What a beautiful time of the year!  Now if Jan and I could only get our boat refinished so that we could get her in the water.  The tenth edition of Keels & Wheels is fast approaching, and we have a great committee working on the show.  We also have the Summer Solstice Ride’n Show on Lake Conroe scheduled for June 10, through June 12, and the Lake Lewisville Ride’n Show scheduled for August 26, through August 28.  Finally, we need help on our great web site, which was set up by John McCutchen.

The Tenth Annual Keels & Wheels is set for April 29, through May 1.  Most recently, Chris and Judy Dorflinger have been doing an excellent job in coordinating the boat show, and they have taken a well earned retirement.  To replace Chris and Judy, we have had incredible support from within the membership. We established the following organization:

*BOAT SHOW COORDINATOR                   Don Berleth

*CHIEF JUDGE                                               Bob VanGuilder

*SHOW PHOTOGRAPHER                           Troy Gately

*DOCK MASTER                                               Bill Nalle

*LAUNCH MASTER                                 Robin McGeorge

*SIGN MAINTENANCE & INSTALL          Ray Balsam/Bob Macaluso

*CABANA HOST                                                Lisa Robinson

*SHIP STORE                                               Dale Lipps

*PROTOCOL OFFICER                                Debbie Doug

*EXCURSION COORDINATOR                   Dave Parker

I appreciate the efforts that these people are contributing to the show and encourage each of you to support them by volunteering time during the Keels & Wheels.  We always need extra help at the Ship Store, for sign installation, docking, and at the cabana.  Also, let’s get all our available boats entered and displayed as we again try for 100 boats registered. 

EXTRA, EXTRA—We have been donated a Hacker Ensign that will be raffled off at the show!

Our next function after the Keels & Wheels is the Summer Solstice Ride’n Show on Lake Conroe on June 10, through June 12.  This is a great outing, and the weather and lake conditions have been very good.  We usually get about 20 boats in attendance, and the sunrise cruises are memorable.  I would encourage you to attend this year.  The location and facilities—rooms and docks—are excellent, and Dallas/North Texas and Austin/Central Texas members do not have to drag their boats through Houston to get there.  Please contact Dr. Jacob Deegan for information.

Following the Summer Solstice Ride’n Show we have scheduled the Lake Lewisville Ride’n Show for August 26, through August 28.  This function is co-sponsored by the WBA.  We had a great time last year and had a number of people out admiring our boats on the docks at Sneaky Pete’s.  I discovered during the ride part of the show, that Les Burton’s boats can go  really fast!

Finally, after years of trying, we at last have a web site thanks to the magic of John McCutchen.  However,  now that we have the site up and running, we need a WebMaster/HarborMaster to maintain it.  If you have the ability (I still have a slide rule in my desk) and the interest to assume this role, please let me know.  The site is great for keeping the membership up to date on activities, for displaying pictures from past events, and for gaining new members.  This is a very important aspect of our Southwest Chapter, and we need to continue the web site work. 

Have fun with your boats, and Jan and I will see you at Keels & Wheels.

                                      Ed J. Ueckert

                                      President/Southwest Chapter

Wooden boats and me, how I got to where I am

By Scott Reichardt,  Horseshoe Bay, Texas

When I was a youngster growing up in Des Moines Iowa, my family along with two others, were involved in the ownership of a local amusement park.  My father, Bob, was the general manager of the establishment, which was known as Riverview Park.  Riverview was on an island, surrounded on three sides by a lagoon and by a levee on the Des Moines River . The island was connected to the mainland by the bridge at 8^th and Corning Streets.

In the late 40’s and early 50’s, one of the promotions the park held to attract customers was boat races on the lagoon.  Alcohol burning hydroplane boat races were held three times during the park season which ran from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  This was Iowa, so the nice weather season was rather short.

My father, being manager of the park, was sort of obligated to participate in the racing - and so he did.  The races were held in classes:  Midget, A,B,C and Free for all.  My dad campaigned in classes A and B.  He was running a Johnson KR in class A, and a Johnson SR in class B.  Both classes were raced on Neal Conventional (single step) hydroplanes that were built in Kansas City, MO. by Dick Neal.  Dick, in addition to being a boat builder, was a nationally renowned engine tuner and boat racer. 

The races were very successful and drew huge crowds in the park.  The neighborhood surrounding the park held a rather dim view of the races, however.  These were alcohol burning, open exhaust outboard motors and they were LOUD!!! I guess that is why, as a 9-10 year old kid, I was enthralled by the races and most of the nearby neighbors were abhorred by  them.  The noise of the exhaust and the smell of the alky fuel never really got out of my system.

In 1952, the grind of a three month long 16 hour a day season got to my dad and he resigned to pursue a different career.  His resignation and the chagrin of the neighbors brought an end to boat racing at Riverview Park.  Several years later, since the Park’s equipment was no longer needed, I “inherited” a Johnson KR class A motor, a Johnson SR class B motor, and a Neal class B conventional hydroplane.  In my late teens and early 20’s, I owned, tinkered with, and ran this equipment on the Des Moines, River, and loved every minute of it.  I also built a hydroplane, from plans, in my basement when I was in college.  When it was finished and it was time for me to move it out, my dad about had a heart attack...because he didn’t think we could get it out of the basement.  We Did!!!

The lagoon at Riverview Park was also my introduction to the world of wooden, inboard runabouts.  At about the same time as the boat racing was going on, my dad decided that speed boat rides on the lagoon would be a good attraction.  He was right!  The first boats we used were 16’ Hafer Fireball Deluxe runabouts.  The picture on page 62 of the “Real Runabouts Volume 1”, by Bob Speltz was taken from the bridge entering Riverview Park with my family and two neighborhood girls in the boat.  The next boats were 18’ Chris Craft Riviera runabouts, followed by 19’ Chris Craft Capri runabouts in the late 50’s.  The park was closed and many of the rides were sold in the mid 1960’s to Adventureland.  Adventureland was at the forefront of the megaparks as we know them today.

After college (and a few more years) I married in 1968 and moved to Davenport,  IA.  My wife and I moved into an apartment and had no space for the three racing motors and two hydroplanes.  Since my parents wanted this stuff out of their house and I had no room, I gave everything to a teenage boy who lived in my parent’s neighborhood.  What became of him

or the boats and motors, I have no clue.  

TO BE CONTINUED!!

If it ain’t the boats, what is it?

By Craig Stanfield,  Houston, Texas

I guess I have been in boats – mostly wooden – since my birth year of ’55.  That was the year my dad had started building his 16’ cruiser from the plans in Popular Mechanics.  She was powered by a 35 horsepower Johnson and used to tote the family to Turks Cove in Medina Lake.  We would tie up at a anchored dock made of 55 gallon drums.  Bolgna sandwiches.  Mom would always say we had to wait an hour to go swimming.  Later, my dad repowered with a gas guzzling 50 horsepower 1957 V-4 Evinrude.  “Gus” was then used to teach my brother, mother, myself, and friends to waterski in a cove between our place on Medina Lake and the dam.  Gus was also used to catch kingfish by my brother and my dad .  The four of us would all stay at a tourist court across from the ski basin in Rockport.  This was the early 1960’s.  Roy (he was older) and our dad would leave early with several extra cans of gas to make the trek to Port Aransas.  Gus was a vehicle for the memories and experiences.

But over the years, I have found myself getting confused between the boats and the experience.  This brings me to last month during Spring Break. I drove the Jeep through Austin to see fellow member (and accomplished woodsmith) Chuck “Wood Chuck” Webb.  He is building a boat.  She is a traditionally shaped wooden dinghy.  He had the strip planking completed.  The solid mahogany transom was finished.  The boat had been skinned inside and out.  Chuck was pondering the detailing of the thwarts, or seating areas, and how to make the mahogany rubrails and gunnels look their best.  She was beautiful.  She was bright and gorgeous.  But the boat … the boat was minor. 

A friend of Chuck and Liz’s, you see, had started the boat.  He had pondered the plans.  He had made preliminary decisions.  He started laying the framework.  The boat was important to him.  But things didn’t work out.  He took a turn for the worse, and is no longer walking the docks with us.  His loving partner decided to finish the boat as a reminder of him.  When she found that Chuck had recently returned from Wooden Boat School (details to follow – Chuck promises!), he was chosen to finish the craft.  Now that the boat is coming along nicely, she is planning her trips through Town Lake.  The craft should be resting on her own waterline before the summer begins.  And every time she thinks of the little dinghy, pleasant memories will come.

 So, its not the boats, it’s the people, the stories, the experiences; both present and past.

 Lake Conroe Ride-N-Show

By Jacob Deegan, Houston, Texas

 Mark your calendars!!!  June 10 through the 12^th.  Yes, the annual get together is again celebrating the Summer Solstice.  There is nothing like riding your woody thru the longest day in the year.  Conveniently located north of Houston off the road to Big D.  This year’s show promises to be as exciting as it is pleasant.  Although the full details are being planned as we speak, look forward to another relaxing weekend in the Del Lago Resort Hotel with covered floating docks available for our steeds.  Lots of open time; a banquet and dinner and breakfast cruises are scheduled.  A flyer will be forthcoming.  Jacob Deegan has again volunteered as cruise chairperson.  See you there!!!!