wooden boat: Incline wood boaters take it all in at Concours Tom Meyer
August 7, 2006

INCLINE VILLAGE - Shortly before judging of the 34th annual Concours d'Elegance began, Incline resident Scott Bryant wiped raccoon paw prints off of the Alina Be, a '67 Century Resorter.

Eight years ago, those paw-prints would probably have gone completely unnoticed.

"It was a disaster (when I found it), but it had those lines," Bryant recalled. He purchased "Be" from a children's charity in 1997 for $675, then spent 21Ú2 years restoring it.

"Buying it was the single cheapest thing about restoring it," said Bryant.

His efforts have thus far paid off: Alina Be has won second place in the show's utility class four times, and was named "Best Century in Show" last year.

The show is the highlight of the Tahoe Yacht Club Foundation's Wooden Boat Week, which brings nearly 100 wooden boats to the North Shore. Bryant is one of five Incline participants.

Incline resident Charlie Marvin's Stealth Princess is steered from the stern by a small wooden rudder that blends in almost perfectly with its port-side railing.

What's more, its flat-topped green canopy looks like it would rip away as soon as she built up speed.

None of that worries Marvin, however, since the electric-powered Princess is only capable of about 4.5 knots.

"(I) wanted to be able to enjoy the lake while being able to listen to music or enjoy the wildlife," Marvin said.

The Princess's eight batteries, which weigh up to 160 pounds each, provide her with enough amperage for a 10-hour cruise at full power.

The boat was designed by Budsin Wood Craft, a North Carolina firm that specializes in wooden electric boats. Completed in 2005, the Princess is the youngest boat in the show, and one of only two that are electrically-powered.

None of the boats in this year's feature category, "Boats of the Fabulous Forties," were from Incline - though John and Mary Lahti's Cracker Barrell makes its harbor in Tahoe City.

The 19-foot custom runabout is a native of the region, and was delivered to its first owners in Reno in 1941. It won second place in its class at Concours in both 2004 and 2005.

Boat Week runs through Aug. 11. Visit the Tahoe Yacht Club's Web site www.tahoeyc.com or call (530) 581-4700.  ¶ 11:06 PM