Including News from the Lucas Palukas!
May, 2012

Keels & Wheels This Weekend!

Keels & Wheels, the premier boat and car show of the Southwest, is THIS WEEKEND, May 5-6, 2012. Do yourself a favor and drive on down and take in the show. While you're there, look up our buddy Griff, who has restored a beautiful Yellow Jacket which he is showing for the first time.

  

The WBA will again be helping with the launch ramp duties and judging. We are fortunate to live in Texas for many reasons, and this is one of them. Do your best to take advantage of this internationally recognized event. More information is available on their web site.

New Members Travel to Krum to See White's Willis!

Above, (l-r), new WBA member John Indrieri of Horseshoe Bay and Lew White discuss Lew's restoration techniques used on his 1956 Willis racing runabout. Lew's grandson and new owner of the little mahogany wonder, Will, listens in. In the background Lew's daughter Denise discusses the boat with Jo Indrieri.

Below, John Indrieri strips the bottom of the Indrieri's '53 Willis racing runabout. Virtually identical to Lew's, the Indrieri's boat does have some differences in the details.

  

Above, John and Lew discuss Lew's installation of floorboards in the Willis. Another good idea, Lew has put a slit in the the green swimming pool "noodle" and he slips it on top of the windshield to cushion the boat's vinyl cover.

Below, John continues restoration work on the Willis that Jo's uncle bequeathed to her. Raced by Jo's uncle in the '50s, the boat spent much of its recent life in California, then Texarkana, before finding its current home at Horseshoe Bay on Lake LBJ near Marble Falls. See video!

Baldwin's Guest Owen Morris Presents at April Meeting!

Owen Morris, who claims to have known the Baldwins "forever", shared a bit of his knowledge as a purveyor of fine and exotic hardwoods at the April 19 meeting of the WBA. Owen works at Sweeney Hardwoods in Fort Worth, and has a good deal of experience in the supply of exotic woods, particularly for the residential home market.

He provided insights to the stability, hardness and availability of difficult-to-find "boat grade" Philippine and African mahogany. For additional information on woods, the web site is: http://sweeneyhardwoods.com/
Their address is 3609 Conway St., Ft. Worth, TX 76111, (817) 654-2221. We thank Owen for coming out to talk with us, and Bill for introducing Owen to us!
Grand Prix Duo Shows Progress!

Above, Marc Hill's '68 Chris Craft Grand Prix's deck framing is in good shape. Since our last update, Marc has pulled the old planking and dash, and has treated the underlying structure with CPES.

Below, Mark Wilson continues to make progress on the side planks of his twin Grand Prix. It won't be long before he can mask the sides and paint the bottom.

  

Above, all Marc's good hull work is now visible from the inside, showing some of the frame work and all new planking (note butt blocks covering plank joints).

Below, Mark Wilson's Grand Prix looks just about ready for a few coats of bottom paint. There's still some fairing and sanding to do on the side planks, and then she'll be ready for a flip.

Next Monthly Meeting May 17, 2012. Don't miss it!

Join us on Thursday, May 17th at 7 p.m. at Two Guys from Italy at 11637 Webb Chapel Road, just south of Forest Road. Our program will be given by professional wooden boat restorer and builder Jay Emerson on the subject of a 1959 Shepherd that recently received transom and other restoration work at Jay's hand.

Join us for a light meal and moderate libation at 5:30 p.m. at Two Guys from Italy prior to the meeting. We encourage you to join us for dinner, so we'll always have the required minimum number of diners to avoid a room charge.

Shop Talk and Musings:

It was a true pleasure to make a Sunday drive out to Krum (just north of Denton) with Lew White to show Lew's pretty little Willis racing runabout to John and Jo Indrieri, who have a nearly identical boat under restoration in their garage in Horseshoe Bay. Lew has given his Willis to his grandson Will, who at age 15 is more than ready to put the boat into the water for the first time. Jo received her boat from her late uncle's estate a few years ago, and recently discovered our WBA Willis Boat Works history project on our web site. She was pretty happy to find us, since we are apparently the only Willis Boat Works information site out there! In any case, John and Jo are now WBA members, and are benefiting immediately from Lew's direct experience in the restoration of the Willis. Lake LBJ neighbors and fellow WBA members Scott Reichardt and Jim Frechette are also lending advice. I left Krum feeling pretty good. This kind of shared knowledge is EXACTLY what the WBA is about! See a brief video of this meeting here.

And, finally:

Please take a look in the shed or garage for the leftover parts or other saleable items you can donate to the club. Bring them to any WBA meeting, or contact David Kanally at david@historywithheart.com for pickup.