August 11, 1999
Boats on the Boardwalk
Classic and vintage crafts line the Boardman River at annual boat show
By Garret Leiva
Herald editor
There is a bumper sticker-ism that says: a boat is a hole in the water that you throw money in. The word waste, however, would be a misnomer in describing the nearly 60 classic crafts moored to the Boardman River Boardwalk docks this weekend.
Instead, the Chris Crafts, Centurys, Thompsons and other vintage vessels featured at this year's Boats on the Boardwalk were more like floating works of art; framed in planks of varnished mahogany.
Held under slightly soggy skies Saturday, the annual boat show was sponsored by the Traverse City Water Wonderland Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society of America. Club chairman, Jim Kenyon noted that everything from a 27' Grand Craft runabout boat to 12' canoe were docked along the downtown boardwalk. Styles ranged from inboards to outboards, from a 1904 western launch to a 1999 gent's racer Hacker replica.
While the event included judging in a number of craft categories, the grand prize for most boat owners was seeing their work of art bobbing in the water.
"When you locate an old wooden boat that has been stored some place for years, it's almost like finding a prized antique," said Kenyon, who was displaying his 1939 19'6" Hacker Craft runabout, which had been stored in a barn for 18 years before he bought it.
"Just the satisfaction of bringing something back to life again is a wonderful feeling."
As the owner of a 1948 Chris Craft custom, Gill Maringer knows all about that feeling; after all his boat-to-be sat in storage for 25 years. Tracing the history of the 20' Chris Craft, however, has been nearly as laborious as restoring the boat dubbed "Legend".
The story Maringer tells is that in 1966 the boat's owner failed to pay storage rent and the craft was put on the block as part of a sheriff's auction. Failing to sell, the boat became property of a marina outfit. Its storage slip for the next five years was next to a gravel pit until the boat was bought by a man named Charles Gallanger for $318.
The boat, however, was hardly a bargain. Years of exposure by the outside elements had created an extensive restoration project, which Gallanger attempted, but after a few years the boat was back in storage. Unlike the previous owner, Gallanger paid the storage rent on a timely basis - for the next 25 years. While he had rejected numerous offers to sell the Chris Craft, in February 1998 Gallanger abandoned his restoration dreams and sold the boat to Maringer.
A year and half later the Hudson, Ohio resident has restored the boat to its former 1948 glory piece-by-piece. Tearing the boat down to its timber framework, Maringer gained a greater appreciation for the word craftsmanship.
"There are things on this boat that I can attest to that are within 10,000 of an inch in terms of lining up and being square. Putting it all back together, you just marveled at how skillful the people were that built these boats," said Maringer, who owns five other vintage and classic crafts including a Lyman fishing boat and a Chris Craft sportsman.
A fellow Lyman boat owner, Nick Filipiak of Roger City purchased his 14' outboard 15 years ago with the simplest of intentions. "I just planned to have an old wood fishing boat," Filipiak noted.
Instead of a 'daily driver,' Filipiak created a craft akin to a 55' Chevy with flames on the quarter panels and fuzzy dice hanging from the rearview mirror. His boat "Jackie Vickie" - named after his two daughters - is adorned by mirrors etched with images of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis, bar stool style seats, and oars painted with jukebox 45 records. He even has a 'nostalgic' Johnson outboard motor hanging off the stern.
"Each boat is a unique form of artwork. Like a wedding ring, it's not something you just went out and bought. These were custom built for the customer," said Filipiak, who noted that the oar locks on his boat were only found on Lymans for one model year.
With so much personal time, energy and finances tied up in one of these waterborne works of art, it is no wonder that many owners refer to their restored boats as a "labor of love." For some owners, the object of their affection comes with a strict hands-off policy. Those that cross the 'look but don't touch' line are subject to a verbal keelhauling.
"I was up to a boat show in Hessel (Michigan) and I leaned on this guy's boat and he yelled, 'I don't care if you mess with my wife, but get your hands off my boat,'" Filipiak said.