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Just a reminder to anyone close to the Madisonville, La area.

The Wooden Boat Festival is this weekend coming. It's a great family event and is like stepping back in time. These restored boats are beautiful.

I am pretty sure that TharSheBlows is going. Anyone else in the area going?

I'm planning on taking my wife and kids in the Montauk to go see the festivites.

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I really want to go to that festival. Festival Acadian & Creole is this weekend also so I have to stay home. A friend in NO went to the class on building a few years ago and built a very nice skiff. I've seen a couple of them in the T River when I camped there. Beautiful boats. I would love to take that class and buile one. Do you know how many weekends the class lasts?

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Moose:

Actually, the father to a past client of mine teaches the class, or he was at one time. I'll get some information for you and pass it along.

The weather report isn't looking all that great for the Wooden Boat Fest. From what I understand, its going to be raining cats and dogs.

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They have one here with a big Fish fry, Clams, and Beer evey year, I like looking at the sail boats.

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Here's the website to the festival. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun.

http://www.woodenboatfest.org/

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I have such faith in our forecasters. I'm planning an early fishing trip Saturday because they say 60% rain. I usually plan for the opposite of their forecast to take place. The festival should be great.
Mike

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I hope the festival is great! The rain won't stop the fun in Madisonville. Moved near there as a teenager and loved it. Actually went to junior high there and dove off the warf into Tchefuncte River at the same spot as the link in Moose"s post. It was also the 1st place I saw a Whaler and knew what I wanted when I grew up.

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I'm looking forward to it for sure. I passed through Madisonville yesterday and they were setting up. I'll try and get some pics and post them next week. Have a nice weekend everybody.

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I certainly would like to see some pictures.

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Plan to be there early Sunday morn Nick. Hope to see you there. Unfortunately I will be going alone as the rest of the family would rather do something else. And I have discovered I have some propeller issues so I will not be able to go there by water. My prop will be visiting Hopkins shop sometimes next week to see about repitching or replacement. I had it worked at a shop locally, I just wanted some nicks repaired and polished but on return it will only turn 4800 rpm at wot. And I have now found out about the reputation this shop has as the prop murderer. Anyway I will P M you with my cell # so you can call me to link up.

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Tharsheblows: sounds good about the festival. I'll pm you right now. Hopkins will get you fixed up--he's the best around.

CES: I'll make sure I follow through with the pictures.

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I appreciate it nvaccro! There's just something special about wooden boats.

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CES:

I totally blew it. We had bad weather here all weekend and when I finally saw some clearing, I loaded up the kids and pulled the whaler to the launch. We put in and headed down river to the festival today. Along the way, I saw some folks sitting on their pier on the river. It just so happens I built their house, so we stopped to talk to them. After about a 30 minute conversation, I turned the key with anticipation of seeing those old boats--no luck. She wouldn't turn over. I sat there for quite some time before finally solving the crisis--electrical issue. I hate electrical issues!

Anyway, by the time I got her turned over, the little "Indians" were ready to go home. Sorry for not having pictures. I didn't even get to contact Thar She Blows. Maybe he took some pictures.

On the bright side, I was able to drop the trolling motor and pull into my old client's boat house to work on the motor. It rained cats and dogs!

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nvcarro, that's okay man...just part of the boating experience to have issues once in a while. At least you made an honest attempt to make it out there. Mother nature has a way of making sure things go her way and not ours.

I'm glad you were able to fix your problem and get you and the family home safely.

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Hi all, Yea I made it to the fest. Got there at 10:30 and took a few pictures of the power boats on static display. Chris Craft,Thompson,Higgins cruser,Yellow Jacket, Local made Lake Skiffs One of which had a very unsual center console made like a barrel with stave construction. The owner said it was quite a challange to build. Saw one steam powered vessel about 25 ft long and about a 6 ft or less beam taking people on juants up and down the river. To take pics you need to go early before the crowds they will not respect a camera unfortuantly due to the rain a lot of the entrys was covered with tarps in the morning. and when the owners arrived and uncovered the crowds were thick. I got a few pics and I wil have to learn how to post at fliker or one of the other sites I have seen used here. I only stayed to just past 1:30, the bands did not show up at least the one I was intrested in, Reed Alleman, and it looked like another rain storm was coming so I did not see the down and dirty boat race. But I did get a few pictures of the finished builds and the crews were in costume and getting happy! I even saw a 1963 fiberglass Bertram with a judge placard on it. It only had two railboards and dashboard in wood. So I watched for the owner when he arrived I asked him how he was entered and he told me that last year the fest started a 30yr or older divison and he being the only entrant he has won it both years. Maybe next year there will be a 1970 Eastport to compete against. I saw only 4 Whalers a Outrage just passing by out to the lake and a 13 tender next to a yacht, and another 13 on another yacht topside also a 15 cruising back and forth with" Hammertime" name on the side. A boat from Alabama took 1st place in the wood competition it was plank sided 3/4 " smooth edge joined and glued with 5200. Now looking at the pics I wished I had thought to ask the owner how he coaxed the 3/4" to take the curves The planks were of Juniper from Florida the only Juniper I knew of, around here is only a shrub. Anyway I had a great time!

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Ok I put the photos on flickr. Somewhere I read a post by Joe about making the link but now I can not find it. Joe If you can, please feel free to correct it. And please explain again how to do it I will pay better attention this time. There is also something in the Flickr guidelines about linking to another web site I am not sure I understand. So if flicker is not what I should use let me know, I used them because Yahoo is my e-mail site. Ok the URL is http://www.flickr.com/photo/tharsheblows

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Tharsheblows. Thanks for posting the pictures however when I entered the flikr photo album, there were so many pictures in there, I couldn't find any from the festival. Did you put them all in the same folder?

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CES That has me puzzled I just opened that account last night. And is only the first time I have ever posted any pics online and all was from the festival. A total of 25 pics about half was of boats and the other half was of the competiton for one day boat building and racing. The competition did have a carnival atmosphere but all was tagged " wooden boat festival. I will go and see if there some crossover to someone else.

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When I copy and paste the link, it takes me to a guys page called Jez. I've gotten to know jez, he's travelled all over the world and has some fantastic pictures of his travels. In fact, more than 198 pictures!! Lol.

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Yea that is what I am getting. I have just returned and I think maybe I have the url wrong. I have looked closely and I think it should be http://www.flickr.com/photos/tharsheblows/
It seams I was missing a s in photos and a forward slash at the end of the other url i posted

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That worked! Thanks for the pics. I saw one like the two docked behind the main shot on pic 218 when I was camped at Madisonville last year. I really want to go next year.
Mike