I met a guy last week ...he wants a boat lettered. actually..Ive done a few jobs fer him be4
he is restoring a 1934 hacker Craft....a long slim speed boat from the early days of boating she's a sporty 29 foot wood boat with a motor twice the size she needs...a flathead 6
her name will be Wilma... he proceeds to tell me the story..his words
I met Wilma inWW 2....she wrote me a letter.....and I wrote back......come to find out we didnt live too far apart.... we became passionate correspondents...... It got me thru the war days.....she seemed to enjoy it too when the war ended...one of my friends encouraged me to call her.. I was shy but after some time.. I did I called Wilma we met in Texas din take long.. We fell head over heels... We got married a few days later We started the drive back to NY she got sick in Delaware went to the hospital doctors couldnt find out what was wrong she stayed for a long time then felt better she was discharged we came back to NY but alas she soon found her way back to the hospital down hill it was stomach cancer she never came home .... at age 21 .... my eyes filled with tears of joy at the onset of the story. because it seemed that first love may have flourished and he was gonna name his boat after her... he did indeed name his boat after his first love...... but not as it should have been
he had an old letter that he kept...he copied her signature.... we will reproduce it in real gold in her honor.... and the 1934 speedster will once again dominate the waters around her..... with the added class of a love that once was.........
Im proud to be a part of this restoration and I made a friend in the process Ill get paid for my work but there will be an added bonus for both me and the boat owner..
Posted by Dawn Ellis (Member # 3529) on :
Michael, that is such a touching story. Thanks. I'd love to see a picture when she's done. Last week I did an installation on a boat called "Free Bird". The owner was very specific about the exact day the name would be done. Turns out the boat is named after his brother and he wanted it done on the one year anniversary of his passing.
Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Thanks Michael. I've been asked before to provide various monuments to passed loved ones (not lately). It gives a strange feeling of humility, pride and reverence, and its a little sad that most anything a commercial sign shop can do for modest cost will not be nearly permanent enough to honor the importance ot its use. So we do our best to make it at least look good while it can. With a little luck your boat may make it into a museum someday and outlive us all. I hope that story can always remain with the craft.
Posted by Kathy Joiner (Member # 1814) on :
Wow, Michael what a story. I think he is fortunate in having found someone to do the job that will not see it only as a buck made.
We really would like to see pics of her upon completion.
Posted by John Smith (Member # 1308) on :
Michael,,,, if you have the pictoral abilities (and his budget allows).... my suggestion would be to make a WWII bomber nose art likeness of some kind to honor her. Something like "Sweet Wilma" with a lady pictoral. I am very familiar with the Hacker and know the transom does not allow much room for extravagance..... But,,, you might want to run it by your client.
I still have the artwork I did for "Simply Irresistable" I did on one of the old Sky King Cesnas........ and that was so COOL !!!
Good luck to you in whatever you and your client decide to do !!!
Oh, yeah.... consider using POR-15 Pelucid as the clearcoat !!!
Posted by Michael Boone (Member # 308) on :
thanks fer your input John however ....we didnt do that 30 yrs ago he wants it plain.......... what a story............ hacker craft on the sides in imitation gold with black outline... they figgered out ta put 2 spark plugs in each cylinder.....cause the flow was not perfek she cn do 50 knots!
and Joe Reese...she is of museum guality restoration she will find a home for sure the story will not be forgotten
wodden boats take ya to a place that no sign painter should miss
Posted by John Smith (Member # 1308) on :
oh, yeah.......... almost forgot....... every year there is an EXCELLENT wood boat show in Mt. Dora, Fla..... there are litteraly HUNDREDS of old Chris Crafts, Hackers, etc. Some in origial condition pulled from old barns, some restored to original condition. And a huge flea market of old boats, parts, engines, etc. If you plan to be in the Central Florida area the last of March.... it is well worth your visit... and it's FREE !!!
