By Lloyd Karzen

The Heritage Boat Club was established more than 20 years ago by a small group of sailors who moored their wooden boats in Montrose Harbor.The group saw the benefits of banding together to share their common interests of researching, restoring, preserving, and encouraging the continuing use of vintage sail and power boats. Today, the Heritage Boat Club boasts membership of more than 100 members from the Chicagoland area bound together by two things: their love of boating and heritage boats.

But what exactly is a “heritage” boat? Our Club’s constitution and bylaws spells out the following definition: “vessels constructed of wood regardless of age, and/or representative of traditional design.”

 

The club organizes educational activities for members and friends covering such topics as:

·        Boating safety and first aid

·        Small engine maintenance and repair

·        Varnishing and painting

·        Sail trim

·        Knot tying and line handling

·        Electronic and navigational aids

Although many of our members own heritage boats ranging in size from small runabouts to major-sized schooners and virtually everything in between, some members do not own boats. The oldest wooden boat in our fleet was launched in 1910, and the newest boat is just being built this year. Our members spend their time restoring, maintaining, and enjoying wooden boats – as well as taking part in a wide range of activities that relate to boats and boating.

Today, the Club’s activities include the Annual Heritage Wooden Boat Festival in Montrose Harbor, sailboat races and powerboat cruises, seminars, field trips, parties, raft-offs, and the production of the Club’s publication, “The Heritage Hailer.”

This year’s Annual Heritage Wooden Boat Festival was held July 26-28 and was one of our biggest Festivals to date. We had a great showing this year with 24 sailboats and nine powerboats on display for visitors to Montrose Harbor. Each year’s Festival activities include the Founder’s Cup Race along with awards ranging from the “Best in Show” to the “Skipper’s Choice Award.” The Wooden Boat Festival would not be complete without the annual barbecue and the buffet dinner followed by entertainment. The Festival judges had a hard time choosing award winners, as there were so many boats to review. The following are the results from the Festival judging.

  1. Nimphius Craftsman Award – White Wing, Robert Welther; Night Hawk, Robert Jacobsen
  2. Skipper’s Choice Award (Sail) – White Wing, Robert Welther 
  3. Skipper’s Choice Award (Power) – Robert Allen, Toby Lindo 
  4. Best of Show – Chafe, dinghy – Dave and Peggy Topping 
  5.  Touch of Class – Taipan, Lloyd Karzen 
  6.  Longest Distance Traveled by Water Award – Wild Goose, Dave and Peggy Topping

Next year’s Wooden Boat Festival and Founder’s Cup Race will be held July 25,26,27 2003, in Montrose Harbor. We look forward to seeing you at the Festival. All of these events would not be possible without the assistance from our members and officers. The 2002 Officers were: Commodore – Lloyd N. Karzen, Vice Commodore – Laura Kurz, Rear Commodore – Bob Zange, Treasurer – John Spoeri, Secretary –Jannie Zange, Directors – Irving Abarbanel, Aldis Darre, Bob Jacobsen, George Najarian, George Steigerwald, and Quarter Master – Past Commodore Bob Welther.

Although the boating season is over, our members are looking forward to the winter when they will spend their weekends in boatyards replacing planks, refinishing cabin tops, sanding, and readying the boats for another boating season. We wish everyone a very safe and happy holiday season. See you next year.