16th Annual SML Antique & Classic Boat Show
by Jerry Hale

     Those who’ve attended the yearly boat show organized by the Smith Mountain Lake Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society know it’s one of Smith Mountain Lake’s premier “ogle and drool” events. This year’s 16th Annual Boat Show will take place on Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mariner’s Landing. If you’ve missed the previous editions, make this your year to attend.
     As a major gathering of classic motorboats from the 1920s through the 1960s, the show provides a chance to get up close and personal with 60 or so glimmering examples of boating’s glamorous past. Scenic and calm, SML is one of the East’s most appealing venues for this type of event and will attract some 40 classic boats from Florida to the Great Northeast, whose owners and crews come to talk mahogany, varnish and fittings with the Lake’s enthusiasts and display their treasures alongside the 20 or more local craft vendors.
     The 2006 show will take place for the second year at The Pointe at Mariners Landing, where first-class docking facilities make it easy to inspect the fastidious restorations and hob-knob with knowledgeable owners who are eager to show off (and talk about!) their craft. Add in food from The Pointe’s fine kitchen, live music, ample on-shore space for craft and marine supply vendors, and an awesome out-the-cove view of Smith Mountain, and you have the ingredients for a memorable mid-August weekend.
     Why not invite friends to join you in savoring the nostalgia of pleasure boating’s glamorous past?  Try to find a speck of dust on Mike Mutchler’s 1926 26-foot Chris Craft “Flapper” (Bet you won’t!). Check out the Lake’s newest arrival from Seattle: Mark Thompson’s 1929 26-foot Hacker Craft, the “Lexus” brand of the era. Envision yourself at the helm of any of the other 58 or so classics that will be on display and in action. You’ll be glad the delights of Smith Mountain Lake have been discovered by the antique and classic boating set.

Virtually all of the transient docks at Mariners Landing will be occupied by display boats, so your best bet is to come by land. Travel toward the State Park from White House Corner, then look for the entrance sign to Mariners about a mile on the left.