We purchased the 1937 Old Town Boat (14 ft. wood and canvas-covered runabout) on an Ebay auction in 2007. We had to travel to Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania to pick it up. At about the same time our friends, Mike & Kay, also purchased a 1929/30 Old Town Canoe which needed to be picked up in New York. So, of course, we had to make a road trip to bring these two special items to our homes.
When we arrived at Eagle's Mere, we had to unpack our GMC truck. When the seller bought the boat, it included a 1975 "Teenee" trailer, but he did not wish to sell it with the boat. Chuck built our own boat trailer at home to fit in the covered bed of the truck. He had to take it out of the truck and put it together, but first we had to move our suitcases and the treasures we found along the way.
Eagles Mere "is the town that time forgot". In the early days only the hotel guests and residents could swim and canoe on the lake. After enjoying a delicious dinner at the couple's home and visiting their antique store and collection of canoes, we stayed overnight at a Bed & Breakfast. The white, historic and grand hotel across the street was only a portion of its original, regal self.
Then it was on to Rochester, New York to pick up Mike & Kay's purchase. We placed the canoe on top of the boat on the trailer. We made many other stops as we traveled to visit family, old friends and to explore new sights.
Our boat languished for three years at home until we decided to have it repaired in 2010 in Arlington, Wahington. It took quite a while before it was completed and made available for pick up. When driving home from Washington, we had to stop three times for Chuck to bail water out of the boat. The old boat had no plug to pull and release the rain volume.
We first showed the boat in 2012 at the San Diego Yacht Club Show. We did not put it in the water; because our vintage trailer friends, Steve and Mary, brought their beautiful, vintage Chris Craft boat. We rode with them in the bay.
In 2017, we gave a small party at our home for family, friends and select vintage trailer folks. We also displayed the boat with our 1936 Ford truck at a small weekly car show in Valencia in 2020..
We embrace the process of repairing or renovating our vintage trailer(s), car(s), truck(s) canoe(s) and boat(s); but we do not overdo the restoration in many cases -- Chuck loves the old patina -- and we want them useable.
"Never regret anything that made you smile." -- Mark Twain
