Our Chapter is planning to make a special visit to Newport News, VA on Friday, Feb. 24 to see the Chris-Craft archives, followed by a trip on Saturday, Feb. 25 to the Mariner’s Museum. These two different properties featuring classic boats are about a ½-mile apart and are open different days.

The Chris-Craft archives are within the Library building of the Christopher Newport College. Since this historical facts and photograph-rich antique and classic boat treasure trove is not open on the weekend, we have made arrangements to visit them on Friday afternoon, 2/24/2012 until closing (5 PM), after our drive down to Newport News that morning.

In addition to the Chris-Craft factory records, this Library also has available for viewing:

Our Annual Chesapeake Bay Chapter-ACBS Boat Show in beautiful St. Michaels, MD this summer will be our club’s 25th Silver Anniversary Festival. This year's event—which attracts attendees from up and down the East coast and as far away as Texas—will be held from June 15-17, 2012 on Father’s Day weekend.

"Murphy's Law" is a Silver Arrow Chris-Craft owned by Dick Hickman of the Philadelphia-ACBS Chapter

As a hallmark of this year's signature anniversary, we are featuring the unique 19' Chris-Craft Silver Arrow, which was made in limited production for only two years. CBC would like to showcase as many of these runabouts as possible from the various ACBS chapters, and will display these classics both in the water and on land.

If you have not attended the Chesapeake Bay Chapter's Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival before, you will have a great opportunity to enjoy a wonderful setting on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, just outside of Annapolis. Over 100 antique & classic boats will be on display at the The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, which will again be  our host on its 11-acre site. The beautiful grounds include:

• Numerous buildings full of the Bay's maritime history
• A large wood boat restoration shop always brimming with activity
• Skipjacks, buy boats, and log canoes on display
• A restored “Screw Pile” lighthouse

We have numerous activities for all participants, so don't just bring your boat, bring the whole family. Each year we have over 70 maritime artists and craftsmen featured in our show-within-the-show: "The Arts at Navy Point”.  And there are great events for the kids, too, from the "build and float your own boat" craft project for the little ones, to a Youth Judging event for older children who get to learn about the ACBS criteria used for our juried boat show.

Please let me know if you can bring your Silver Arrow and help us celebrate by sharing one of these 92 very special Chris-Crafts with us, the other classic boat owners and our loyal fans & spectators. This grand event will be a virtual Silver Arrow Reunion!

We will keep you posted on which boats are coming as we start to process registrations in early March.

And we look forward to seeing you in June.

Chuck Warner

443-250-6030 (Mobile)

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We have just a handful left, so grab them now at just $10, plus $2 for shipping.

Before we start planning for our 25th year, here's a quick look back at our successful 2011 event held on June 17-19 in St Michaels at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Great crowds, great weather, and 38 winning boats whose owners were recognized during our Sunday awards luncheon. 

Early visitors check out the Jersey Skiffs and a nice assortment of hydroplanes on display at the 24th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival in St Michaels.

June 19, 2011 —Scott Wahlberg & Dan Buckingham presented awards during the Father's Day luncheon to 38 Antique & Classic Boat enthusiasts in recognition of their dedication and commitment to preserving the quality, integrity and history of these vessels. Here are the winners whose boats/motors were judged on Saturday, June 18 during our 24th Annual Festival, held on the grounds of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St Michaels, MD.