Reporting Live-ish from the 10th Annual Classic Boat Festival at Sandpoint, Idaho – Fellow Woody Boater Karen Harrison sent us this report…
Texx – It was a fabulous first evening to kick off the show. We had the honour of attending the “Welcome Aboard” barbecue at Jim and Milaine McGoldrick’s home on Lake Pend Oreille, in Northern Idaho. The meal was excellent, but the main show was the McGoldrick shop (well museum really) which contained a number of Jim’s early hydro-plane race boats as well as a few pleasure craft, outboards and a very cool Ham radio in the attic. Jim McGoldrick is a legend here in Northern Idaho.
We learned a little more about the McGoldrick Family tonight. As well as racing boats, Jim was a pilot (and so was his wife actually – and a parachutist! – she is as much an inspiration as he is) and he ran a successful electronics distributor and manufacturing business, which he started in 1945. This couple is still very active and engaging (Jim is 94 and Milaine is stunningly beautiful) and I wish we could have spent some more time chatting with them, but everyone there wanted the same thing.
Here’s Jim (below left) speaking to his guests during the “Welcome Aboard” barbecue.
Jim McGoldrick is still enjoying his wooden boats on Lake Pend Oreille. Wooden boats and racing have been a lifelong obsession for McGoldrick. He won his first race at the age of twelve and has raced, restored and collected dozens of wooden boats over the years, and many of them were on display tonight for us to see and enjoy.
Don and Emily Robson once again offered their support for the Sandpoint Classic Boat Festival by hosting the Friday night “Welcome Aboard” party at the McGoldrick’s. Lots of great food and friends, a perfect way to kick off this year’s event.
They have a real slice of heaven here in Northern Idaho, as you can see from the photos.
Karen Harrison – Fellow Woody Boater
Thanks for the great report Karen. I guess now it’s safe to say that Karen provides the Summer Reports from places like beautiful Sandpoint, Idaho and Paul provides the Winter Reports from Browning, Montana. Just kidding guys, we love them all…
The 10th Annual Classic Boat Festival at Sandpoint, which is hosted by the Inland Empire Chapter ACBS gets into full swing on Saturday morning. If your in the Northern Idaho / Eastern Washington area, stop by and check it out, the Sandpoint Marina is an absolutely wonderful venue for an antique & classic boat show. For more information you can click here to go directly to the new Inland Empire Chapter ACBS web site.
Stay tuned for more photos and info from the Sandpoint boat show on Sunday.
Texx
Thanks for the report. Any of those boats would be great to own but BULLMOOSE looks like it could handle some pretty big water. I wonder how big the lake there is? Can those boats stretch their legs there?
The surface area of the lake is 148 square miles. It is 65 miles long, and 1,150 feet deep in some regions. It is the biggest lake in Idaho, so is well suited for big boats like the Lyman.
Thanks Karen, Very nice report!
Thanks to all! Looks like a beautiful place with unique people and great boats! It is now on my list! Great story!!!
Nice Job Karen and we would add that the entire McGoldrick family pitched in to make this a magical evening as described by many in attendance.
We stopped by the following week and Jim & Milaine said they also enjoyed the evening event and meeting so many nice folks that attended.