Wooden Boat Show at Presque Isle Harbor Saturday
The third Saturday in June has arrived and that marks the 11th annual year for the Presque Isle Harbor Wooden Boat Show, an event that has expanded in both popularity and size since its meager beginnings. Crowds are drawn from all over Michigan and other states as well, with entry slots still available, according to committee members. Boats may be registered right up to the morning of the show between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. at the Presque Isle Harbor.
A special treat is in store for those attending the show. Free boat rides aboard a military-type landing craft vessel will be offered to get a harbor-side view of the show. This year, committee member and show backer John Vogelheim will have a new entry, called ?The Lord Is My Shepherd,? a 1954, 22-foot Shepherd vessel he picked up about four years ago. He managed to talk fellow wooden boat enthusiast Dave Kowalski, Jr. into doing the refinishing for him, a task Dave began in November and completed in Mid-May.
This boat has a steering wheel like those used in Chrysler vehicles in 1954 and has the original inboard 125 horsepower six-cylinder Chrysler engine.
VOGELHEIM CAME across the Canadian built vessel while cruising with friends in Northern Lake Huron and made the purchase. ?It had a nice finish, but it wasn?t the original color,? John said. ?The people who had redone it did some things wrong, and I wanted it to be right, so I hoodwinked Dave into the job.?
Dave is a pretty busy guy and doesn?t really like it to
?It?s done,? Dave said of the shining, gleaming finish. Each coat of varnish is a challenge to eliminate every imperfection until a satisfactory shine is achieved. The Vogelheim boat, along with boats refinished by Dave Kowalski Jr. and Sr. will be available for viewing Saturday at 10 a.m. ?There are still openings for people with model boats, too,? John said. ?Dave Erickson is handling them again this year.?
Any information can be obtained by calling toll free, 1-888-201-2028.