Old Boats Buffalo

On a warm summer evening last July, the Board of Director’s of the Niagara Frontier A.C.B.S. were conducting a meeting while floating on the Niagara River.  Topics such as the up-coming boat show, review of the spring workshop, donations, newsletter, and the procuring of a club center were being discussed when, Rocky Nagel, our club president asked for someone to write an article for the Rudder Publication focusing on our chapter.  Silence…. can be an eerie experience!  I thought for a moment, as I have only been a member for the last three years, when the message of the guest editorial in the summer edition of the Rudder, entitled, “A Sense of Purpose” written by Brian Lawson, rang in my head!! What is our purpose?  Does it reflect Article II of the ACBS Constitution? I quickly thought, yes it does, and …I will write the article …as the Niagara Frontier Chapter does have and demonstrates a strong sense of purpose….is vibrant, committed, and dedicated to it’s motto of PRESERVATION, RESTORATION, EDUCATION, RECREATION!!

When one “Shuffles Off to Buffalo” on the weekend after Labor Day, they are treated to one of our country’s premier A.C.B.S./A.P.B.A. boat shows. Every year this show is an exceptional display of over 100 restored, antique and classic boats along with vendors who are ready to sell, teach and talk boats.  The Buffalo Launch Club on Grand Island is the perfect venue for our show. Not only for the spacious basin that can hold,over 100 boats displayed, along with the beautiful grounds that can accommodate all the related activities, but, also because of its rich history as the oldest powerboat club in the United States!  The Launch Club was originally formed to promote motor boating in the early1900’s.  Later, the Club sponsored International Regatta’s through the 1960’s and has been the homeport for the Niagara Frontier Antique and Classic Boat Shows and Race boat Reunion for almost 30 years! 

The Buffalo Launch Club was the site of the historical Fisher-Allison Trophy Racein 1924 at which Gar Wood and his mechanic Orlin Johnson took their famous ride wearing white ties, tailcoats, and white gloves.  Gar Wood sported a top hat fitted with a chinstrap!  It was his way of protesting the dispute about his classification as a Gentlemen’s racer.  He won all three heats and claimed his trophyin his formal attire!  Even today at the Buffalo Launch Club, during the boat show, some racers and also owners decorate their crafts with period regalia as well as themselves wear period apparel.

TheGreat Depression and World War I and II had a major impact not only on the economy, but also facilitated the need of many of the local boats to join the Coast Guard reserve fleet as a part of the war effort.

The end of World War II signaled a rebirth in sport of racing. The Buffalo Launch Club held an International Speedboat Regatta in 1949 after 15 years of absence.  Over 25,000 spectators lined the Niagara River Shoreline to witness this racing revival.  It seemed like old times again on the river except that the “old boys” of racing had given way to a new generation.  Names like George Trimper in Baby Loon, Mike Steffen, Joe Les, and Ed Endres shared the spotlight as the pioneer of speedfrom 1909, Harry Elliot, watched eagerly from the Clubhouse.  These races featured boats including Hoarce Dodge’s “My Sweetie,” Lou Fageol’s, So Long and So Long II, Guy Lombardo’sTempo VI (this boat has been present at current shows for many years), and Sid Street from Kansas racing “Z-Z-Zip”.

Itis very clear that the history of boating on the Niagara River is deeplyentwined with the history of the Buffalo Launch Club.  It witnessed the birth of motor boating andencouraged it every step of the way and from the early days of motorizedlaunches to the World Record Breaking Speeds of the decades to come.  It has also enabled our club to preserve ourpleasure boating and race boating history as the host of the Annual Antique andClassic Boat Show.

Our annual boat show has highlighted vintage crafts such as Ventnor’s, Baby Gars,Lauterbachs, Century’s, Chris-Crafts, and unique boats such as the Lock Pat II. We have also celebrated those built in Buffalo – The Jafco Seamaster, Richardson Cruiser and Runabouts, Mang fishing boats, and the Cayuga Boats.  Buffalo has been the fore runnerof the fiberglass boat industry with the Custom Craft Boats and the outboardsof Jafco Marine.

Richardson Boats of North Tonawanda built boats on the Erie Canal from 1909 to 1962.  Reid Richardson started building boats to order but soon offered ready built or kits to standard design.  By 1927 the company had switched to stockdesigns.  The stock concept allowed Richardson to compete favorably with the other stock builders who offered th esame range of sizes and accommodations. Richardson boats were not over or underpowered.  They were not over constructed or weaklybuilt.  They adopted the middle line and survived when other companies did not!

Niagara Motor Boat Company started in 1907 at 260 Sweeney Street in NorthTonawanda.  Reid Richardson was employed at this company before staring his own company down the street at 360 Sweeney Street.  Niagara offered a full range ofboats up to 35 feet in the standard designs offered at the time.  They never adopted the stock concept as it developed and as the designs were passed by they stayed with the individual boat order.  They couldn’t survive withthat limited business in ordinary cruisers and runabouts and went out of business in 1927. 

Smaller builders could survive. Jack Frauenheim founded Jafco Marine in 1946 on a 15-acre property at 2192 Niagara Street, previously a lumberyard and docks.  He built buildings for boat scales, service and storage.  The basin was dredged, bulkheads and docks built and marine hoist installed.  The property included an old Customs housethat was turned into a restaurant. Frauenheim handled a number of small boat lines until the late 1940’s when he contracted with Shepard Boats of Niagara on the Lake, Ontario to act as distributor of all Shepard Boats being sold in the United States.  Jafco imported the Shepard hull, less engines, into the US then installed the US build Chrysler and Gray Marine engines, thus saving major duties on engines being shipped in to Canada and then back again.  This arrangement lasted until the late 1950’s.

In1952 Jafco decided to build and market their own boats.  Grewe Boats of Ontario, Canada was contractedto build the first Jafco Seamaster, a 20’, round bottom, single plank lapstreakboat with a wide deep beam.   The firstorder was for 100 boats. The completed hulls were shipped to Buffalo and theJafco engine plant on Hinman installed the engines.

The20’ Seamaster was soon followed by an 18’ utility designed by Glenn Furness ofHutchinson Boat Company of Alexandria Bay, New York.  This boat was later re-designed and the 18’Sportsmaster was created – a neat, two-cockpit runabout with steering aft.  The Gray V8 engine moved this boat over 45mph. Over the years the 20’ Seamaster was re-designed into the 21’ Seamasterutility and a bigger 23’ model.

Asone of first builders of fiberglass outboard boats, Jafco Seamsters and other outboards are still on the water offering a big roomy boat that a family can still enjoy!

All these boats needed power.  “Built in Buffalo,” “Made in Buffalo,” were commonly heard in the boating industry.  Two large manufacturers of marine engineswere Sterling and Peerless.  Sterling started in 1904 by A.B. Sterling, who kept his company going until after WorldWar II.  The Sterling engines were amongthe most powerful available to pleasure boaters and racers.  Sterlings powered the Gold Challenge Cup winner for eight consecutive years. Our N.F.A.C.B.S Chapter has had these engines donated and have been displayed at shows throughout the years.

Peerless engines had their beginning in 1915 by Edwinn Grimm.  They thrived until the stock builders preferred the Detroit based engine builders including Gray, Nordland, andChrysler.  “Stock Boats” ended Buffalo’smajor role in the pleasure boat and marine engine business.  In essence, the whole marine industry changes with the introduction of stock boats.

Buffalo is not a boat building nor engine building center anymore, but the boats, we in the Antique and Classic Boat Society preserve, are reminders of the craftsmanship and engineering skill available not only in Buffalo, but, throughout this country!

Restoration and preservation are two key planks in our clubs mission statement. To promote these endeavors we started a workshop series held during the fall, winter, and spring months. A variety of topics pertaining to boat restoration and engine maintenance as well a historical topics are presented and enjoyed.  These seminars are always well attended and have been a great source of new membership, as the word has gotten out, that our club is on the move!  We also discovered that workshop demonstrations needed to be followed up with hands on applications.  We needed a home base!

Seeing and hearing is one thing, actually doing is another. Consequently, our chapter in the 1980’s was able to secure space at the historic Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company through the generosity of member Bob Boeckel. This facility encouragedmembers to refurbish their boats and get them back into the water once again.In addition to getting a helping hand with their restoration project by fellowclub members, they were also encouraged to finish their project. As well all know how easy it is to walk away from along restoration project! A change in ownership caused the club to loose this facility and not until just recently have we been able to secure another work/meeting place.

Our club just entered into an agreement with the Buffalo State College Maritime Center for a workspace at their waterfront facility. Members will once again spend their winter months restoring boats for the upcoming boating season.  Workshops and other activities will be held at the Center throughout the year.

Over the past year a group of club members took on the task of resurrecting a tired outboard 16’ 1960’s vintage Amish built plywood Skee Craft at the Buffalo State Center. Members worked every Tuesday on this Skee Craft to get it ready for launching.   Next summer this boat will be put into service by a group called the Niagara River Keepers and utilized as a conservation patrol boat.  Other projects are in the works for our membership as boats are being donated, thus creating opportunities for restoration and the preservation of boats in Western New York.

We are pleased to have entered into this partnership with Buffalo State College Maritime Center. It can only strengthen our mission as it provides a home for our club with all the activities we have throughout the year. Once again, the Niagara Frontier Chapter of the A.C.B.S. is displaying our purpose and living our motto  – Restoration – Preservation– Education!!

The Board of Directors of the NFACBS is, at present, a group of dedicated boaters who are guided by our mission and sense of purpose.  They are focused on keeping the history, tradition, and love of boating alive in Western New York.  Our club membership boasts Jack Barron, aformer ACBS National President, John Howard a past National Director, and presently, Sharon Dickinson, a National Director.  Along with these strong ambassadors of antique and classic boating, our rejuvenated newsletter is keeping all members informed of our present and past activities. It is clear to me, as a recent addition to our chapter that the Niagara Frontier Chapter of the ACBS has enjoyed a grand historic past and is buildingan exciting and purposeful future!

Formore information about our club and activities go to OldBoatsBuffalo.org

Compiledby Margaret Hollstein

Informationfor this article was generated from articles by Donna Feathers, Paul McKenna,Tom Frauenheim and Richard DeGlopper.