Complete with a Project Update from Robin's Nest!
April, 2026

Still Time to Register for Keels & Wheels!

 

 

If you haven't signed up to bring a boat to Keels & Wheels Concours d'Elegance, April 25-26 at Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook, TX, know that time is running out! Register your boat now for a land or in-the-water display!

As you know, the WBA provides the volunteer launch crew for the event. Duties begin Thursday evening, April 23, with a 6 p.m. briefing at the SpringHill Suites Hotel followed by a welcome dinner. Launch duties begin at 7:30 a.m. on Friday. Thanks to all our volunteers!

If you can bring a boat, please commit today. The more boats the show has, the better it will be. We have a solid history of support for Keels & Wheels Concours d'Elegance. Let's make this the best WBA representation at the show ever!

May 9: Wood Waves & Wheels Registration Now Open!

Wood, Waves & Wheels is this season's first, and one of the best, car and boat shows in DFW, so plan now on bringing your boat for a fun day. The WBA has been well represented at this show for many years, and we'd like to carry on that tradition this year.

To register for the event, please drop Trey Bull an email and let him know about your boat. He'll fill you in on any necessary details.

This is a one-day event on the lovely lakeside grounds of the Fort Worth Boat Club on Eagle Mountain Lake. A wonderful, varied array of classic cars grace the expansive grounds, while antique and classic boats from canoes to cruisers are on display along the docks and on land. Since this is the first local outing of the season, come early and take your boat for a run on Eagle Mountain Lake.

 

 

Sterlacci Presents Towing Safety at March WBA Meeting!

 

 

Chris Sterlacci gave an excellent presentation on safe boat trailering at the March 19 meeting of the WBA. Chris has done a good deal of research on the topic as he prepares to tow the Century Partners' Century Sabre to the Lake Tahoe Concours d'Elegance in August (See that rig in photo at left). Thanks, Chris, for an important and informative presentation! The meeting also included the customary club business, including updates on shows, meetings, programs, finances, membership and projects. Minutes are mailed to all dues-paying members. You'll also receive a reminder of our April meeting a few days prior, so plan on joining us in person or on Zoom!
Updates from the Robin McGeorge Boat Shop and Beyond!

Carl Lapiska uses a headlamp to spot the finest flaws in the taping off of the gunwales and covering boards of his Super Sport prior to applying further coats of primer.

Dan Stober's Thompson has been through a refresh this past winter, and has already been on the lake this spring!

Chris McKeehan, David Kanally and Vivek Sant pause after steam bending a replacement section of rub rail for the club project 1955 Yellow Jacket Capri.

Alan Oppenheimer and Bill Mott celebrate the completion of the cosmetic restoration of the Mercury Mark 75 "dock buster" 6-cylinder motor, which is now back on the transom of the Oppenheimer/Vinson 1957 Yellow Jacket Riviera.

Mark McKeehan fills hundreds of brad holes on the deck of the '55 Yellow Jacket Capri with Famowood. After sanding, the holes are invisible.

Phil Brosseau has been reparing the lower sections of the hull sides and transom of his 1960 Cavalier, now ready for paint and the boot stripe.

Scott Myers' Gar Wood Ensign is nestled into Bill Mott's paint booth, ready for final coats of varnish.

Jay Emerson is putting the final touches on a 21' Carter runabout. The boat's story will be the feature of the club's April meeting.

Sometimes we tease Carl about the time and effort he puts in to get every detail right. In reality, we have deep respect for Carl's craftsmanship and his quality results.

Chris Sterlacci (r) does some detail work on the interior of the Century Partners' Sabre as Mark McKeehan supervises.

Mark and Chris McKeehan and Vivek Sant installed the original starboard rub rail on the Capri with nailing help from David Kanally.

Bill Mott and Alan Oppenheimer apply adhesive to the port side rub rail of the '55 Yellow Jacket Capri. David Kanally used the club's new pneumatic brad nailer to attach the rub rail to the boat.

Bill Mott and Jim Donovan seem pretty pleased with their newly fabricated rear seat bottom for the '55 Capri. This design precedes later models' bent wood spring seats.

Jim Donovan, Jim Wolfe and Phil Wolff take a breather after applying bottom paint to Phil's Century Coronado at Phil's home shop. A second coat has since been applied.

Mark McKeehan polished the rub rails of his '59 Continental, while the boat is up in Oklahoma for wiring.

Alan Oppenheimer and Bill Mott perform last-minute touch-ups on some of the seams on the deck and rub rail of the Oppenheimer/Vinson '57 Yellow Jacket Riviera.

Next Monthly Meeting April 16, 2026

boatOur next meeting will be Thursday, April 16th, 2026, 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. This month's presentation will be made by Jay Emerson, who will be explaining his recent repairs on the transom of a 21' Carter runabout.

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: The Joy of Boat Shows!

Every year, the organizers of the boat shows we love so much work hard to put on some of the best events in our hobby. All they ask of us is to show up with our boats. If your boat is looking good, please seriously consider registering it today for Keels & Wheels and for Wood, Waves & Wheels. We all enjoy seeing each others' boats on display, and boat shows provide us with the best way to achieve one of the WBA purposes, "To educate and inform the public about the historic significance of our antique and classic boats." Won't you please give serious thought to bringing out your boat this spring?

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.