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2012 Toledo Wooden Boat Show
Things started on Friday evening. Dave and I took a Mollyhawk out with her new oars. These are built to John Welsford's specs, and they are pretty damn good - everyone loved 'em. We barely got all 8 finished in time for the show.
We ain't all about boats, you know. As the evening progressed, the Boathouse converted into a jam session - David on the drums, Lou, Hal, and Rick on the guitars.
The next morning, there was a stench* of young men walking along the docks. "Wanna take a boat out?" I asked. "I dunno, my mom might not want me in a boat. . . " WHAT? WHAT? "Um, I bet your mom is cool with it. Here, here's a PFD. You sit here, you sit here, you sit back here, and you go up front and look pretty." *Aren't a group of sophomores and freshman called a stench? I think that's the right word
Hmmm, the kids seemed OK in a real boat. I wonder how they'll do in a cardboard boat? If they die, their moms will already be angry with me, so nothing to lose, right?
People started showing up, so we started putting 'em in boats. Even hipsters from Portland were coming in.
Kira liked the look of our Chamberlain Dory and asked to borrow it for the row boat race. She actually won - beating her dad (in the hat and yellow shirt) by a second or two.)
This pair of ladies showed up up, needing a boat for the Poker Run. One of the Rushton IGOs from the Family Boat Build last year served nicely.
This is Travis - he does all the design work for the Port of Toledo
Ma Zu, one of our Teak Lady sailboats, was running at capacity.
I took a break from the docks and wandered around the rest of the show. Here's the problem with being a railroad nut: You end up lonely, sitting on the tracks, wishing you boss would let you give rides.
It was getting close to time for the cardboard boat race. There were 9 entries, 2 from the Boathouse. From left to right: Sean and Philip in one boat, Trevor and Randolph in the second.
That's a good shot - except for Sean, of course.
This was taken seconds before the start.
And here is right at the end. Randoplh and Trevor claimed 2nd place, then the red boat, followed closely by Sean and Philip grabbing 4th place.
It turns out one of the traditions is for people to dunk or sink the boats as they finish. I wonder if I should have mentioned this . . .
Back at the Boathouse, the Coots were entering their element. John took a Mollyhawk out so he could take some pictures and Joe was taking people out on rides on his Selway-Fisher Fantail Launch, powered by an electric motor.
Sunday morning, we tossed the cardboard boats in the water and decided to see what they could do. We more or less tricked people into taking them out for extended excursions.
I lead them up the slough to the tide gates - telling them Indian legends and Toledo history as we went.
Even Joe and CJ followed us.
The cardboard boats held up fine and we returned to the Boathouse where we let more people take over and do some rowing.
Every year, we get a kid who just can't get enough time on the water. This year, it was Sam ( the 8-year-old blond kid in the front) his friend was less than happy about it.
We tried 'em in all the boats: Cardboard (didn't like the tandem paddling), Chamberlain Dory (didn't like rowing) and the Rushton IGO (didn't like canoe paddles.)
Joe kept taking people out in his electric boat - lots and lots of people.
That many people on the water makes for some interesting maneuvering. Curt and Jerry were struggling to get steerage in the Teak Lady and I kept putting boats in the water. Notice Sam and his friend in the canoe in the middle - they kept things . . . interesting.
The Family Boat Build finished and launched their canoes. Good job, guys. Things were starting to wind down.
That didn't stop Sam. He grabbed another friend and went back out again.
The Boat Show closed at 4pm. This picture was taken at 3:15. It was a hell of a day at sea, sir.
All good things must come to pass. The Boat Show closed down and the boats went home. This is the Baggy Wrinkle, owned by our good friend, Chuck. If you look up in the rigging, you'll see frequent Boathouse volunteer and mover/shaker, Michael, skylarking below the crosstrees. An excellent Boat Show, guys. It can't happen without you.
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