Welcome to the 2003 Antique Boat Show and Race Boat Reunion.
Report by Bill DeGlopper
Photography by Phil Kunz

A "Shuffle off to Buffalo" theme was most appropriate for the 26th annual Antique & Classic Boat Show & Race Boat Reunion. It was jointly sponsored by ACBS and APBA. The International event included a record number of entries from 15 states and 3 countries. It has evolved into one of the largest annual shows in the USA. 

Owners, drivers, boat builders, engine gurus, designers, naval architects and boat racing fans have been journeying to the Buffalo Launch Club since 1903. Home of the oldest powerboat racing club in the country, it has been host to some of the finest race boat regattas ever held.
 

Golden Thunder

Just like old times, the 2003 event featured 160 entries. A diverse field included antique & classic runabouts, cruisers, old launches, skiffs, canoes, kayaks, sailboats, outboard powered race boats and motorboats. A glorious selection of fabled race boats graced the grounds. A crowd in excess of 7000 jammed the docks and new break wall as heat after heat sped around the racecourse.
 

Arab IV
Replica of the 1922 boat owned & raced by the Sidway brothers of BLC. 
Geoff Magnuson & Blueberry Hill team built this one.

Opening ceremonies saw select boats from different eras speed by as the flag raising ceremony & cannon firing occurred. U-60 Century 21, Arab IV, Tempo VI, Heldane II and Obsession made the parade lap a tribute to the hundreds of boats that had raced at BLC in the last 8 decades.
 

A re enactment of the famous 1924 Fisher Allison Trophy Race brought back memories of Gar Wood driving his Baby Gar IV while dressed in top hat, white gloves and tuxedo. Featured boats participating included Bob Bannister & Baby Gar V, F-31, who, in the spirit of the occasion dressed up in Tux and tails!
 

Competition was provided by the "Speed Boys" group of Tom Frauenheim and Miss St. Lawrence.
 

 Tom Mittler & his 24' Liberty powered Vogler Boy,
 
 

and Don Price in his sleek Elusive.
(Bill DeGlopper photo)



During racing's hey day of the 1950's, Unlimiteds were the headliners at the Grand Island regattas. Reminiscent of those days, U-60 Century 21, 1959 Gold Cup Champion flashed it's powerful 750 horse Rolls Royce engine and majestically stormed down the Niagara River straight-away. Just as it had done decades ago. Owner Barbara Carper also made the Seattle based hydro available for guest rides. A few guests got the thrill of a lifetime as they joined driver Ike Kielgass in the cockpit for a few hot laps.


(Bill DeGlopper photo)

Boats with a Australian roots were there:
Aussie Terry Moran brought his 12' Coventry powered Winton Skiff via container ship to the US shore. Fellow countryman Paul Dewhurst, renown designer & boat builder, was well represented with the Gentleman's racer Golden Thunder and Elusive. His American partner Butch Kropfeld hosted the Golden Era Classics display and was assisted by World Record holder Ken Warby. He showed videos and updated fans on his plans to make a new assault on his water speed record in 2004.
 

BLC Show Chairman - Rich DeGlopper - JS-88 Stormalong
Riding Mechanic - Peggy Hollstein
 

Bill Mehan - JS-712 Miss Align.
Riding Mechanic - Bryan Milazzo.
 

Bill DeGlopper - JS-25 Hot Ticket
Riding Mechanic - Brian DeGlopper
 

Dave Yeager - JS-97 River Rat
Fellow skiffer Chuck Warner is riding in the bow keeping his foot over the missing bow drain plug 
as they head to the crane to avoid sinking.
 

These boats along with JS-44 Puppy Love, JS-7 Hot Tub, JS-3 Hops A Lot, JS-81 Whizzbang, JS-22 Heartbeat, and JS-38 Double Trouble put on a colorful, lively show. Great photo opportunities were abundant. The ten Jersey Speed Skiffs put on an energetic show as they ran multiple heats, complete with high speed turns and leaping flat out runs parallel to & less than 60' from the break wall and it's assembled, enthusiastic fans.


Three point hydroplanes were well represented. 

Shake, Rattle & Roll A-43
 

Bill Mehan - S-50 Tipback
1960's Will Farmer hydroplane. 

Bill Fisk - GP-317 Irishman
 

Jim Thompson - Black Magic
Early 1960's Conn-Craft
 

Bob Moore - S-94 Hi-Q
Built in 1957 by Charles Lloyd
(Bill DeGlopper photo)


 
  Bill Steinfeld - High Society S-96
Dick Sooy built this hyroplane and Larry Lauterbach completed the restoration. Bill is handicapped from polio but was helped into his hydro for his run. He was 2nd in the Nationals at BLC in 1959 and this was the first time he had been back on the BLC course since his victory 44 years ago. (S-96 photos by Bill DeGlopper)

Sylvain Demers F-155 Zoomerang
1973 Lauterbach 
 

Teri Hoffman - A-711 Gemini
A rare pickelfork conventional style hull by Henry & Larry Lauterbach built in 1979.
 

John Freeman's 225 cubic inch Lauterbach built by Alan Blide. 
 

Dick Delsener - South Paw Y-6
850cc class hydro originally built in 1978 by Henry Lauterbach. 
 

The Morsheimer racing team brought four boats: 
H-62 Tool Crib Special (early 1970's Ron Jones hydro), 
The Last Farmer, Cobalt, & Sidewinder.

APBA limited inboard historian Phil Kunz (left) showing 
Tom Bertolini Owner/Driver - Country Boy a glimpse of his upcoming book. 
(Bill DeGlopper photo)


 
Other vintage hydros in attendance were:
Alan Radue - E-173 Agitator
Tom Bertolini - N-8 Country Boy
Steve Ladino - N-700 Miss Sapphire
Carl Wilson - N-72 Tiger
Gordon Jayne - GP-1001 Miss Dinomytes

E Racing Runabouts & F Service Runabouts were highly visible.

Noel Blair's 1957 Prowler Cheeta's Too Much
 

Tom Frauenheim - F Service Runabout - M-2 Sleeper
Floridian Bill Burgess returned to the Buffalo Launch Club to drive the Sleeper, 
a 1931 Chris-Craft, and a winning combination for many years of racing in the past. 
Riding Mechanic is Greg Barker, who is the 2002 National Champion in the Rewinder, S-1 which was also on display.

Jim Holler - Hurry Home
1947 Ventnor/Adolph Apel E Racing Runabout.

Also in attendance was Jim Hawver's Davis Brothers Rock A Bye.
 

Seattle's Joe Frauenheim and his 1937 Ventnor, Tempo VI
Guy Lombardo's famous V-12 Allison powered 24' Gold Cup Racer knows this race course well
as she was a regular at Buffalo Launch Club regattas for many years.
 
 
A remarkable Canadian entry was the Heldena II. A magnificent 1916 36' racer restored by Peter Breen, it was the feature boat at Toronto's 2003 show. Remarkable in it's longevity, the boat competed at Buffalo in 1919 and 1920. Included in it's accompanying photo display, were action photos of it on the BLC course in 1919. Owned by Rick McGraw, it is powered by a 12 cylinder 450 hp Liberty engine.
(Bill DeGlopper photo) 

The Volger Boy drivers
(Bill DeGlopper photo)
 

Bill John III & Donnie McLean - G-48 Obsession
(Bill DeGlopper photo)
 

Hank Pyrciak and his radio controlled scale models as well as many others.
(Bill DeGlopper photo)
 

Diverse in it's make up, the event also included a grounds packed with nautical displays, museum displays, RC boats, a big antique car show, a field of dreams swap meet, and vendors dispensing a selection of great food. A children's area provided opportunities to build and paint toy boats and decorate boat show T shirts. One of the oldest boats present was Freddie Alter's 1909 launch named Sally. A 2002 award winner & magazine cover recipient, the superb boat was a crowd favorite.
 
 

Musically enlightened fans enjoyed the vociferous melodic outpourings of Noel Blair's meticulous restoration of a Wurlitizer 146 Special organ. The fully functional Carousel Organ, made in 1926, needed no amplification to be heard anywhere on the grounds.

Just ask Bob & Marie Moore, 
who had the APBA vintage booth set up next to the organ.
(Bill DeGlopper photo)
 

Anne Barker next to her 1958 midget racer- Barker Electric Special
She sells racing gear & her Dad, Greg owns the 
current 2002 National Champion hydroplane S-1 which was at the show.
(Bill DeGlopper photo)
 
 

G-43 Miss Crude
(Bill DeGlopper photo)
 
 
  My Darling
1949 Gold Cup Hacker design 
(Bill DeGlopper photo)
The 3 day event was action packed. It began with a sellout free Pit Pass Party Friday night and continued with a steak & corn roast dinner in the clubhouse ballroom. Sunday morning, over 40 boats departed the basin for an around Grand Island water tour, followed by a lunch awards ceremony at the BLC. Thanks for visiting.

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