President's Letter

It always seems hard to think about boating this time of year. It is currently 12 degrees and snowing lightly. I am, however, planning a trip to the 21st Annual Sunnyland Antique Boat Festival in Tavares, FL in March, and just thinking about it makes spring seem that much closer.

Here at home, the Finger Lakes Chapter is planning to make an appearance at two upcoming events -- June 7th at the Fairport Canal Days Arts and Entertainment Festival on the Erie Canal in Fairport, NY, and July 11-13 at the Fulton Chain of Lakes Rendezvous in Old Forge, NY. The Old Forge show is two-plus days of wonderful boating in a picture-perfect setting. Both events should be a great time and help to promote our chapter. If you would like to participate in either or both of these events, please let me know. Look for more details elsewhere in this newsletter.

Our big event is, of course, our Annual Boat Show held during the last weekend in July. This year is extra special because it is the 30th Anniversary of the Finger Lakes Chapter, as well as our 30th Annual Boat Show. In addition, Skaneateles will host the Lightning 70th Anniversary Regatta over the first weekend in July. (The Lightning sailboat was designed by Sparkman & Stephens in 1938, and was first built in Skaneateles at the Skaneateles Boat and Canoe Co. Over 15,000 Lightnings have been built world-wide.)

So this summer, the month of July will embrace a total of 100 years of boating in Skaneateles and the Finger Lakes Region. If you have not been to our show in Skaneateles, please consider attending this year as an exhibitor or as a spectator. It will be a first-rate event.

Best Regards,

Janice Miller, President, FLC, ACBS ..

CherryPharm New Contributing Sponsor

FLC extends a sincere welcome to CherryPharm, a new start-up company located in Geneva, NY, which has become the newest sponsor of the Chapter's Annual Boat Show.

Entrepreneur John Davey left his job as a Wall Street banker to work with scientists in the Food Venture Center at Cornell University's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva to create an all-natural, restorative sports drink called CherryPharm. It's a proprietary not-from-concentrate blend of tart cherry and apple juice. Now he's launched his own food company by the same name. A pilot-plant in Geneva is bottling the shelf-stable drink and samples will be available during Boat Show Weekend.

Many thanks to CherryPharm for becoming one of our Boat Show's sponsors. We're pleased to have them onboard.

Letter to the Editor

Hi Dick, Congratulations on your award for best newsletter. You do a great job!

I read with interest, David Kidd's account of the founding of ACBS. After our first show in Ithaca in 1978, we decided we should go and check out other shows to see how it was done. Ford Knight, Fred Curry and I headed off to Lake George in August for their show. We arrived in Lake George on Friday night just in time for the welcoming cocktail party at Ray Nelson's lakefront home. As we were just young "whipper-snappers" at the time and really didn't have a clue about antique boating, we just stood by and listened to Ray Nelson, Mo Sherrill and others talk about antique boats. These guys were really into it!

Saturday at the show site was a real eye-opener for us. We had never seen the variety of boats on display, everything from Adirondack Guide Boats to huge Hackers and Fay & Bowen's. We had a great time and met a lot of really nice people who were into antique boats.

I'll never forget the first "real" antique boat show that I went to. Thanks to the "Old Boys" who started it all! George Zeth ...

Museum Expansion Update

Good progress is being made on the Skaneateles Historical Society's Museum Expansion Project. An asbestos inspection of the Creamery's old boiler plant has been completed, all regulatory approvals have been obtained, bids for construction work have been solicited, and a Project Manager has been hired. After asbestos removal is completed, contracts will be let for a new roof on the boiler plant and other Phase I work scheduled to begin in March.

The Creamery's neighbors were briefed on the expansion plans and their endorsement of the project has been secured. Information on the expansion plans has been sent to all Historical Society members, and a presentation at the Historical Society's January program meeting reviewed the project for the Skaneateles community.

Fifty-four per cent of the $530,000.needed has been received or pledged so far. The Campaign Committee is writing grant applications and reaching out to the Skaneateles community to secure the remaining $244,000. required for the project.

If you would like to make a contribution, please send it to:

Skaneateles Historical Society Museum Expansion 28 Hannum St. Skaneateles, NY 13152

The Skaneateles Historical Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible...