Join us for our 2nd Annual Haul Out Party at MCC

Last year we had a blast at PCYC courtesy of our long time supporter Paul Schmidt and this year we are holding the HOP at Chris Rogers MCC (Mimico Cruising Club). Some of you will remember this club as it is one of our favourite destinations when we splash our boats in at the Humber Ramps. The club house second floor gallery has a great view over the boats and out to the lake - food has always been great and service very friendly.

Date is October 14th, Saturday so more of you can make it - without Toronto rush hour driving - and so we can add some boating to the event!

This is a unique joint venture between ACBS Toronto Chapter and Kids & Classics Boatshops (because I happen to be the event planner) so we can meet new folks and share different boating experiences.

And speaking of sharing experiences - a feature of the evening is the Liars Contest - a judged event with a prize for the most riveting somewhat true story. So dig up your past for all to hear and take your chances!

In the afternoon we plan to have several boats in the water at the club so we can do antique boat rides for early arrivers. Let me know if you'd like to participate by bringing a boat or going for a ride!

More anon, and you can register for this event on the ACBS website acbs.ca 

Great Show in Pt Credit - a first for K&C

We have been invited before to participate in the Port Credit In Water Boat Show but this year was our year to actually do it and what a delight it was. We were given the best booth location in the show (but not as good as next year's location!) and we had a great time on a beautiful day.

24 Shepherd was a draw for arrivals

Kids soon got into paddle carving

Dileas always a great hit too

Sea Fleas drew comments as usual

but the kids carving was busy all weekend

 Only problem was we used the last of the paddle banks in Buffalo and couldn't let these kids take theirs away - we could use a sponsor for this event - the blanks cost us about $2 each even though the profiling has been donated by ACBS's Scott Dunsmore's All Weld Co

Still it was lots of fun and we can thank Micheal, Paul, Ray, Bruce, JJ, Matt and Scott for making it all smooth!

Old Friends at Clayton Boat show

This was a great year to visit the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton NY, so Gretchen and I circled the lake to make a lovely weekend trip out of it. If you have not visited the ABM, it is a most amazing place even if your interest in boats is moderate. The history of the Thousand Islands is beautifully laid out through it's boats which of course made life on the islands possible in the first place. Here's a quick tour of the show.

GM really loving all these boats

note high water boards along the docks

several beautiful dinghys

beautiful HEMI in a 22' Shepherd

Hickman Sea Sled in collection

we got one of those!

what a pretty shape

 For me the best part was running into old friends....Rebecca who is now the ED of the museum - Cheers! and these three....

Joe Youcha designer of our skiff and founder of Teaching With Small Boat Alliance

Windswept III my favorite Ditchburn

Chrysler Queen hydro, best use of a HEMI

K&C Storms "Thunder in the Harbour" Buffalo

Well "Storms" might be overstating our presence but we did make a difference to a lot of kids who came to this raceboat regatta with their folks! Rich DeGlopper who we know well from Ontario Place days was a key organizer of this event so I was determined to participate. Our plan was to put the sea fleas in the water and have some fun - that part didn't work out....

Ron Popenko joined me to run the booth along with my chum Bill Knoche

we had the choice location next to pits with the racecourse across the driveway from us

Once Ron and I had the booth set up with the sea fleas out front, 24' Shepherd in the back and paddle carving benches in the middle - things started to hot up! Raceboats in front of us running circuits in the Outer Harbour and kids on the benches non-stop! We never had a break to put the sea fleas in the water! Dang!

Ron decides to test the system!

and becomes a masterful coach!

Bill also loved coaching the kids

lots of action and interest in K&C

We really had a blast and we were visited by several organizations who will be in touch because they love some of the things we get up to! My thanks to Ron and Bill for jumping in and making our participation noticeable. Rich was amazed at the constant attention we were generating - we are already invited back next year!

and this is a pretty good reason to go. Care to join us?

Boats 4 Folks floats another skiff and four kids!

The weather held off and we had a great weekend for this long planned for event. Four great kids came Saturday morning and by Sunday afternoon they had built a wonderful 12' skiff which didn't leak a drop! Therefore they got in it...

This was Matt's first time leading the event and he did a great job with the help of a great team.

sides attach to stem and centre frame

book-matching the sides is first job

soon it looks like a boat

one-on-one tool skills training is major part

day one is tool skills development, measuring, marking and cutting to a compound beveled line with a hand saw. Difficult for anyone with some tool skills but a real challenge for these beginners. Very patient coaching and resisting the temptation to jump in and just do it make our volunteers very strong of character! Finally on day 2 come the rewards - a very real boat emerges from the boatshop but some of the kids are saying "no way I'm getting in that - it'll come apart and sink".

time for a team shot before heading to the water

finished boat goes on the trailer

"It doesn't leak a drop"

 Once it's in the water and doesn't leak a drop, the ones who "knew it would sink" will finally get in and go for a row. Then you can't get them out....

first time at the oars, Matt coaching

soon, we're out of the boat - they're into it

solo rower - first time

thanks to Hill Top Quarry for the pool

It's an amazing experience to be a volunteer in this event, to cause the transformation of lives in such a dramatic way and to hear life stories shift as you are just believing in these kids. We are always open to welcoming new volunteers to our boatshop community. Everyone who becomes a regular brings something new to enrich the experience of us all. Thank you all especially Matt, Jim, Ray, JJ, Bruce, Bernie and John.