“Marjorie” and “Mohawk Jr.” win top prizes at Antique Boat Show

They all looked beautiful, but two motorboats came out of Saturday's Antique and Classic Boat Show as the very best.
"Marjorie," a 1929 24-foot Chris Craft triple cockpit owned by Sam and Jerrie Hoagland, won Best in Show Preserved and "Mohawk Jr.," a 1961 17-foot Chris Craft ski boat owned by Ed Alonge won Best in Show Restored at the 37th annual event, held at the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club.
About 40 boats participated in the show, lining the yacht club docks and positioned on trailers around the club lawn, giving spectators and enthusiasts an opportunity to peer in and marvel at newly varnished mahogany and authentically retro engines.
"It's been a fabulous day after last night's fog," said LHYC commodore Ken Heaton. "Beautiful boats, a beautiful day. Life is good here at the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club."
Heaton had two boats in attendance at the show: "Uncle Charlie" and a newly acquired 1955 Penn Yan Trailboat, complete with an Elto Cub half-horsepower 1940 trailing motor (plus a 1958 Evinrude 18 horsepower). Like so many of the boats in attendance, Heaton's trailboat had a story: when it was originally built, it was constructed in a basement. Although measurements were made, they didn't account for certain things. "The boat actually had to be cut in half to be removed," Heaton said. No sign of that trauma is visible on the boat today.
Brad Hoferkamp of Hopatcong also had a story to tell. His 1955 22-foot Chris Craft Continental, "Port of Entry," was original acquired by his uncle in 1961, who kept it on Lake Louisa in Virginia. "I learned to ski behind this boat," Hoferkamp said. His uncle passed away, and his aunt sold the boat to him a year and a half ago. Hoferkamp brought the boat into Katz's Marina in Hopatcong ("he did an absolutely outstanding job," Hoferkamp said), and Saturday was Port of Entry's first show.
"Thayer IV" of "On Golden Pond" movie fame, and the "Shangri-La," an original Lake Hopatcong boat made by Barnes Craft, were both on display. Thayer IV is going to be restored, not to factory condition, but to the way it looked in the movie. "It's not going to look like it came out of a showroom," said Bob Kays of the Lake Hopatcong Antique and Classic Boat Society. "But there are a lot of little things that are going to be done to make it look like it did when Henry Fonda drove it." As for the Shangri-La, Kays said there's only one other known Barnes craft in existence today. (Stories with more information about each of these boats can be found on LakeHopatcongNews.com.)
The show featured model boats, vendor displays—including that of Alan Johnson, who can be credited with the lettering on the back of most of the lake's classic boat transoms, food and drink, and, of course, judging. Boy Scout Troop 276 of Byram walked with the judges from the Lake Hopatcong Antique and Classic Boat Society, learning about the process.
After the winners were celebrated at a reception on Saturday night, the boats participated in a Sunday morning boat parade, culminating in a brunch at Katz's Marina.
"It's a lovely event, as always," Kays said. "I'm just happy it's sunny to show off all these beautiful boats."

The scene at the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club on Saturday.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 276 learn about boat judging from the Lake Hopatcong Antique and Classic Boat Society.

Model classic boats were also on dispaly at the annual boat show.

LHYC commodore Ken Heaton and Tony Sanchez, both of whom had entries in the boat show.

Sanchez's boat, "Slats," a 1968 20-foot Chris Craft Grand Prix.

The club was decked out for the occasion.

Heaton's 1955 Penn Yan Trailboat.

"Thayer IV," which was featured in the movie "On Golden Pond."

Kim Marsden, dressed in period costume, in the boat "Black Witch."

Brad Hoferkamp stands by his 1955 22-foot Chris Craft Continental, "Port of Entry.

Best in Show Preserved, a "Marjorie," a 1929 24-foot Chris Craft triple cockpit owned by Sam and Jerrie Hoagland.

Alex and Bob Kays of the Lake Hopatcong Antique and Classic Boat Society, which puts on the annual event.

Alan Johnson, who does much of the lettering found on Lake Hopatcong antique and classic boats.