed a keen appreciation for these shiny, sleek and prestigious Muskoka wooden boats.

The Toronto Antique and Classic Boat Society held there annual Spring Tour at various shops in the Muskoka area in Ontario. It was a great opportunity to meet new and familiar faces, over 450 visitors. Thanks go out to Mike Windsor, Gary Clark, Dukes Boats, Butson Boats, Stan Hunter, Wood Wind Yachts, Brackley Boats and others. To see pictures of the tour

I came across a new site, the Disappearing Propellor Boat that may be of interest to many people.

The Trent Severn Antique boat club is very active and has put together a excellent site and the Peterborough boats at their show will be concour's quality.

The Muskoka Lakes Association Antique Boat Show at the Port Carling Docks will be very successful. Rare boats shown at the show previously included 3 Minett Shields gentleman's racers, the 1934 Greavette gentleman's racer "Flash" with the Mother in-law seat was terrific. The beautiful lines of the Bala built McNeil& Norris boats Pleasant View and Ariel. Murray Walker had his"Miss Utopia" triple cockpit Minett Shields out for the show. An exceptional opportunity to see some of the finest boats in Muskoka which will be held again this August.

Wooden Boat Building Presentation Sites:

Should you be interested in how a wood boat is built, cost, time involved and other points=how many calls for assistance in building the boat then check out this site

This boat called the Zip was built over 9 months and it has extensive pictures as well as 5 movies at the end of the story line. A great guide to building a boat.

One of my favorite outboard racers is the Rascal designed by Ken Basset from North Hero Vermont, and here is a couple of sites that take you through the steps of building just such a boat. The first Rascal is being built by a fellow in the US. Sam's Smile is another Rascal boat built by a fellow in Newmarket Ontario. Your will have to sign into look at this very informative boat building presentation. Here is a link to a site that is selling an inboard version of the Rascal.

I meet a gentleman who enjoys building wooden boats in his basement which is heated and has 11 feet of head room. It is also over 30ft long. So when he builds a boat, he cuts open the front wall, brings in a front end loader and moves out the topsoil and then pulls the boat out. He has done this 6 times. Congratulations on your perseverance. And these are very nice boats that he builds. More pictures later this week.

In terms of the environmental impact of PWC on Muskoka Lakes, I invite you to read an article by Michael Enright. It really calls on boat owners to ensure that your boat motor is tuned up properly to ensure that your boat is burning gasoline as efficiently as possible.

The Toronto Star wrote a excellent article about the Muskoka Fleet, Wenonah 2 which joins the Segwun and the Wanda III for cruising the Muskoka Lakes. An excellent location for a Muskoka Wedding is on board the Wanda III.

You will want to look at Mike Windsors site and check out the construction of a antique boat from start to finish. It is a great guide for those who dream of building a boat. After refinishing a couple of antique canoes, I have an even greater appreciation for the tradition of fine craftsmanship that local residents continue to offer.