More Than 13,000 Enthusiasts Celebrated Wooden Boats
at Mystic Seaport during the July 2007 Show

Based on the success of this year’s show, WoodenBoat magazine and Mystic Seaport have announced that the show will again be held in Mystic Seaport

“The 2007 WoodenBoat Show was the best one in our 16 years of producing this wonderful event. The boats, the people, the vendors, special events, and Mystic Seaport all contributed to make this an exceptional show. We greatly look forward to returning in 2008,” commented Carl Cramer, the publisher of WoodenBoat magazine and producer of the 16th Annual WoodenBoat Show that took place at Mystic Seaport on June 29 – July 1. Dana Hewson, Vice President of Watercraft at Mystic Seaport was equally enthusiastic saying, "Mystic Seaport and the WoodenBoat Show are perfect partners -- and this year's show proved that. The location and the content worked wonderfully together to give visitors more than they could have imagined."

The weekend’s attendance nearly tripled a normal June weekend at Mystic Seaport and doubled attendance at last year’s WoodenBoat Show held in Newport, Rhode Island. Parking lots that filled up by mid-morning and throngs swarming the docks and grounds of Mystic Seaport for three days straight were testament to the success of this year’s show. Visitors enjoyed the show boats, exhibits, and presentations that filled the seaport’s waterfront campus as well as the museum’s own exhibits and galleries. One admission fee included both attractions for two full days.

There were all types of wooden boats at the show, from kayaks and canoes and vintage speedboats with gleaming varnish to the amazingly glamorous 74-foot power yacht, Aphrodite and a 76-foot sailing yacht. There were used boats being offered for sale by their owners, new boats being sold by builders, and recently completed restorations being shown by various boat yards from throughout New England and beyond. There were also all kinds of exhibitors, from varnish manufacturers and sail makers to one who was offering a device that sends a text message to your cell phone if the water level rises too high in your boat’s bilge.

More than a dozen workshops presented by expert boat builders demonstrated how to cast bronze boat hardware, splice wire, saw bezels, steam bend planks, and maintain diesel engines were well attended. Crowds gathered and sawdust flew every time the operator fired up the Wood-Mizer portable saw mill to handily cut tree trunks into planks. A lucky few toured the steam engine aboard the 1908 excursion steamer Sabino, while many more caught a rare glimpse of Mystic Seaport’s extensive collection of small boats and rare marine engines. Several enjoyed a guided tour of the restoration of the 1920 fishing vessel Roann, taking place in the DuPont Shipyard.

Pleased exhibitors said they liked the synergy between the working museum and its waterfront and the way the show brings a marketable side to some of the same things; making and maintaining and celebrating wooden boats. “The show was a memorable experience in an outstanding location. To be able to exhibit my nautical watercolors in the shadow of the historic whaling ship Morgan was inspiring and will probably result in new works reflecting the seaport,” enthused Linda Norton of Linda Norton Studios. “We had a great show, far better than expected. The people that came to our booth at the WoodenBoat Show were genuinely interested in our products, were full of good questions, and appreciated what we do,” commented Mike Lavecchia from Grain Surfboards of York, Maine. David Jacques, President of Boatsense Solutions Inc. said, “The show appears was an overwhelming success for us in letting the market know about our product.” "A great show is an understatement. Mystic Seaport seemed to attract the right attendee; enthusiastic wooden boat aficionados. Where else can you be standing next to a sharpie from the late 1800's and, in my case, a skiff finished late the previous night?" quipped Edward Sutt of Synergy Boatworks.

Photographs from this year’s show can be viewed at TheWoodenBoatShow.com. The 17th WoodenBoat Show, presented by WoodenBoat magazine, will again take place at Mystic Seaport on June 27 – 29, 2008. Anyone interested in exhibiting should email kate@woodenboat.com.

>> Photos