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2015 Toledo Wooden Boat Show The Port of Toledo Wooden Boat Show is THE event for the Boathouse. We prep and work and paint (and paint) to get things ready. Then . . .
. . . it rains. Rain? Who cares about rain - we're Oregonians, AND we had a submarine. As soon as I learned of the sub, I knew she had to come to the show. Blair, (the owner) brought her down, and sure enough, as soon as she hit the parking lot, people started looking at her.
Blair is my kind of guy - he is a janitor and was looking for floor scrubbers on Craigslist. Turns out, floor scrubbers and O2 scrubbers turn up in a search. Built in Hong Kong in 1968, it's had a long and storied life. I hope Blair finds the right way to use her.
That cormorant has set up shop on the back dock of the Boathouse. I don't think she is going to be happy this weekend.
Dan was there with his San Francisco Pelican.
Gus was helping with the Family Boat Build - they were making very nice kayaks.
New Coot Bruce was there with his beautiful Weekender, and that's a wooden Lazer in the background.
We were having a potluck that night, and the Coots eat in style.
It was a heck of a spread.
After the potluck, Sergie wanted to launch his SCAMP, Serenity. I convinced Case and his kids to go along. It was about 2 miles to the docks and there was little wind. 5 people in a SCAMP - out on an adventure.
It was well after dark before the SCAMP made it. Long trip, but they made it.
Morning dawned and it was beautiful.
The kayak build was progressing. I got this lady's name, but forgot it. :(
Connie, Patience, and Sebastian came and got their cardboard boat - it was going to be a big day.
First people into the boats.
Lori and her grandson, Hayden, trying out the coracles.
Braxton and Greg taking out a Tik Tak.
7 people in a Mollyhawk. That's nice.
Things were starting to hop.
Sergie was having a ball, taking people out in the SCAMP. She was sailing GREAT.
The coracles were getting a lot of use. Montana Dan was helping people get into and out of them and he seemed to be having a ball.
This is Karma, she was at the show last year, and she LOVES boats. Loves them so much she was gone for a little too long and caused a bit of worry.
Another family in a Mollyhawk. Those are excellent rowboats.
Hayden came back for another practice session with the coracle. He is involved with the kayak group and is part of the demonstrations. Good kid.
Allen came up to me and said he reads everything I write. That was very nice, so when he said he wanted a picture with me, I thought I'd make it a good one.
Charlie is a personal hero of mine, and it's always great to see him. Plus, he wears a Viking helmet like he was born to it.
More people in boats.
At one point, we ran out of life jackets - and boats - and people had to wait in line.
The local Job Corps group came down and took to the canoes like water rats.
It was getting close to time for the cardboard boat races, so I turned over control of the Boathouse to Geoff and went up top. Blair was keeping people entertained while showing off his sub.
These were the boats made by the Boathouse. The one on the left is Patience's.
These were the boats made by Job Corps, using the design provided by the Boathouse (foreshadowing).
This was the boat created by the Newport Chamber of Commerce - that's a nice boat!
The Cardboard Boat Race is a very popular event.
Everybody getting ready for the start of the Adult race. You can see the 3 Job Corps boats in this shot.
David fired our cannon to start the race (that's a fine cannon).
They are off!
Even the drones were watching.
One of the Job Corps boats came in first, another came in third.
Start of the Youth Race.
Finish to the Youth Race - the Boathouse boats came in first, second, and third. I am a little proud of the results.
After the races, things returned to normal: Getting people on the water, Both Teak Ladies were taking people out sailing.
Mollyhawks and Teak Ladies - beautiful.
Things were finally starting to taper off - it had been a busy day. This picture shows exactly what the Lazy Weekend canoes are designed to do: Carry Mom, Dad, and two kids.
Morning started with a low tide - it's OK, I was there early. One good thing about the tide, what goes out, comes back in.
There was some wreckage left over from the Cardboard Boat Races. I enlisted a kid from the docks and put him to use as a hauler.
Left to right, Kevin, the Port Manager from Newport, his son, Mitch, and Bud, the Port Manager from Toledo.
This family is pretty cool. The guy in front is 84 years old and he and his son came in 2nd in the Cardboard Boat Adult Race. (edit: I was informed the man in front is retired Master Chief Tom McAdams and is a coast guard legend. He has a building named after him.)
Tik Taks and El Toros.
Coot King, John K, testing out a coracle.
Dan was running the coracles, and he was getting younger and younger people involved.
More people on the water.
Bruce took his Weekender out for a spin.
Lazy Weekend Canoes on the water.
More Vikings.
The Tik Taks were very popular - they are excellent platforms for novice paddlers on calm water.
Boats and boats.
BOOM! A coracle goes over at the docks. I'm surprised it didn't happen more often. It was a mother and her child, and she said "We just went over."
People who were experienced paddlers, people who'd never been in a boat, we took all comers.
Coracle Races - we ran three heats. Hayden won the first one, Patience won the second (against Sebastian).
And in the Head to Head, Hayden won overall.
Joe must have had over 200 people out in his electric fantail launch, Jody III.
Over on the left are Elegant Punts that had been built during the show.
This was the Kids Boat Building tent - they had a LOT of activity over the weekend - and the kids made some spectacular boats.
This poor young woman was having a terrible time in the coracle. She finally made it back to the docks.
Last family to take out a boat during the show. I'd bet we had over 700 people on the water over the weekend. That's a wrap for the 2015 Toledo Wooden Boat Show - we'll see you next year.
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