Our Spotlight this month is on Jamie Strong who has been a member of the Finger Lakes Chapter since February 2005, and who was elected to the Chapter's Board of Directors last month. Jamie, his wife, Deb and their two children, Sarah and Adam, live just outside the village of Skaneateles. Jamie has been around wooden boats all his life, beginning with a Thompson Snipe sailboat that his father, Bob Strong, had when Jamie was a child. His first experience with wooden powerboats occurred in 1968, when Bob launched the family's 1937 19-ft. Gar Wood Utility after a four-year restoration. The boat was named CINDERBUS, a derivation using the children's combined names, Cindy and "Buster," the latter being Jamie's nickname. Years later, with a family of his own, Jamie set out to find a wooden boat suitable for his family's use. John McNally, a local friend, just happened to be working on a Lyman Islander in his shop when Jamie happened to stop by one day. He looked the boat over and thought that this might be the perfect one for his family. John spoke of a similar boat for sale up in Henderson Harbor, and Jamie decided to take a look. In a barn under a pile of debris was a 1950 Islander in need of some tender loving care. Jamie brought the boat home and began his first restoration project.

Most of the structure below the waterline had to be replaced which Jamie did in his garage. The original engine was in need of a complete overhaul, but a near-identical Gray Phantom Four-75 was installed until that job was done. Little-by-little the boat came together, and on the Sunday afternoon of the Chapter's Boat Show Weekend, 2001, it was ready for its maiden voyage. A sticking carburetor float was the only trouble encountered on the trip. In the following months the boat was given the finishing touches in preparation for the 2002 boat show season. The dual side-steering Islander was given the name Santola after a Portuguese side-walking crab. Since then, the boat has taken home awards wherever it has gone and it even earned a place on the cover of Classic Boating Magazine (see Having caught the bug, Jamie has now purchased another Lyman project boat that he learned about from a co- worker. This time it's a 1940 21-ft. Custom open utility. But, with two children in college now, this boat may have to wait awhile for its rechristening. Nevertheless, research on it continues while keeping an eye out for missing parts such as an illusive windshield bracket unique to this Lyman model. Jamie would like to hear from Lyman owners or anyone with knowledge of the pre-war 21-ft. Custom Lymans, as he is putting together a list of sources who can jointly share information about this particular model. Jamie can be reached at 315-685-4712 or strongj@welchallyn.com

Thanks to Sue Kiesel for the starboard shot above, and to Classic Boating for the interior view taken at FLC's 2004 Boat Show and used on the magazine's March/April 2005 cover.

Thanks to President Rob Kidd for his report on the Annual Meeting appearing on page 1, and also to Arnie Rubenstein for the photos used in that article.