We conducted our Annual Meeting during the Twenty-Third Annual Austin Wooden Boat Show at the beautiful Horseshoe Bay Resort on Lake LBJ. This year we had to replace three directors, whose terms had expired, and elect officers. The new directors, who will be serving three year terms, include Raymond Balsam, Scott Reichardt, and Lindy Robinson. The officer slate includes; Robert Macaluso and Robert Black, president, Lowry Matthews, vice president, Robert Macaluso, treasurer, and Craig Stanfield, secretary. I want to thank Dr. Jacob Deegan for his service as a director and for his valuable input during his term. In addition, I want to thank Raymond Balsam and Craig Stanfield not only for their past service, but also for agreeing to continue to serve.

Not only did we have our Annual Meeting at the Horseshoe Bay Resort, we also had a great boat show, which was coordinated by Scott Reichardt. This year the Austin Boat Show included a poker run on Friday along with a Bar-B-Que dinner at the Reichardts’. Saturday included not only the boat show but also a car display. We had an enjoyable awards dinner on Saturday night and open cruising on Sunday(Jan and I were fortunate enough to ride with Fred Adams in his beautiful boat). We were honored to have Becky and Mike Siegel’s 1939 Chris Craft 19’ Custom Runabout LITTLE LADY at the show. Of course, this boat has won Overall Best of Show at Tahoe and Boat of the Year at the ACBS show. The winners at the Austin Show are listed as follows:

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Runabout 1997 24’ Hacker Christine Reed

Utility 1995 24’ Grand Craft Fred Adams

Outboard 1957 15’ Lyman Daryl Miller

Other 2005 12’ Homebuilt Chuck Webb

SKIPPERS’ CHOICE

Runabout 1939 19’ Chris Craft Becky Siegel

Utility 1947 16’ Garwood Michael Gomes

Outboard 1959 14’ Simco Todd Galbraith

Other 2005 12’ Homebuilt Chuck Webb

ACBS MOST ORIGINAL

1947 17’ Stan Craft Christine Reed

Next year the Twenty Fourth Annual Austin Wooden Boat Show is scheduled for October 20, through October 22, at the Horseshoe Bay Resort. The launch and docking are excellent and safe, the Marriott Resort Hotel is within walking distance of the docks, and the staff at Horseshoe Bay is very helpful and friendly. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend.

Finally, I am term limited after three years and will be replaced by Robert Macaluso and Robert Black and the rest of their team. I want to thank everyone for being so supportive. The officers, directors, and members have been very helpful. You all have proven time after time that the minds of many are always better than the mind of one—especially when the one mind belongs to me. Most of all I want to thank my wife Jan for her support, understanding, and counsel. She is truly the light of my life. Now, perhaps, she can find time to refinish our boat.

SWACBS Past President and this year’s Co-President Robert Macaluso, like most SWACS members has no trouble find things to occupy his time. He is the owner of 4 wooden boats (can anybody stop at just one), none running at this moment. Robert finds himself dividing his time between his boyhood love of wooden boats and his chosen profession of aviation

Robert began his career as an Air Force Officer and remained in the reserves for many years. Last April, when he retired from commercial airline flying, with 20 years of service, he never thought he would work again in the cockpit of a large jet. However, in October he received a call from Global Aircraft Delivery Services. They were offering an opportunity to ferry airliners to global destinations. In today’s aviation market, airliners are owned by banks and leasing companies. Between leases, the aircraft must be relocated, repainted and refurbished for the new customers. Global Aircraft Delivery provides retired airline pilots to ferry aircraft to many destinations. Robert’s first assignment was to relocate a B737 from desert storage in Phoenix, Arizona to The Netherlands for repainting. The second was to Vilnius Lithuania, although the trip was cut short and the aircraft parked in Quebec City, Canada for maintenance. China has been mention as a future destination.

So what does this have to do with wooden boats? Well, not much. Wood boat people have diverse interests. Robert still looks forward to completing the restoration on his 1937 Sportsman, the refinish of his 1953 Rocket and the engine repair of his 1957 Coronado. Robert explains, "there are only so many hours in the day" (sound familiar). The boats will once again have to wait a little longer for some TLC. Robert has volunteered to co-host the Presidency with Robert Black. It should come as no surprise; that it takes

two people to fill Ed Ueckert’s shoes.—

Robert Black

A strange thing happened to Mike Segal on his way home from the northwest. He decided to stop off at a little boat show in Carnelian Bay, Tahoe City, CA. He entered his newly restored 1939 – 19ft. Chris Craft barrel back named "Little Lady."

At the end of the show, he walked away with a few pieces of crystal:

0. Best of Class
0. Best Professional Restoration
0. Best of Show

The only award Mike did not take home was best Chris Craft. The Head Judge said he couldn’t give Mike all the trophies.

As anyone who has attended the Tahoe Show will tell you, the atmosphere is like nothing you have experienced before. The judges are like a swarm of ants; they are all over the boats.

Jim Blake the restorer and Don Ayers the historian and consultant, spent

2 ½ years restoring a piece of history. She made a grand entrance at Lake Tahoe. From there she went to the ACBS International Boat Show at the Lake of the Ozarks where she took home the "Boat of the Year Award."

The end of September she received the "Skipper’s Choice Award" at the Austin Wooden Boat Show, Horseshoe Bay, Texas.

Raymond Balsam

The 4^th Annual International Boat Show was held at the beautiful Tan-Tar-A Resort on the Lake of the Ozarks in September. This year’s show was hosted by the Heartland Chapter, which had 75 members in attendance. They handled the preshow activities and provided most of the staff for the event. John Watkins, Jim Conner, Steve Kennedy and Brent Howard were presented the Yeoman’s Award for their efforts.

Attendees enjoyed dinner Friday night on the Arrowhead Deck by the lake. The weather was cool and sunny for the boat show Saturday. Seventy boats were on display. There was also a water parade of amphifcars. Southwest chapter members Mike and Becky Segal took the Boat of the Year award for the recently restored "Little Lady." A pilot of "This Old Boat" was presented to the members. It will air on PBS in the near future. For more information go to www.epoxyfilms/thisoldboat.

The banquet was held in the lodge Saturday night. Paul Merriman received an award for his three years of service as an ACBS director. Jim Conner, of the Heartland Chapter will become a new ACBS Director.

Next years show will be hosted in beautiful Lake Tahoe. A number of Southwest Chapter members are already making plans to attend. We hope

to see you there.

Robert Black

The Austin Boat Show was held the first weekend in October at Horseshoe Bay on lake LBJ. Members cruised up the river on Friday and then took the water taxi to Scott and Pam Reichardt’s house for a barbeque dinner. Everyone enjoyed the tour of Scott’s "boathouse museum," which is dedicated to outboard racing motors and vintage hydroplanes.

The boat show and classic car display was held at the Horseshoe Bay marina on Saturday. Many of the boats on display belong to residents on Lake LBJ.