Les Cheneaux Show Celebrates Boating Heritage
120 Boats To Be Displayed Saturday

Longtime Boat Show volunteers and Hessel residents Dick Nye and Mark Clymer (standing in Whaler) untie the complex line system that keeps boats from knocking together during the show.

The 29th Annual Les Cheneaux Antique Wooden Boat

Show and Festival of Arts in Hessel is Saturday, August 12, and at least 120 wooden boats will be on display.

The Festival of Arts will feature 70 artists selling glass, pottery, paintings, jewelry, sculpture, photographs, textiles, wood carvings, and wooden furniture.

Activities Saturday include channel cruises around the Les Cheneaux Islands.

Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for children ages 12 to 18 years. Children younger than 12 will be admitted free.

A complete schedule of events can be found on pages 6 and 7, including Friday evening events and the Saturday morning pancake breakfast.

Three feature boats in this year's boat show include the custom runabout Lady El, former Detroit police boat Wuzz a' Fuzz, and former racing boat Buddy.

Lady El is a 1936, 19.6-foot Earl Barnes runabout owned by Mark Andreae of Mullett Lake and Cincinnati, Ohio. Earl Barnes of Bracebridge, Ontario, was trained by master builder Bert Minett, and he built 20 custom boats during his career. Of those, only seven remain, remain, including Lady El. She is one of two 19.6-foot, six-foot beam, custom Barnes boats still afloat today. She won Best of Show last year. Wuzz a' Fuzz is a retired police boat that patrolled the Detroit River from 1948 to around the 1960s. The 30-foot, 1948 Hacker Craft is owned by Tom Flood of Cedarville, a Hacker enthusiast and restorer. The name is a tribute to the vessel's former service with the Detroit Police Department. The vessel was custom built for the City of Detroit by Hacker Boat Company of Mount Clemens, and is now powered by two Mercruiser 454 engines.

Buddy is a 1930, 26-foot Chris Craft runabout, that has been completely restored to top condition, with all new Honduras mahogany. She is powered by a 1970s vintage, 330 horsepower, Chrysler 440 engine, which owner and restorer Jim Mertaugh installed to provide more dependable power. The vessel has green upholstery, and features an antique clock and spotlight.

Among the honors received at the antique show is the People's Choice Award, selected by spectators. Anyone who wants to vote must use the ballot inside the boat show program. Ballots must be turned in before 2 p.m. Awards will be distributed at 4 p.m.

This year, the boat show will feature a new category called "Les Cheneaux Everyday Boats," and will offer a special display of boats that are used regularly by local residents. The boats in this category will not be judged, and will be docked as a group in one location.