Complete with a Project Update from Robin's Nest!

February, 2025

Keels & Wheels Registration Open, Launch Crew Needed

Message from SWACBS president, Lindy Robinson: Registration is now open for the 2025 Keels & Wheels show to be held the first weekend in May. See the website at keels-wheels.com for information and to register.

The registration process will occur in two parts this year. When you initially sign up, go to the "Entrants" tab and select "Concours Application". You will be sent to an external app called mygarage. You will input your initial information there.

Once the committee approves your application you will be sent an e-mail with a link to put in the remainder of your information, make your other selections for additional tickets and dinner reservations and the like; and make your payment.

If you have any questions about or difficulty with the process, please call Lindy Robinson at 281-732-2081. 

This year, the car folks are highlighting "Exotic Cars" and on the boat side we are highlighting "Texas Made Boats" with specific focus on Glastron, Yellow Jacket, Lone Star & Chrysler, Holmes, and Helton boats.

If you have a boat that is of a different make but manufactured in Texas please indicate that when you do the initial portion of the registration.

 

 

To serve on the launch crew, please send David Kanally an email. Launch crew members report on Thursday, May 1 by 6 p.m. for the briefing. Work on the ramp begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Lake Conroe Rendezvous Set for April 12!

Lisa Robinson has the 2025 Lake Conroe Rendezvous scheduled for April 12th at the Seven Coves Resort on Lake Conroe. This date was set following a poll of WBA and SWACBS members. You can download a detailed description of the event here.

 

 

You can download the Conroe Registration Form here. If you have any questions, you can call Lindy Robinson at 281-732-2081, or better yet you can contact Lisa at 281-732-3741. This will be the fourth annual Conroe RendezvousLet's have a great turnout for this early season event!

Donated Yellow Jackets to Keep Shop Busy!

WBA member Danny Beaver of Pottsboro has donated his 1955 Yellow Jacket Capri, "Last Straw" to the WBA. Barney Gulley has agreed to store it for a little while up in the Texoma area until shop space is available to begin restoration. Let David Kanally know if you're interested in working on these boats at the shop!

 

 

Jim Bob Airhart (Jetta's brother) has offered his grandad's 1957 YJ Riviera to the club. This baby has a Merc 75 6-cylinder outboard, and will be a real screamer. Looking for help to make a run to Belton to pick her up and bring her to the shop as early as this coming week. This will a great opportunity to hone our restoration skills!

Annual Planning Meeting Includes Coast Guard Auxiliary Presentation

 

 

The January 16 monthly meeting of the WBA featured a detailed discussion of events already on the 2025 Calendar of Events as well as ideas for additional get-togethers and rendezvous. Our new VP, Craig Godfrey, did a good job of reviewing the calendar with the group. You can always check the calendar of events on the WBA website.

Craig also invited Coast Guard Auxiliary representative Jim McGraw of the Lake Grapevine Flotilla to give the club an overview of the history and mission of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Jim is a retired college professor, and his presentation skills were evident in his enthusiastic, thorough and informative talk.

Project Updates from the Robin McGeorge Boat Shop!

(Above) Carl Lapiska fairs the starboard side of his foredeck, bringing the new planks in line with the Super Sport's original king plank.

(Above) Phil Wolff's Coronado is coming along nicely at his home shop in Dallas. Here, you can see that about half of the new bottom planks are in place.

(Above) David Kanally planes the top edge of the engine hatch frame of Gordon Spriggs' Glen-L barrel back.

(Above) Mark McKeehan readies his '59 Continental for a trip to the upholstery shop.

(Above) Greg and Stephanie McIlvoy remove masking tape and feather paint lines on their Coronado. Touch-up next!

(Above) Carl beds the three sections of his dash's trim piece to give a nice, clean look to the edge of the deck planks.

(Above) Jim Wolfe uses a router to trim the plank edges on Phil Wolff's Coronado. Jim's skilled hands have performed this operation on multiple boats, including his own!

(Above) Gordon Spriggs beds the deck underlayment onto one half of the engine hatch. Planking next!

(Above) Chris McKeehan straightens the hard-to-replace flame arrestor brackets from the Continental's 283.

(Above) Chris Sterlacci lends a hand to the McIlvoys by removing masking tape from their Coronado.

Next Monthly Meeting February 20, Featuring Classic Boat Insurance

boatOur next meeting will be Thursday, February 20th, at 7 p.m. at Two Guys From Italy in Dallas. Come at 5:30 and join us for the pre-meeting dinner. You'll receive an email reminder for the meeting a few days prior. We'll be continuing our door prize tradition, giving out an e-book, or print book of the lucky winner's choice, or a complimentary design of a boat show placard. Our presentation this month will be by our own Chris Sterlacci, who will be discussing various insurance options for antique and classic boats. Chris is part of his family's insurance business, so he brings a wealth of knowledge to this important topic.

If you can't join in person, you'll be using the Zoom application for your cell phone or your home computer. To make things easier at meeting time, it would be a good idea for you to go to your normal smart phone app store to download Zoom Cloud Meetings, or go to Zoom.us on your home computer and sign up. Prior to the meeting, you will be sent an email with a link to join the meeting, and further instructions. Those who wait to download Zoom will also receive a link to do that just before the meeting starts. If you are among those who need a few attempts to be successful with technology, you may want to get the downloading taken care of ahead of time.

Our meetings are a great opportunity to socialize with fellow WBA members and to talk shop on questions on everything from paint and varnish to carburetor kits. Please join us on Zoom to be a part of our monthly fellowship!

Shop Talk and Musings: Club Projects Provide Skill Building!

You don't have to be a wooden boat owner to practice your woodworking and mechanical skills. As a WBA member, you are eligible to participate as a helper in the Robin McGeorge Boat Shop in Lucas. As reported in the article above, we have just been given two project Yellow Jacket boats, which will give us plenty to do in the coming year. We'll be removing and replacing damaged decking, repairing and refinishing hulls, repairing rub rails, staining, varnishing and painting, restoring hardware and tinkering with OMC and Mercury outboards. Those of us who are shop regulars have learned a lot just by working on projects, and we enjoy the fellowship of friends who help each other learn and make progress on the boats. We are there Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. If you'd like to be a part of the action, let David Kanally know.

And finally, please take a look in the shed or garage for leftover parts or other salable items you would like to donate to the Club. Contact David Kanally at david@historywithheart.com for more info.