56th Houston Boat Show at the Reliant Center

Jan 6-15, 2012

Our chapter was invited once again to join the SW Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Societyto show our outboard boats and motors, so we attended with vigor.  Adam Finn and Di Johnson handled all the planning and execution and we wound up with a 5,000 sq ft display area.

One of the most viewed displays was Randy Taylor's collection of impeccably restored unusual motors.  Randy's collection includes a 1937 2hp Bendix Eclipse, a 1938 1.2 hp Clarke Troller, a 1939  2hp Water Witch, a 1940s Jay A. Prestrich Direct Long-Shaft Outboard Motor, a 1947 5 hp Flambeau, and two 1957 Dragonfly air powered motors. 

Participants included Chip Rathbun with his 1942 Century Imperial Sportsman and a 1954 25hp Johnson.  Chip also brought for display a 1925 Elto 3hp Rudder twin and his 1918 Evinrude Rowboat  2hp motor.

Don and Dianne Wilson brought quite a complete display including his 1960 16' Cruisers Inc. with a 1957 35hp Evinrude and an impeccable 3hp Evinrude DuckTwin as a trolling motor.  Don also  brought a "sarcaphagus"  housing a mummified 3 HP folding motor.

Di Johnson brought his 1948 16' Thompson TVT  with his newly restored 1949 Evinrude Speeditwin (while attending Louis Rothermel's dry meet, Di got the Speeditwin running after a thorough carb cleanout).  Di also brought his childhood lineup of motors along with the family photos of him operating those motors as a kid.                                                         

Adam Finn outshined the crowd with his highly polished (where's my sunglasses?) 1955  Feathercraft Deluxe Runabout and his super clean 1955 Merc Mark 25. 

Joe McCauley brought the "family" restored 14' 1974 Allisoncraft racer with a 1979 75hp Johnson Stinger.  Joe actually raced this boat in the 70s.  After passing through several club members hands, this boat wound up back with Joe's family.  Joe's son Hans restored the boat to racing condition with a documented speed in excess of 65mph.  Joe and Hans did the motor and tweaked trhe prop.

Bob Macaluso brought his beautiful '57 Yellow Jacket to the pleasure of folks appreciating Texas-built wooden boats.  Power is a '58 Merc Mrk 58A.

John Platou out did himself once again.  Besides displaying his complete 1960 Evinrude Motor line-up
John also enlisted a group of new members who are collecting old motors and are building home built boats with their kids.  One new club member, 13 year old Jack Stevens built his Minimost in 5 days and launched it with an Evinrude 18.  Look out!!!

New member Jeff Workman acquired a '56 Merc Mark 6 and a '56 Johnson 5 1/2 from Adam Finn and is using the Johnson to power an 8' home-built BeBop he is building for his 3 year old son.    





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Louis Rothermel's Swap Meet November 11-13, 2011
This was a good meet and plenty of good stuff and motors swapped hands.  Louis once again opened his shop to all for tune-ups, repairs and restoration work and priceless advice.

Features were John Graf's trailer full of awesome restored Mercs, Adam Finn's assumption of the club helm (tiller handle?) as president and a great Saturday BBQ lunch catered in from Luthers.  We also welcomed enthusiastic new members Jeff Workman, Jack Stevens (13) and Randy Taylor.   Jeff got fired up and built a 9' wooden boat for his 3 yor old son John and powered it with a '56 Johnson 5 1/2. Jack Stevens built an 8' Minimost hydro in three days and powered it up with an 18 hp Evinrude (see member projects tab). Randy Taylor brought some of the most unusual motors we have ever seen - all in pristine condition.   And Di Johnson finally got his '49 Speeeditwin running with support from the crowd.





































































Lake LBJ October 21-23 2011
Longhorn Resort


By SATURDAY MORNING THE MEET WAS IN FULL SWING, BOATS WERE LAUNCHED, BUY/SELL DISPLAYS WERE SET UP AND THE FUN WAS NON-STOP.  GEORGE GUSTAFSON BROUGHT HIS RACING CAT WITH AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF A MERCURY RACING MOTOR. DI JOHNSON SHOWED UP WITH A BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED THOMPSON (restored by Ed Solminski) AND HIS BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED EVINRUDE SPEEDITWIN. DI HAD SOME BAD LUCK ATTEMPTING TO GET THE MOTOR RUNNING, BUT THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR. JOE McCAULEY BROUGHT A BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED ALLISON GO FAST BOAT. JOE'S SON Hans worked ALL SUMMER RESTORING THE RIG. JOE HAD A REALLY FAST 75HP JOHNSON STINGER MOTOR WITH ONE OF HIS HAND BUILT SPEED PROPS INSTALLED. THE BOAT REALLY 'BLEW A HOLE' INTO THE WATER. ALL WAS GOING WELL, UNTIL JOE DECIDED TO GO 'UP RIVER' WHERE HE RAN INTO A SANDBAR AND MESSED UP HIS BELOVED PROP. LUCKLY HE BROUGHT A SPARE AND HE WAS BACK IN ACTION. JERRY LINDAMOOD BROUGHT TWO REALLY NICE LINDY BOATS, BOTH HANDMADE BY JERRY. THE WERE POWERED BY NICELY RESTORED MERCURYS. ADAM FINN BROUGHT HIS ALUMACRAFT WITH A NEW WINDSHIELD AND HIS VERY NICE JOHNSON 40HP MOTOR. DENNIS SCHMITT SHOWED UP WITH HIS SEADOO RUNABOUT. I STILL CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE HE HIDES THE OUTBOARD ON THAT THING. IT MAKES A GOOD 'RESCUE BOAT' WHEN ONE OF THE HYDROS KONKS OUT, AND HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY  ABOUT THOSE PESKY SANDBARS.AL (SCOTT ATWATER) SMITH BROUGHT HIS LEAKY OLD STAR CRAFT NAMED "LIL AL' WITH HIS 75HP SEARS (SCOTT) MOTOR. LAST YEAR AL CHALLENGED CHIP RATHBUN AND HIS 1958 CORSON WITH A 1958 JOHNSON 'FAT FIFTY' TO A RACE. THE JOHNSON FAT FIFTY WON THAT CONTEST. AL TOLD CHIP THAT HE WOULD BE BACK AT THE NEXT MEET FOR A REMATCH. AL SPENT THE SUMMER WORKING ON HIS MOTOR IN ANTICIPATION OF A BIG WIN. AL TOOK HIS MOTOR OUT FOR A TEST RUN WITH JOE McCAULEY (SCOTT TUNING EXPERT) AND MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN AN ATTEMPT TO BEAT THE 'FAT FIFTY'. SATURDAY AFTERNOON, THE "FALL NATIONALS" WAS HELD. CHIP AND AL CRUSED DOWN TO THE STARTING LINE. WHEN THE BOATS WERE IDLING ALONG AND MATCHED UP, THE THROTTLES WERE SLAMMED TO FULL FORWARD. THE SEARS 75 JUMPED OUT AND RAN AWAY FROM THE 'FAT FIFTY' OUT OF THE HOLE. ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE COURSE THE 'FAT FIFTY' PULLED EVEN WITH THE SEARS 75. THE 'FAT FIFTY' LEAD BY THREE BOAT LENGTHS AT THE FINISH. AL AND CHIP PROMISED A REMATCH AT THE APRIL 2012 MEET. IT SHOULD BE FUN.AL SMITH HOSTED THE SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER WHICH CONSISTED OF BAR-B-QUE BRISKET, POTATO SALAD, MEXICAN RICE, BEANS, AND ALL THE TRIMMINS. THOSE BACON WRAPPED JAPALINOS WERE TO DIE FOR. YOU COULD NOT EAT JUST ONE. THOSE HOME MADE COOKIES JUST KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK. THE LADIES CONDUCTED A RAFFLE FOR SOME NICE PRIZES. THE PROCEEDS BENIFITED THE CLUB. ADAM FINN AND MARK DESIGNED THE NEW CLUB LOGO T-SHIRTS. THEY WERE A BIG HIT AND MOST EVERYONE BOUGHT THEM. THE PROCEEDS WERE TO THE BENIFIT OF THE CLUB AS WELL. SUNDAY MORNING INVOLVED SOME LAST RUNS OF THE MEET, PACKING UP AND LOADING BOATS ON TRAILERS. EVERYONE SAID THEIR GOOD-BY'S AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEET AT THE LONG HORN IN APRIL 2012.HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF THE FUN: