This thread will provide updates on a weekly or monthly basis,
allowing everyone to know exactly what is happening and what to expect.
Stay tuned !
The
2009 Lake Erie Chris Craft Commander Rendezvous
is going to be another one for the record books!


This is going to be another one heck of a party ! This will be another family oriented event, there will be a live band on site Saturday night at the on site amphitheatre, the kids can go too, and the adults can also have fun ! Don't miss it, register early !







There will be discussions of a technical nature too. Even the hard core boating fan will find this event fun and interesting, and if you're reading this, that would probably include you!






In case you're wondering who these two guys are (in the photo below), they're members of a local car club who were invited aboard a 38 Commander Express. They've just seen their first marine 427, and they're both acustomed to light weight air cooled flat-sixes, ha ha. Now does that expression on their faces tell it all? I wish I could have recorded the moment I opened the hatch and they looked in, because there were two audible gasps, ha ha. These guys just are not acustomed to seeing American Iron! Yes, this is fun, and the Huron event is going to be miles of smiles. You can obtain additional information by contacting any of these individuals.

See you there !

Contact information about the event can be made through any one of the following people:

Matt O'Donnell,
Huron Yacht Club Member and event organizer/coordinator, owner of 38'Commander Express, CHANGING CHANNELS:
residoors@oh.rr.com

Tim Toth,
Sandusky area coordinator, event co-orginzer/coordinator, owner of 35' Commander Express, DUNROIN:
dunroin@alltel.net

Paul Pletcher,
Chris Craft Commander Forum, Inc., event co-orgainzer/coordinator, owner of 38' Commander Express, TRADITION:
chriscraftcommander@hotmail.com

Several people have already indicated they will be cruising their Chris Craft Commander from the following areas:
Cleveland, Ohio;
Sandusky, Ohio;
the St. Clair River area;
Lake St. Clair;
Detroit area;
Detroit River area;
Lake Huron.

If you are in any of these areas and want to hook up with another Chris Craft Commander, or maybe even hop a ride with them, contact us and we'll pass the information along. We anticipate there will be several groups of boats converging on the Huron Yacht Club for this event, and this just adds to the fun.

Before this event was ever even formally announced, half of the available dock space was already taken. Therefore, if you are interested in attending with your fiberglass Chris Craft Commander, please contact us soon, and register early.

Due to the enthusiasm we've already seen, we are also in the process of obtaining as much additional dock space as possible. This event has quickly gained a lot of momentum, and it is sure to be well attended by enthusiasts and boats alike.


~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~

Photo below: Warren Pateman aboard his fully restored 38' Commander, BAMBI. Warren served on two Americas Cup Race Committees, representing Australia. He also set an example for kindness, sharing of information, integrity, family values, and demonstrated how to go boating in a classic fiberglass Commander in it's highest form. Warren sadly passed away in June of 2006, but his memory and legacy lives on!

The following four images are taken right at the Huron Boat Basin and Huron Yacht Club. The building shown is actually on the grounds! This is one cool place !!









If these photos don't make you want to visit Huron, perhaps the data below will! This is an ideal time of year to visit Lake Erie.

There are several good alternatives to select, and varying price points too. However, this area is a resort atmosphere in the summer, and rooms are booked early. Don't wait too long to book your room if you want a good selection.


Click on the link or map below, and the hotel map you see on this page (below) will become interactive for you, with additional information about each hotel, phone numbers, address, etc.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=hotels&near=Huron,+OH&fb=1&sa=X&oi=local_group&resnum=1&ct=image>
hotel identification map

If you note the map in the previous post, you'll see the Rivers Edge Inn is located within sight, and within easy walking distance from the Boat Basin and Yacht Club. We have a block of 10-rooms reserved for the event!

This is by far, the closest and easiest hotel location for the event.

The schedule of events shown below was for our 2008 Rendezvous. The 2009 schedule will be posted when details are known, but it will run a similar format. The 2009 event will run from August 21 through August 23, and it is sure to be some of the most memorable three days you'll spend on the planet earth! Plan now to be there!

For the well dressed Chris Craft Commander owner and Rendezvous attendee, we are pleased to announce a series of unique custom art pieces that commemorate the Chris Craft Rendezvous at Huron, Ohio, 2008.

These shirts and mugs are being offered at cost. In other words, you pay Cafe Press for the shirt, and there is no mark-up for anyone else.

Even though (at this writing on August 27, 2008) the event is now history, we are keeping the T-shirts and Mugs online. These are unique, you won't see yourself in one of these, and they NOW commemorate what turned out to be the worlds largest gathering of Chris Craft Commanders!












You can order directly from the following link:
http://www.cafepress.com/cccommander

Here is a look at the merchandise. There are two themes here, all brightly colored and highlighted to showcase the initial fiberglass Chris Craft, the 38' Express, which was designed and built in 1964 and unveiled at the New York Boat Show.

One of the themes shows a 38' Express THUNDERING across the water. This image began life as an old photo, it was morphed, overdrawn by hand, stretched, highlighted, and colored especially for the Huron event.

The second theme shows an imposing frontal view of a 38' Express at the dock, showing off that bow flair which is accentuated through the camera lens. This work was also highly modified and tweaked especially for the Huron Commander Rendezvous.

Here is the link to some additional comments about the merchandise. You will find it repetitive to info found here, but there are added comments with additional info , and it can be found here: http://www.network54.com/Forum/424840/message/1215789928

At this writing, the event noted in the news release above is history. It was such a big success we're doing it again in 2009, and we are looking forward to having the same kind of fun on the big lake once again. Be there!

Regards,

Matt, Tim, Paul