FINGER LAKES BOATING MUSEUM'S ANNUAL SHOW

GENEVA, NY

The Finger Lakes Boating Museum will launch its annual boat show July 24-25 at Geneva Lakefront Park.

The museum's first show at its new home in Geneva will be part of the Cruisin' Weekend activities. The theme is "Sailing in the Finger Lakes" and the show is free and open to the public.

Bill Oben, president of the Boating Museum, said the highlights of the show will include "fleets of boats coming in from across the country, the largest regatta of vintage one-design wooden boats in memory, rebirth of an historic Penn Yan Imperial inboard built during the Depression, Boating Museum-restored Lightning and Snipe sailboats, a Saturday night dinner gathering of show participants and the introduction of the future home of the Boating Museum in Geneva."

The boating museum reached agreement with the City of Geneva last fall to establish a permanent home on the Geneva waterfront in association with the Visitor Center. The facility will be located on the current Geneva Chamber of Commerce site.

The boating museum will be displaying sailboats built by several noted Finger Lakes builders, including Brainard, Emmons, Morehouse, Penn Yan Boats, Inc., Skaneateles Boats, Inc., Thompson-Cortland and Murray Wright.

The 13th annual show also will include displays of other types of boats made in the Finger Lakes, including trout boats, canoes, row boats, and power boats as well as boating equipment. Displays will be from the Museum's collection and from private owners.

The boat show also will offer classic wooden sailboat racing, workshops for youths and adults on various aspects of boat building such as wood bending and booths by area yacht clubs and collegiate sailing programs.

The Museum's Ships Store will sell shirts, hats bearing the Museum's logo and copies of the Museum's publications.

The show will open to the public at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 24.

The schedule is as follows:

Friday, July 23

5:30-7:30 p.m. - Registration and reception for boat show participants.

Saturday, July 24

9 a.m. - Show opens to public.

9:30 a.m. - Skipper's meeting at Headquarters Tent (Lightning & Snipe)

10 a.m. - Sailboat races.

10 a.m.-Noon - Workshops.

1-3 p.m. - Workshops.

2 p.m. - Sailboat races.

6 p.m. - Social hour at Torrey Park Restaurant

7 p.m. Banquet at Torrey Park Restaurant

Speaker - William Oben, President of the Finger Lakes Boating Museum.

Sunday, July 25

9 a.m. - Show open to public.

9:30 a.m. - Skipper's meeting at Headquarters Tent (Lightning & Snipe)

10 a.m. - Sailboat races.

10 a.m.-Noon – Workshops.

Wood Bending - Sterling Klinck, East Hill Boat Shop.

1-3 p.m. – Workshops.

4 p.m. – Show ends.

The 300-member boating museum anticipates occupying approximately 18,000 square feet of space initially, with future expansion on the lakefront and off-site eventually growing to approximately 60,000 square feet of space.

The boating museum has assembled a collection of more than 90 wooden boats built in the Finger Lakes over the past 100 years, as well as numerous related artifacts and extensive reference material. Portions of the collection will be displayed on a rotating basis within the new facility. Also planned are interactive workshops and displays to engage visitors in the design, construction and use of the boats and an active on-water program including sailing and small boat handling.

Additional information about the boating museum may be found on its

website (www.flbm.org).