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Vintage wooden boats drop anchor in Coeur d’Alene this weekend

JACK DEWITT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month, 1 week AGO
by JACK DEWITT
Staff Writer | August 13, 2026 1:07 AM

For Daryl Reynolds, a classic wooden boat is more than a vessel. It's hundreds of hours of restoration work, painstaking attention to detail and a labor of love. 

This weekend, Reynolds and dozens of other collectors will showcase that passion at the Coeur d'Alene Antique and Classic Boat Festival, where nearly 50 rare, handcrafted boats will line the Boardwalk Marina.

Reynolds, who has redone and is presenting several boats in the festival, calls the hobby his “passion.” 

“Anybody can go out and buy a fiberglass boat. But these boats, you’ve got to work at it to make them work,” Reynolds said. 

Reynolds has spent countless hours working on his wooden boats. Painting lines by hand, replacing planks and engine parts, redoing the boats’ finish and sanding are just a few of the tasks that take Reynolds lots of time.

Among his collection is a 1936 Chris-Craft 19-foot boat named “At Last” and a 1947 17-foot Chris-Craft boat named “Heart and Soul,” both to be put on display this weekend. Reynolds said the name “At Last” has a special meaning to him and his family, representing all of the big moments they had been waiting for that happened in their lives “at last.”

Reynolds credits many people for passing along knowledge and aiding in his restoration efforts, including Terry Conley and David Kaschmitter. 

“There’s some great people there,” he said.

Reynolds said there is a high level of detail that goes into the judging at classic wooden boat shows, with judges scrutinizing even the tiniest of details. 

“You got to go through the whole thing,” he said. 

For example, the notches on the head of screws used to hold the whole boat together must all face the same direction, even in the interior, or an owner could receive a mark against their total for the competition. 

Among the many festival activities is a children's boat building activity from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. 

The annual festival is free. It runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

    Reynolds' boat "Somewhere in Time" is one of his most extensive refurbishments yet, going so far as to reupholster all of the seats and add a working restroom onboard.
 
 


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