Saturday morning, Howard and Cheryl Johnson drove their green `50 Packard, towing a 1957 mahogany Industrial Trading Co. outboard with a green trailer to the other show. The combo parked in front of the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons drew crowds all day. They had a wonderful time looking at running marine engines and talking to people. The sun was out, boats were on display, there were operating engines of all models and years, outboard of all kinds, rowing lessons, a huge tug boat, music, food, and the museum was filled with craftsmen and women. Our favorite was the ladies operating looms.

 

                     

 

 

In the huge boat workshop, craftsmen showed us many details of the restoration on a `37 Old Town Canoe, which they had almost ready for the canvas. The best highlight was meeting Marty Prinz who built PRIWING boats, the fast and light companion to Whirlwind, made by the founder's brother and built out of the same wood as Whirlwinds. He told us his memories as we admired one of his boats.

 

They also had a huge bake sale going on and County Ag. Dept giving away tomato plants. There was much more. We stayed 'til 4 pm...

 

  Cheryl Johnson                             ...and then drove up to Annapolis where crowds were enjoying all the features of that show, which was put on by Dave Hanson and Chuck Warner, among others. The grounds near the harbor were laid out with fabulous pleasure and race boats. The James Craft group was there with their Chris-Craft-type kits finished out to the max. There were 8 gorgeous old Trumpy, Elco, Mathews, Chris-Craft, and Winthrop Warner cruisers up to 80 ft. on display. They went aboard these and one had a built in piano in the salon and full band with a trumpet player with a mute. The Eastport Oyster Boys sang. Some sat on foredecks necking and afterdecks chatting and having horse doufers! Members were forced to test the liquor mixing skills of friend Danny Wilson who had a packed boat with all the folks laughing and telling stories until late.

 

Sunday it was pouring up there so we had a big tow in the rain, 3 boats carefully wending their way back to Oldtimeworld, to be wiped, dried and put away until June 18.

 

 Why? June 19 to 21 is the Antique and Classic Boat Society Festival at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum — the experience of a lifetime, NOT TO BE MISSED! Tell all your friends!