Vintage Race Boat Shop

  We maintain vintage wooden boats.

A Message From The Owner & Webmeister - Bill John

 

 

William Edgar John III

A conversation with Hank Why and Linda Dabica in the Fall of 2000, led to my volunteering to maintain the Website for our beloved NH Boat Museum. I had designed, installed, and managed large corporate information systems for over 30 years during my professional career, and as I began to eye semi-retirement, thought it was time to apply some of my skills to help our local boat Museum.

 

And then in the Spring of 2002, I finally took the plunge, casting off my career in Corporate America, and starting my new, semi-retirement career with my own Vintage Race Boat Shop, located here in beautiful Wolfeboro, NH. It was time to follow my dream and my bliss, working on vintage wooden boats and maintaining my own active and dynamic vintage Website. I was ready and well qualified, after 25 years of "on the job" training - owning, maintaining and modifying my beloved Gar Wood Speedster - Obsession ???!!!

 

Boats and boat racing are in my blood. My grandfather, William Edgar John Sr, was a naval architect, owned a shipyard in Rye, New York, raced in several inboard classes, and was inducted into the APBA's Honor Squadron in 1955. My father, William Edgar John Jr. raced International-One-Design sailboats on Long Island Sound  where he was Fleet Chairman for many years and was the first President of the IOD class, based out of the Larchmont Yacht Club where he was very active. My grandmother was also active in the early days of power boat racing in this country. She actually drove and won quite a few APBA boat races, and I have two large trophies that she won in 1914.The picture to the left is my grandfather's "Sally Ann Jr." a 225 hydroplane that was the national champion. Also in the photo is my grandfather and grandmother.

 

But alas, my mother moved us kids up to Lake Winnipesaukee when I was very young, and I spent my early summers at my grandmother's on Governors Island. She had a Century Coronado with u-shaped dock, canvas cover and electric winch - very cool. I also worked at the Goodhue Boat Yard in Glendale - on the gas dock - the best job I ever had. Speaking of landmarks, Tup Goodhue and I played in a rock band "The Fugitives" and we were the house band at Irwins Winnipesaukee Gardens during the summers of 1965 and 1966. Tup and John Goodhue used to race in the marathon water ski races on Lake Winnipesaukee, and I can remember the Tommy Bartlett Water Ski Shows on Paugus Bay and Boat-O-Rama at the Weirs.  These are just some of my memories of Lake Winnipesaukee - that make it a very special place for me.

 

Then, while visiting on vacation during the summer of 1979 - I read a "Jerry Harper" ad in The Laconia Citizen for a 1948 Gar Wood with a Chrysler Hemi motor. I went to see the boat and bought it on first sight. My life has not been the same since. Now I still have my beloved Obsession, still trying to make it go faster, and still enjoy giving boat rides, especially at APBA Vintage Race Boat Regattas. In fact, at last year's Detroit Gold Cup Vintage Event, I gave Tom Pakradooni, current APBA Jersey Speed Skiff national champion, a ride in my Obsession, and he was telling me stories of my boat when it raced in the marathon water ski events on Lake Winnipesaukee. What a great boat ride that was - driving my Gar Wood Speedster on the Detroit Gold Cup race course.

 

And now I have my very own Vintage Race Boat Shop, happy as a clam, and maintain this very active and dynamic Website.

 

My objectives for this Website:

NH Boat Museum - Volunteer of the Year

Distinguished Service Awards

A word about "Our Vintage Newsletter".

For the past several years, I have used the power of the Internet and email to help support and promote our local NH Boat Museum and the Vintage & Historic Division of the American Power Boat Association (APBA). Usually once a month, and sometimes more frequently, I send out emails containing Museum updates and lots of APBA vintage banter on my Vintage Newsletter - which has now grown to over 1,400 email addresses ???!!!

If you would like to be added or removed from my Newsletter list, just send me an email.

Bill John  John1948@metrocast.net

 

Click here for our latest Vintage Newsletter.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and I hope that you enjoy my Website, with my constant/daily updates. Please e-mail your thoughts, comments and suggestions ???!!!

 

Some related vintage race boat links:

 

The Vintage Hydroplanes

APBA - American Power Boat Association

Hydroplane & Race Boat Museum

APBA Vintage Race Boat Circuit

APBA Vintage Race Boat Circuit - lots of photos