I’ve always loved opening day at a boat show. There is a certain energy to the scene, and the WoodenBoat Show is different from any other. Besides the craftsmen setting up, there is the background of the Mystic Seaport Museum itself. There is a balance between the frantic-ness of setup and the stillness of the past. Lovely.
Walking the docks, I indulged my fondness for boat sterns — what a lovely selection of transoms. There were the beautiful Herreshoff-designed Newport 29 sisters, ahead of another Herreshoff design, I believe, a Buzzards Bay 25. Although there are many good-looking boats at the show, few can match the power of the old tug that was displayed by Crockers Boat Yard. Working girls are beautiful at times.
The flash and glory of the yachts brought to the show by the boat yards are balanced by the funky beauty of the owner-built boats on display. The cocktail racer — 9′ of outboard-powered racer — are a crowd favorite during the show regatta.
What other show has a Chris-Craft-inspired and -powered motorcycle or, more properly, trike. I would say only the WoodenBoat Show. Come to Mystic this weekend and see for yourself.
Photos of Reveling in Wooden Boat Bliss on Opening Day
