My family boating back in the day

[tom5518]

This is a compilation that was filmed in 1947-51 on grandpa's boat by a friend of theirs whose family was a frequent guest on the boat. It includes my grandpa, grandma, uncle Dale and my mother. Grandpa is not the guy who looks like he owns the thing, not the brochure looking guy. Grandma Gret is the lady with dark hair often tied back who is always posing. My mother is the dark haired young girl sitting next to her mother in the salon and my uncle Dale is the boy with the dark hair.

I didn't know of this film's existence until about six months after my mother had passed. My uncle had given the disc to her so i watched it with him a day after it was found to learn about it. Some of the places might be sorta familiar to you Great Lakes peeps.

[Avenger]

I'd bet money when the projector came out at family gatherings everybody rolled their eyes, but now you watch them and it probably brings a tear instead.

It's cool that you have these. Most of us, at best, have a few snapshots of those good times and the people that we miss or hardly remember. It looks like a lot of fun from a bygone age when things just made a lot more sense.

[skycheney]

Mar 3, 2019 11:18:19 GMT -5 tom5518 said:

This is a compilation that was filmed in 1947-51 on grandpa's boat by a friend of theirs whose family was a frequent guest on the boat. It includes my grandpa, grandma, uncle Dale and my mother. Grandpa is not the guy who looks like he owns the thing, not the brochure looking guy. Grandma Gret is the lady with dark hair often tied back who is always posing. My mother is the dark haired young girl sitting next to her mother in the salon and my uncle Dale is the boy with the dark hair.

I didn't know of this film's existence until about six months after my mother had passed. My uncle had given the disc to her so i watched it with him a day after it was found to learn about it. Some of the places might be sorta familiar to you Great Lakes peeps.

Tom,
Where to I start? This is sooooo cool. I love seeing your family and those great looking old Chris Crafts. I recognize Harbor Springs and Mackinac Island and the sleeping bear dunes and Frankfort. Very, very neat that you have that.

[yachtsmanwilly]

Most excellent Tom! Its odd when I think back, My memories seem like clouded 16MM movies too. Thanks so much for sharing. Power Squadron members as well! ws

[tom5518]

Thanks for the nice comments guys. The first time I watched this it was a little hard seeing my mother as a little girl soon after she had passed. Sky, I knew you would enjoy seeing this, especially the places as they were so many years ago. My uncle told me many stories about the boats and boating back then. He had a great memory for the details and would always make the stories interesting and funny, often at his expense. For instance, you can see him piloting the dinghy in one scene. Fortunately that wasn't the time he forgot to make sure the outboard was secure. My grandfather was not thrilled when they were going along and uncle Dale turned the outboard and it moved across the transom of the Old Town dinghy putting a bid ole gouge in the freshly varnished wood on the inside.

Then there was the first summer, 1951, with the new 48 Chris with the triple screws. Grandpa ordered it that way so it would be fast, and it was, smooth seas or not. Fast forward to the fall when they noticed a problem with the bottom leaking. My grandpa had cracked every stringer in the bottom. Fortunately Chris Craft honored the warranty on it and sent a crew over to this side of the state and spent the winter rebuilding the bottom. About all they said was you might want to go a little slower if it is choppy out. In other words, we did it once, we won't do it again.

[skycheney]

Mar 4, 2019 19:35:23 GMT -5 tom5518 said:

Thanks for the nice comments guys. The first time I watched this it was a little hard seeing my mother as a little girl soon after she had passed. Sky, I knew you would enjoy seeing this, especially the places as they were so many years ago. My uncle told me many stories about the boats and boating back then. He had a great memory for the details and would always make the stories interesting and funny, often at his expense. For instance, you can see him piloting the dinghy in one scene. Fortunately that wasn't the time he forgot to make sure the outboard was secure. My grandfather was not thrilled when they were going along and uncle Dale turned the outboard and it moved across the transom of the Old Town dinghy putting a bid ole gouge in the freshly varnished wood on the inside.

Then there was the first summer, 1951, with the new 48 Chris with the triple screws. Grandpa ordered it that way so it would be fast, and it was, smooth seas or not. Fast forward to the fall when they noticed a problem with the bottom leaking. My grandpa had cracked every stringer in the bottom. Fortunately Chris Craft honored the warranty on it and sent a crew over to this side of the state and spent the winter rebuilding the bottom. About all they said was you might want to go a little slower if it is choppy out. In other words, we did it once, we won't do it again.

As a kid, I loved talking to those old timers. Now, it seems, we are becoming the old timers, and no kids ever care what we have to say.

[tom5518]

As a kid, I loved talking to those old timers. Now, it seems, we are becoming the old timers, and no kids ever care what we have to say.

What's this WE shit old man. LOL

I've got a couple of years on you Sky, it sure goes fast! I was the same way when it came to talking to the "old timers." I loved all their stories and I was fortunate that they didn't "sanitize" their stories which made me realize from a young age that they were kids once too.

[Avenger]

Can't resist: