Antique, Classic Boat Society coming to Coeur d’Alene

Beautiful lakes, waterfront dining and a large and well-staffed marina are bringing hundreds of wooden boat lovers to Coeur d’Alene this week.

This is the second time the Antique and Classic Boat Society has chosen the Lake City for its annual international boat show and meeting.

“We have a lot to offer here with the beauty of the Inland Northwest,” said local chapter President B.K. Powell. “We got it back because this facility is one of the best in this country for this type of show.”

While the event is designed for the boat owners, the public can also take part next weekend. More than 100 classic and antique wooden boats will be on display Friday and next Saturday at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Boardwalk.

But the fun begins earlier for boat club members who will be converging on Coeur d’Alene from all over the United States and Canada.

Powell said event organizers have scheduled boating and other outings to Priest Lake, Harrison, the Silver Valley and many more locations in the days leading up to the show.

“It’s the largest pre-events ever offered for one of these shows,” Powell said of the activities.

At the Resort Boat Shop, workers were busy last week prepping boats and preparing to clean the shops for a boat show reception.

“It gives us an opportunity to talk to people we don’t usually see,” said the shop’s manager Eric O’Brien.

O’Brien is readying his staff to help boat owners with emergency repairs, transport to the lake and launching.

They’re also finishing up the final touches on restoring a 1948 Ventnor. The 23-1/2 foot boat is only one of three left in existence. It will be shown at the resort.

People wanting to see the boats at the show will be treated to antique boats from 1940 or earlier and classic boats built between 1940 and 1967 built by a wide variety of manufacturers and custom boat shops.

And this show will feature twice as many boats as the typical local boat show.

“It’s the largest wooden boat show in the area,” Powell said.