Page 11 - Flathead Beacon // 7.29.15

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NEWS
Historic Boat Restored for a Good Cause
Wooden boat built in 1953 will be on display at Lakeside boat show and sold to support Montana Wooden Boat Foundation
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
LAKESIDE – Everyone has a pet project they work on in their spare time. For some it might be restoring an old car or taking on the Herculean task of clean- ing out that back closet.
For a group of guys in Lakeside, that spare-time venture has been restoring an historic Thistle wooden boat built in 1953. After nearly two years of work, the proj- ect is finally completed and the boat will be on display at the 10th Annual Big Sky Antique and Classic Boat Show from Aug. 7 to 9 before being sold as a fundraiser for the Montana Wooden Boat Association.
“She’ll be looking pretty snazzy at the boat show,” said Bill Eisenlohr, who has headed up the restoration. “I’ll be happy when this thing is done.”
The foundation purchased the boat a few years ago from a seller out East. Although the boat had some wear and tear, its structure was sound and there was no dry rot, Eisenlohr said. They have since restored it and painted it marine green and white. Inside, the boat’s wood seats shine and at the bottom of the hull is the number “701.” The number, accord- ing to Tom Schock, identifies its place in that particular class of boat.
Schock, who is now retired, once owned the W.D. Schock Company that built the very type of boat he helped restore. Schock’s father founded the company in 1946.
“It’s been a lot of fun to help with this,” he said.
The sale of the boat will help fund the mission of the Montana Wooden Boat
Tom Schock works on the 1953 Thistle at the Montana Wooden Boat Foundation Shop in Lakeside. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
Foundation, which was established in 2010. The Lakeside-based nonprofit edu- cates people on the history and culture surrounding wooden boats on Flathead Lake and in Montana. Among the foun- dation’s initiatives is a partnership with local schools to get kids to build a model boat so they gain an understanding of the process. For more information about the foundation, visit www.montanawooden- boatfoundation.org.
[email protected]
Wild Horse Island Blaze Sparked by Illegal Campfire Five-acre fire started on island on July 22
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
Officials say an illegal campfire started a 5-acre blaze on Wild Horse Island on July 22 and now they are seeking infor- mation about who set it.
The fire was first reported at 3:46 p.m. and soon after two small airplanes started dropping fire retardant on the blaze and a helicopter began dropping water. Firefighters worked through the night to contain the blaze and on July 23 were mopping up.
The fire started on the northwest cor- ner of the island and authorities are ask- ing people to avoid that area, as well as the Rocky Bar access point, where fire- fighters are still working. The rest of the
Wild Horse Island fire. COURTESY PHOTO
island remains open.
The campfire was illegal because Stage
I fire restrictions are currently in effect for the region. During Stage I restrictions, “Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire” is prohibited unless noted in the exemptions. Exemptions include fires fueled solely by liquid petro- leum or LPG, or other activities for which there is a permit or written authorization.
Officials with Montana State Parks are offering a $1,000 reward for anyone who reports suspected violations. If you have information regarding the Wild Horse Island fire, call 1-800-TIP-MONT or 1-800-847-6668.
[email protected]
JULY 29, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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SEE THE BOAT
The 10th Annual Big Sky Antique and Clas- sic Boat Show takes place Aug. 7 to 9 in Lakeside. Historic boats will be on display throughout the weekend. For more informa- tion visit www.bigskyacbs.com.