Editor’s Note

First my apologies for the lateness of this newsletter.  it has been a wonderful but yet a difficult summer for us this year.  Also we wanted to include the photos from the show and it took us a while to sort through the various ones and make our final selections.  For a view of more of the great photos taken during our Annual Show please check out the chapter website at http://www.flc-acbs.org .
Next my congratulations to the members of our club for another great show weekend.  The show is a stressful time for our crew of volunteers and your patience and understanding when dealing with them is what keeps it from being a “thankless job”.  Also mother nature does not always cooperate, and keeping the boats on display Sunday during the less than perfect weather was important to those spectators who braved the weather.
The seminars offered on Sunday were a success and will be continued in the future, with a different scheduling plan.  If there is a topic you would like to see presented or would be willing to present please let the Boat Show Chairman know, so it can be properly organized for next year.
Also we will be welcoming a new Boat Show Co-Chair for the 2001 Show, Jack Miller.
Boating season is going to ending when the snow starts flying, then it will be restoration season.  My husband and I have a canoe to recanvas and seats to cane.  Hopefully we will complete them by the 2001 show!
Wendy
 

22nd Annual Boat Show  The  Marsden /Fetridge Girls in Tish and Blair Cook’s   1918 Basset, Launch named Felice  We have posted over 30 pictures from our 22nd Annual  Boat Show..Please click here to view the photo gallery

Best Raceboat Steve Shehadi’s 1971 Karelsen
Best Launch Blair & Tish Cook’s 1918 Basset
Best Unmounted Motor Bill Edwards’ 1952 Mercury
Best Outboard Boat & Motor Jim & peg Manning’s 1957 Penn Yan Swift
Best Power Replica Ken Bowler’s 1999 Bowler
Best Antique Runabout under 22’ Don & Elanor Babcock’s 1942 Chris Craft
Best Antique Runabout Over 22’ John & Kim Vorhies 1939 Chris Craft
Best Classic Runabout Under 22’ Erwin Laitenberger’s 1952 Penn Yan
Best Classic Runabout Over 22’ Dave & Cheryl Brintnall’s 1955 Greavette
Best Antique Utility Sprague Wheeler’s 1940 Chris Craft
Best Classic Utility Under 22’ John & Michelle Telash’s 1955 Chris Craft
Best Classic Utility Over 22’ George Morse’s 1957 Hubert Johnson
Best Historic Jeff & Diane Schwenke’s 1911 Old Town
Best Canadian Built Irene & Cal Wagner’s 1956 Muskoka Canoe Club
Best Finger Lakes Built Bill Gregory’s 1995 Ford/Gregory
Best Rowing Craft Owned by Jeff Shaner
Best Sailing Craft Tom Goodwin’s 1940 Skaneateles Comet
Best Canoe Dan Sutherland’s 1929 Penn Yan
Best Non-Power Contemporary Owned by Doug Adams
Authenticity Jack & Jean Barron’s 1928 Peterborough
Best Bilge & Engine Compartment Roger Townsend’s 1942 Chris Craft
Best Craftsmanship (Owner Restored) Michael Stratford’s 1936 Earle Barnes
Best of Show Richard Barry’s 1961 Century Coronado
People’s Choice Dave & Cheryl Brintnall’s Queen of D’Nile 1955 24’ Greavette
 

Who’s At The Helm?!
FLC President
Roger Townsend 315-635-9695
Co-Vice Presidents
Diane Schwenke 315-675-9755
Dana Ritchie (E)67-275-6521 (D)781-275-3306
Treasurer
Shirley Marsden (E)315-253-7505 (D)315-252-9506
Secretary
Jeff Williams (E)607-387-5346 (D)607-387-3900
Membership     Dick Sherwood 716-265-1518
Directors
Bernie Clapp 315-625-4568
Bill Gregory (S)315-685-7646 (W)602-981-2883
Steve White (E)315-685-0252 (D)315-685-7733
Curtis Feldann (E)315-685-6936 (D)315-498-6700
Directors-At-Large
Jeff Schwenke 315-675-9755
Ron Svec (E)607-657-2748 (D)607-755-3779

Ship’s Store

The ship’s store was successful at this year’s annual boat show, especially when it came to sales of rain gear.  For those of you who missed out on the bargains of old merchandise being cleared out, or just looking for the perfect gift for yourself or that special boater, call Ron Svec, he will be happy to help.  Ron can be reached at 607-657-2748 and if you don’t wait too late, he will have all your holiday shopping needs filled and shipped leaving you time to sit back relax and be merry.  The variety of items to suit all ages and lifestyles will amaze you.  Whether you need short sleeves for wintering in the South or long sleeves for bearing the northern winters, the ship’s store has it all.

Stanley & Paula Kott of Guilford, CT
John Jablonski of Skaneateles, NY
Rich Marin of New York, NY
Katherine & Christopher Rogers of Oswego, NY
Charles Johnstone of New Canaan, CT
Eric Regel of Seneca Falls, NY
Dale & Cheryl Brintnall of Waverly, FL
Thomas & Barbara Carman of Vestal, NY

President’s Message

Many thanks to all of you who volunteered your time to help with this year’s boat show.  Your dedication and hard work have helped to make our show one of the most highly regarded shows in the entire country.  The comments we have received from the exhibitors all mention how friendly and helpful everyone is, and that is a tribute to the entire Chapter!
Our next board meeting is scheduled for October 22nd at 2:00pm at our home in Baldwinsville.  the meeting is open to any chapter member who wishes to attend and I invite you to join us.  If you are planning on coming my number is 315-635-9695.
By now most of you have heard ACBS dues for 2001 are being increased to $35.00, after having gone unchanged for the last fourteen years!  When put in perspective the increase is rather modest and when you consider the benefits of membership it is still a bargain.  The Rudder magazine has evolved into a first rate publication and our membership directory is a marvelous resource all by itself, so I urge all of you to consider what you get from your association with ACBS and maintain your membership.
Time goes by all too swiftly and before we know it our Annual Meeting will be upon us.  Previously I had asked you to consider contributing some of your own handiwork to our Silent Auction and I wanted to remind you of that request again.  It is a way of supporting your Chapter and of seeing something you made admired by others.
One last reminder.  Dick Sherwood has put together a very interesting program for our Fall cruise and I hope many of you will participate in the event.  It is a fun way to bring the boating season to a close and get us through the long winter.  Look forward to seeing many of you on the 7th of October. Roger
 

October 7th is the date for the Chapter’s last scheduled boating event of the season.  Cayuga Lake State Park (our launch site) is on the west shore of Cayuga Lake.  It’s an excellent launch with plenty of free parking.  Objective will be to have all boats in the water (and running) by 10:00am.  then we will proceed to the northeast end of the lake (about two miles) and turn west to follow the Seneca-Cayuga branch of the Erie Canal to Seneca Falls.  Enroute we’ll transit a double lock.
We’ll tie up in downtown Seneca Falls (excellent new docks) and congregate in the seneca Falls Museum of Waterways and Industry for a quality box lunch (at no cost to participants) and a presentation by David Hanna, Professor of Urban Studies and Tourism at the University of Quebec at Montreal since 1991.  Professor Hanna is a foremost authority of the Erie canal and transportation in Central New York State.  He is currently working on a book covering the Erie Canal and railroads in Seneca Falls and his presentation to us will cover local history as it was influenced by the presence of the Erie Canal.  Neil young, FLC Member and Manager of the Museum, has put this program together and we hope to have a good turnout for it.  If you don’t have a boat, but would like to make the trip by water, plan to come along.  If you would rather meet the boaters at the Museum, that will work too.  either way, please give Dick Sherwood a call at 716-265-1518 and let him know not later than Tuesday, October 3rd:
How many will be having lunch at the Museum.
If you’ll be taking your own boat, and
If so, whether you’ll have an empty seat that could accommodate others who would like to make the trip on the water with you, or If you’d like a ride in someone else’s boat.  Thanks.  See you at the launch Saturday morning, October 7th.
 

Yes again there was an error, one too many space in the answer to 16 Down...we will keep trying to get it right.Scramble:1.Historic 2.Runabout 3.Utility 4.Bilge 5.Craft 6.Canoe 7.Throttle 8.Transom 9.Cutwater 10.Windshield   Down: 1.Engines 2. Chrysler 3. Yardarm 4. Prewar 5. Snoopy 6. Barrelback 7. Lozier 8. Ditchburn 9. Mast 10. Crew 11. Erie 12. Owasco 13. Greavette 14. Seneca 15. Otisco 16. Keuka 17. Trim 18. Dock     Across: 2. Century 4. PennYan 6. Beans 14. Sterling 19. Fantail 20. Fear 21. Canal 22. Slowspeed 23. Lamp 24. Pram 25. Classic 26. Rig 27. Cruiser 28. Peterborough 29. Kayak 30. Maker 31. Cove 32. Skaneateles 33. Cayuga 34. Morhouse 35. Hacker 36. Packard . I hope the clues encouraged you to check out the new features in the ACBS Directory!

Publication Information & Rates

Brightwork is a quarterly newsletter for the FLC of the ACBS and is published for the benefit of the chapter members.  It is a great way to reach 200+ members with your advertising dollars.  Publication is March, June, September & December 1st.
Questions, articles for publication, letters to the editor, etc. should be sent to Wendy Fetridge, P.O. Box 224, Lanesboro, MA 01237-0224 or wendy@berkshiretv.com or 413-442-7567.  Commercial and non-commercial ads should be sent to Dick Sherwood, 1734 Lake Road, Webster, NY 14580 or call 716-265-1518 or email FLCboats@aol.com.  Ad rates are Full page $100, Half page $50, Quarter page $25, Eighth page $15, Business cards $10. Rates are per issue.  B&w classifieds w/o charge for members.
 
 

Miss Conception was designed for the 1913 Harmsworth Trophy racing competition.  When I found the hull it was a half rotted derelict overgrown by brush out behind the machine shop of Charlie Bowgus.  Charlie was an old man and referred to the boat as “Pop’s Old Race Boat”.  I hauled the thing home and stored it in a corner of my barn while I researched it’s origin.
I wanted to take a set of lines off the hull before I proceeded to have a bonfire.  The hull was turned upside down.The rotted hull was completely flexible as there was very little decking and a major portion of the bottom had rotted away on one side.  The hull would take almost any shape I wanted.  Eventually, I was able to shim things until the engine stringers were relatively straight nd the keel sections were straight and parallel in profile.  The shear line (the line between the deck & the side panel) was higher (above the keel) at mid length than at the stem or the transom.  What at first appeared to be a “broken back” condition was apparently part of the original design.
The lines were drawn to a distorted scale to exaggerate curves and make errors stand out.  A smooth set of lines were then drawn to eliminate the variations which existed in the rotted prototype.  A table of offsets, (dimensions for the frames) was taken from this drawing.
The more work I did on this old hull, the more fascinated I became with it’s peculiarities.  My research indicated this boat was technically quite complex with it’s combination of stepped hull and surface piercing propeller.  I can only find two instances where such a combination has been tried since and both have resulted in very fast boats.  The engineer in me wanted to build a replica, but I didn’t have much confidence this odd shaped hull would really work.  I found no record it was ever raced.
I built a model of the boat and towed it back and forth across the south end of Cayuga Lake.  With the center of gravity aft where it would be with a short modern engine, the model seemed to ride at a high angle of attack and ran very light on the water.  I built a second model with a slightly lower step and saw a distinct improvement.  This model had more drag but was smoother, so I chose these proportions for the reconstruction.  The step is 2 1/2’ deep at the keel and 9 1/2” deep at the chine.
I took some liberties in the layout of the reconstruction of this 1913 race boat.  Since the new engine takes up much less length than the original 8 1/2’ motor bay, I lengthened the forward deck and put a seat forward of the engine.  I put a high cowling ahead of the driver to try to deflect some of the wind.  The cowling does not extend the full width of the hull so that the riding mechanic is free to walk around and service the engine.
Not wanting to risk the boat breaking up in rough water when pushed, I made construction changes to Miss Conception.  A modern wooden runabout gains rigidity and stiffness from cross decking forward and aft of the engine compartment.  Miss Conception is basically an open boat and possibly very flexible.  When a boat built to historic methods flexes, a great deal of strain is put on the fasteners, eventually causing frames to crack in a line between fasteners.  Frames may weaken and flex in the chine area, encouraging cracking along the chine.  These cracks then allow rot to set in.
To help stiffen Miss Conception, I designed a partial bulkhead aft of the engine at the kickboard and made the lower half of the front seat a permanent part of the structure.
Years ago I had built a number of outboard boats and sailboats out of plywood, and felt more comfortable working with that material.  I expected this would speed the reconstruction (as it is not a replica or even a reproduction with its modifications).
The next step was to draw the frames full size, enroll in the “John Ford School of Wooden Boat Building”, and start cutting large pieces of wood into smaller ones.  John was puzzled at some of my construction methods, and I admit if I did it again, there are a lot of ways that would make the construction job easier.
The new hull bottom is two layers of 3/8” plywood glued together with West System epoxies.  The sides and deck are 3/8” mahogany plywood.  The areas where the aft strut mounts to the hull bottom, and where the rudder mounts to the transom are more than 2” thick. Everything is glued together with epoxies.
Once the glue sets, there is no need for fasteners.  As a matter of fact, there are many areas which have no fasteners at all.  To say the new hull is overbuilt is a gross understatement.
Since I like to see the grain of natural wood, everything is clear finished inside and out.  this has added considerable time to the finishing process. Another of the time consuming aspects of this project was the design of the drive line and steering system.  The original hull had been completely gutted.  There wasn’t even a dash board or a hint of where the steering wheel had been mounted.  every piece had to designed and custom built, mostly of stainless steel.
The stuffing box and strut bearing needed to be cooled and lubricated by engine supplied water.  The strut holding the shaft just forward of the propeller is a vee type to withstand the sideward loads of the surface piercing propeller.  The steering is with a chain and sprocket on the steering column, thru flexible steel cables and pulleys to the rudder aft.  This is a strong system and will let the driver feel the forces on the rudder.  We know a right hand rotating surface prop always tries to turn the hull left, (the direction all race courses are run) and the rudder must always be turned in order to make the boat run in a straight line.  The externally mounted rudder allows easy access for alterations (to reduce the force felt by the driver).
A small adjustable cavitation plate is placed just aft of the propeller to help reduce the cavitation which occurs when the hull comes onto plane and the prop comes half out of the water...
The boat is powered by a modern six cylinder engine for reliability.  There will be about 180hp at the prop making it comparable to a typical 1913 power of 150hp.  Since only left hand rotating engines are available in this size, the engine is equipped with a heavy duty transmission normally running in reverse to turn a right hand surface propeller.
Up And Running At Last
Launch day arrived with a lot of surprises, some good and some not so good.  The construction was complete, her name was boldly painted on her side, the “last” (there never is a last coat) coat of varnish had dried to a mirror finish.  All the shiny hardware was installed and the unusually shaped hull was loaded onto her custom built trailer.  We had fire extinguisher, fenders, lines, life jackets and everything else deemed necessary as off to the launching ramp in Union Springs, N.Y. we went.  It was an overcast afternoon, but this was not going to deter this launching.  It had been 20 months since I cut the first piece of wood for her construction, and almost a lifetime since I first started sketching race boats as a youngster.  Growing up in Muskoka, Ontario, I witnessed the construction and running of a number of inboard raceboats including Miss Canada of Harold Wilson.  I was well primed for a mahogany raceboat of my own.
A surprising number of friends came along to witness the ritual.  The paper bag was filled with water and broken over the bow for the christening.  Then the boat slid into the water, life jackets were donned, the engine fired up and we were in for the first of many surprises.
I had been told that a surface piercing propeller would not back up easily.  Miss Conception backed nicely away from the dock at idle speed in a nice arc to the left as would be expected.  She is not really able to steer in reverse, but I think she would with a slightly larger rudder.
We head out into Lake Cayuga and slowly open the throttle.  The moment of truth had arrived.  This would be when I would learn if I had designed suitable running gear, and picked the right propeller.  The bow rose and the stern squatted as she slowly accelerated.  More throttle gave a bit more speed.  The propeller starts to cavitate as expected.  Miss Conception is not yet on plane.  More throttle.  Pretty soon I realize that my foot throttle is up against the stop, the engine is roaring at 2,500 RPM and we are not going much faster than a good canoe.
Don’t panic.  I have read many tales of race boats with this characteristic.  I make turns to the left, then to the right. I stir up the water to make waves.  I accelerate very slowly.  I tromp on it.  Nothing seems to improve the situation.  this is a heart breaker.  I am upset to say the least.  In desperation I push the throttle to the floor and keep it there.  The speed is increasing almost imperceptibly.  We are about a mile down the lake when the bow finally starts to drop and the hull slowly climbs up onto plane.  The propeller grabs solid water, the engine is loaded down and the rpms drop while the hull accelerates.  It feels quite fast (about 40 to 45mph).  At this point I was not worried so much about top speed as I was about the ability to get up onto plane.  We lowered the aft edge of the 18” wide cavitation plate mounted aft of the propeller.  This made it much easier to get the boat up onto plane.  A week later I removed the cavitation plate and replaced it with a wedge running the full width of the false transom.
The original propeller had been 17” in diameter with a 19” pitch as a result of my unbelievable optimism for a top speed.  The engine is rated at 4,400rpms so additional prop adjustments would have to be made to reach this.  I borrowed a 16” with a cupped 17” pitch prop from Art Myers and it was easier to get two people onto plane with maximum rpms at 3,400.  Now with a 15” cupped 16” pitch prop I can get three adults onto plane.  Above 40mph the hull porpoises and speed peaks at 50mph.  This is the arrangement I am having fun with this summer, with more propeller tests waiting until this fall.
Here are the mysteries and surprises:
1. My guess is the original boat was never raced because it never got up onto plane, with a 1200 cubic inch engine weighing 1,300lbs compared to the current engine and transmission of 800lbs.  The first world war arrived, temporarily eliminating the Harmsworth Trophy racing.  When the war was over, V-12 Liberty engines were available making Miss Conception obsolete.
2. People who run race boats with right hand rotating surface propellers say their boats only want to turn left.  Surprise, Miss Conception turns right almost as easily as it turns left.
3. Race boats with surface piercing propellers use specially modified rudders to reduce the forces felt in the steering wheel.  I must have done something right, my slightly asymmetrical rudder exerts no force on the steering wheel.
4. “A convex bottom is supposed to be smoother riding but wetter than a concave bottom.”  Miss conception gives an unbelievably smooth and dry ride.  The secret is in the bottom curvature being near the keel and not at the chines.  The chines have a little lip which deflects the spray.  I have learned to keep going at a steady speed when crossing large boat wakes to removing the shock.
5. Surface piercing propellers were first patented by Canadian Albert Hickman in about 1905.  There a number of manufacturers building surface drive systems and propellers for modern race boats and they cannot agree on what size prop Miss Conception needs.  Several admit it is a “cut and try or hammer and bend” process.  So much for 95 years of progress.
In the meantime, even though Miss Conception has her imperfections, I am having a ball running her and taking people for rides in this unusual craft...  Submitted by FLC member Morley Smith

THE BOATING CENTER, INC. DISCOUNT MARINE SUPPLIES EVERYTHING FOR YOUR BOAT  INTERLUX, PETIT, WEST SYSTEM, BOATLIFE, Z-SPAR, SIKAFLEX EPIFANES, 3M OPEN MONDAY THRU SATURDAY YEAR ‘ROUND 400 W. Commercial St.        716-385-3060 E. Rochester, NY  14445     800-258-8891 CUSTOM CHROME PLATING POLISHING, BUFFING, REPAIRS AWARD WINNING WORK SPECIALIZING IN: POWERBOATS, CARS, ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES FINGER LAKES METAL FINISHING INC. 5646 E. AVON-LIMA RD., AVON, NY 14414 TEL.: 716-226-3180 FAX.: 716-226-8814

1954 Century Wood Inboard 16’ Resorter, Engine Rebuilt, 6 cylinder,  Fred Podszebka, 6582 Fremont Rd., E. Syracuse, N.Y. 13057  315-656-8238

1930 22’ triple cockpit Gar Wood.  Very good shape, West bottom, 327 Chevy engine 210hp, tandem axle trailer.  Asking $37,000.
1932 18’ split cockpit Gar Wood.  Needs to be restored.  some hardware, the rest available.  No engine, 283 available. $3,000 OBO.
1957 15’ Century Palomino outboard.  All original with motor.  $1,500. OBO.
1963 38’ Pacemaker.  Needs to be refinished.  Two 318 225hp engines.  Good shape, hull very tight.  asking $7,000.  Call Bill Nedrow, 163 Davis Road, Lansing, NY  14882  607-533-4361

1954 Chris Craft Custom runabout, s/n 17-P-231, 120hp KLC, restoration 1999, trailer & new custom-made cover. $10,500. Jerry Hart 315-834-6070.

1959 19’ Lyman Islander with never used custom built trailer. $2,000. Also 1956 16’ Penn Yan Sealiner with KBL engine.  boat has original paint and varnish.  $1,000 Lou Smith 607-734-3882, leave message.

1930 18’ Fay Bow runabout.  Structural restoration completed 1995.  60hp Chris Craft B rebuilt 1993.  Runs great! New EZ loader trailer.  Beautiful boat! Doug Knapp 607-869-9271

1960 Chris Craft 27’ Sea-Skiff hardtop.  Good 283 Chevy with fresh rebuilt velvet drive transmission.  Boat has been well taken care of by previous owner.  Previous owner damaged bottom on keel by strut during transit last fall, (boat fell off trailer).  Some road rash on 4 lap-strake planks on starboard side.  Vertical supports, (windshield) supporting hardtop needs attention.  Pictures of boat/damage available.  Transportation to buyer available. $2,895 open to offers and trades.  Chevy 283 “flagship” running when removed from boat 10 years ago.  Needs intake manifold, carb, starter. $145. Call 716-554-3190 Doug or email Woodboat 98@aol.com

1948 25’ Chris Craft Sportsman. Need restoration, but has all hardware and original leather upholstery.  $4,900. Trailer available.  Also 1950s Penn Yan Swift, ski model.  needs restoration but is solid without rot. $750. Call George Seeley 607-547-9330 Cooperstown, NY

1961 15’ Whirlwind outboard with 55hp Johnson.  Call Ham Armstrong 315-594-1632

Rare 1927 20’ Gesswein Sportabout (hull#7) with original 6cyl Van Blerck engine.  Twin cockpit with unusual facing rear seats.  Brass hardware, leather upholstery.  Boat & engine fully restored, both in excellent condition.  Trailer included.  Asking $40,000 or make reasonable offer. Geno or Barbara Giovannetti, Box 84, Fair Haven, NY 13064  315-947-5532 (E).

1963 13’ Penn Yan Swift, stepped hull, 50hp Mercury w/ trailer $4,500.  1959 22’ Century Raven, needs restoration, $2,000.   1915 (?) 24’ Fry launch, built Clayton, NY make offer.  1957 24’ custom built Hubert Johnson cedar lapstrake inboard, 3/4” planking riveted to heavy oak ribs, decks, windshield, coamings and seats; 3/4” mahogany & teak finished w/ Cetol marine “no sand finish”, bottom has Interlux Micron CSC “no sand bottom paint”, engine is a 225hp Chrysler Hemi w/ reduction gear, custom-built bunked tandem axle trailer w/ brakes & removable uprights. $54,000 Call George Morse, 315-889-7720 or Box 89, Union Springs, NY 13160
1929 22’ Chris Craft Cadet. Restoration started, hull and bottom in great original condition, would like to finish to buyer’s satisfaction.  Asking $32,000. For photos & more info.  Call George Morse 315-889-7720 or Will Schempp 607-533-7208

1954 14’ Shell Lake. Good fishing boat.  Painted 1997 $400. Sally Lathrop 716-554-6147

1950 22’ Chris Craft Sportsman.  All original, completely restored in 1992.  Revarnished & “M” engine rebuilt 1997.  Full canvas plus cover.  Stored in boathouse year round. $20,500 or reasonable offer. Call Bob Parke 315-446-6260

1959 22’ Century Raven with 170hp V-8.  New upholstery throughout.  Fresh brightwork, paint and sntifouling bottom done fall ‘98.  Ready for water with tandem trailer.  Sacrifice at $7,500. Call Doug Persee 315-469-3349  Fair Haven, NY

1956 20’ Morehouse inboard (utility).  Cedar on steam bent white oak with mahogany decking and 95hp Chris Craft K.  All original, complete and in very good condition.  Needs only cosmetics.  Stored indoors since ‘85, out of water since ‘71.  Engine ran well prior to storage.  One of onaly 10 built, 1 of only 5or 6 remaining.  Located in Weedsport, NY, no trailer, make an offer.  Ray Kusche (E) 207-865-1041 (D) 207-774-6400

Special thanks to the Bathrick Family and the team at www.berkshire.net  for use of their server. :~) r.