There's no denying the virile, roaring sex appeal of a classic wooden boat. But how often do most of us get close enough to a meticulously restored specimen to admire its sleek lines, mahogany decks and masterfully tooled engine?
reaching for words to explain the appeal of an event expected to draw around 6,000 spectators.
"It's the blue water of Lake Tahoe against the mahogany … you just can't duplicate it anywhere else."
The year's event showcases boats built between 1920 and 1929 during a burst of affluence in the American economy.
Sacramento real estate broker Doug Elmore will be there with Rainbow III, a 27-foot Gold Cup racer that was custom-built in 1923, one of more than a dozen boats the enthusiast has ushered through the restoration process.
"The 1920s are a very special decade for wooden boats," he says. "With boats as with cars, it was the height of luxury and innovation. Boats were ahead of cars at that time, with speed and everything else. The Gold Cup (held in Detroit) was the most prestigious speed event in the United States."
Rainbow III was last raced in 1926, then stored away for almost 50 years, Elmore said. "Because it was a race boat, it was very thin and light, not made to last. It's amazing any of them lasted."
Another very special boat to appear in this year's show is Baby Skipalong, a one-of- a-kind competitive craft built to knock the competition dead in the 1925 Gold Cup event. The boat capsized during a test run but was rebuilt and took the title the next two years.
Sportsman Leland Stanford Scott brought it in 1929 to Lake Tahoe, where she became a perennial regatta champion into the 1950s. Retired in 1975, the boat made only occasional appearances until being purchased last year by Edward Scott, a relative of Leland and son of Tahoe historian E.B. "Bud" Scott.
Baby Skipalong's 275-hp Packard 621 engine is one of only four in existence; another provides the power for Elmore's Rainbow III.
Not all the boats on show will be from the F. Scott Fitzgerald era. Blake Covert of Sacramento is polishing up his 22-foot 1955 Chris-Craft Continental for an appearance; he brought it in from Michigan for a restoration process that took so long he renamed the craft Patience.
"It's like an old house: Once you're into it you discover what's wrong … and you're still into it."
If a boat is a hole in the water into which besotted owners pour money, the Concours d'Elegance is the place to admire them. Most of the craft on display are valued from $50,000 to well over $1 million.
Besides dockside viewing opportunities, the weekend event, which kicks off Tahoe Wooden Boat Week, includes a series of picnics and dinners, a boat parade, a marine swap meet, a gala dinner and other gatherings. VIP Preview events on Thursday include a vintage aircraft flyover and opportunities for private boat rides.
Boats in the show will be judged on facets of authenticity ranging from exterior construction and appearance to engines and drive trains. All must be fully functional.
A crowd-favorite event is the Saturday afternoon "roar off" when boats depart the marina en masse.
Daisy, wait for me!
Call Bee Travel Editor Janet Fullwood, (916) 321-1148.
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