29th ANNUAL ANTIQUE BOAT SHOW

This year marks the 29^th Annual Antique and Classic Boat Show on Lake Vermilion, held at the Landing Restaurant. The local Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society (ACBS) is honored to have the Vermilion Lake Association as one of its honorary Boat Show Sponsors, again this year.  Last year, the Boat Show donated $1,500.00 to VLA, to kick off the fundraising efforts to either add another picnic site or increase the accessibility to one of the existing picnic sites.  The show is held every Sunday on Labor Day Weekend, from 12:00 to 4:00, with this year’s show falling on September 1^st.  The location again is the Landing Restaurant which, which is under new management.  There will be live music, eat in the dining room or at the burger, brat buffet lakeside.   We have 30 antique and classic boats on display.  Please join us and vote for your favorite boat.  The winner will receive the People’s Choice Award.  The Show is free to the public.

ACBS is an International Organization dedicated to the preservation of antique and classic watercraft.  With 58 local chapters in the United States, Canada and Europe there are regional shows throughout the entire western world including Lake Vermilion.  The local Chapter in our area is the Bob Speltz Land O Lakes Chapter.  The organization was established in 1975 with the mission to preserve and protect the heritage of our boating history.  In the early 1970’s these old boats were either brought to the dump or to the burn pile, destined for destruction as it was felt they had no value.  It was only through the dedication of our early ACBS Founder’s and dedicated owners these boats you will see, remain today.  If you would like to learn more about the Organization, please go to www.acbs.org I would encourage you to do so.  In addition, come to the show and talk to the owner’s themselves, we are always eager to strike up a conversation.

The Boat Show here, for its organizers; Sandy Jackson, Mark Ludlow and Jeff Stebbins, we have three goals in mind.  Initially creating a venue that allows owners of antique and classic boats to visit Lake Vermilion and enjoy its beauty, allow the owner’s to display their beautiful watercraft to the public, share their knowledge and experiences and most importantly, act as an opportunity to allow, as we feel, to display one of Lake Vermilion’s greatest assets, besides the Lake itself, the Vermilion Lake Association. The VLA is dedicated to the preservation and protection of this great resource. Their presence at the show, allows the Association to display and educate the public of its achievements, goals, plans for the future, and maybe sell a hat or two.

Typical Boat:   1954 Chris Craft 28 foot twin engine Sportsman. It was the only one built of this model in 1954.

Typical Boat: St. Lawrence rowing skiff built in 1895 in Clayton N.Y., by Wilbur & Wheelock.  These boats were used for recreation and favorites of the fishing and hunting guides.