While the popularity of fiberglass created a new generation of pleasure boaters in the late 1960s and ’70s, wooden boat enthusiasts refused to let go – of their boats or their heritage. And the Antique and Classic Boat Society took the lead in fueling that enthusiasm.

“During a time when the rest of the world was putting the spotlight on fiberglass and turning their backs on wooden boats, the ACBS set out to preserve the history and enjoyment that wooden boats provided to generations of boaters,” said former ACBS president Dick Sherwood.

The ACBS began in 1975 when a group of eight wooden boat enthusiasts in upstate New York decided to create an “appreciation society” of sorts. Those eight enthusiasts – Joe Fleming II, Ed Larter Jr., Ray Nelson, Tony O’Boyle, G. Mason Saunders, Munro Sherrill, Bill Smith and John Summers – created a solid foundation for an organization that now has 57 chapters nationwide.

Current ACBS President Dick Werner said the ACBS, located in Clayton, N.Y., now has more than 7,500 memberships. Considering that each membership includes spouses and family members under the age of 21, Werner estimates that membership actually numbers above 17,000.

“Our numbers are down a bit. Two years ago we were at 8,300 (base memberships),” said Werner, who attributed the drop to the economy. “But the overall interest in wooden boats remains extremely high.”

In recognition of the ACBS’s contributions to the hobby, the club has been named an inaugural member of the Hagerty Classic Marine Hall of Fame.

“Our vision statement – that’s what this organization is all about,” said Dick Sherwood, who proceeded to read from the ACBS Directory. “The vision of the Antique and Classic Boat Society, Inc. is to provide an organization wherein people with a common interest in and love of historic, antique and classic boats come together with friends and colleagues in a spirit of fellowship and fun to share dreams, adventures, knowledge, history and experiences.”

Sherwood, who has been an ACBS member since 1980, said that for most enthusiasts, the camaraderie and lasting memories generated through the hobby are almost as important as the boats. “There are many people in the U.S. and Canada who remember fine times while growing up on lakes,” he said. “Their memories surround wooden boats and family time, and they are tenacious about sustaining those memories and reliving those times.”

Sherwood and Werner admit, however, that that tenacity can’t be a generational thing. So it is with that in mind that the ACBS – often in partnership with Hagerty Classic Marine Insurance – continues to promote youth involvement. “Camaraderie and memories; to most people, that’s what makes this hobby what it is,” Werner said. “The downside is that we have a new generation coming along. Kids don’t have the memories that we have. So we need to help them create memories at boat shows and outings. There’s real value in that. That’s the human aspect of it.”

Werner said that for the sake of the next generation of enthusiasts, the ACBS encourages owners to maintain the history of the boats, particularly through authentic restorations. That includes proper research and quality craftsmanship.

“Chris-Craft was meticulous in their record-keeping, but not all of the builders were that way,” he said. “Gar Woods, Hackers – it’s digging into old literature and finding the details. It adds to the fun and intrigue.

“At the same time, the boats have to be more than just historically accurate. We’re not talking about a dining room set. People are out there using these in the water, so they have to be structurally strong, as well.”

Youth are finding this out first hand. Jamescraft reproduces 12-foot and 14-foot kit boats like the Chris-Crafts of the 1950s, and under the guidance of ACBS board member Jim Shotwell, “kids get physically involved in building a boat,” Sherwood said. ACBS President Jean Hoffman was also a key proponent of youth involvement, according to Sherwood.

Said Werner: “If we don’t get youth involved and make this hobby self-perpetuating, it will die.”

Werner said the ACBS also promotes the hobby through a partnership with Hagerty that began in 2000. “We were trying to find a way to get financial contributions from interested insurers,” Werner said. “So we said, ‘How about we strike a deal?’ ”

All ACBS members get 10 percent off of their Hagerty insurance premium, and Hagerty promotes the ACBS in some of its literature and contributes safety articles to the ACBS’s magazine, The Rudder.

“Everybody wins,” Werner said. “Our members benefit from what Hagerty provides. And by teaching people how to properly use their boats, Hagerty not only has fewer claims, but they help save lives, too.”

Sherwood said the ACBS will continue to do whatever it can to live up to its vision statement and preserve the treasured wooden classics that are enjoyed by so many.

“These boats are beautiful. They can’t be pushed aside,” he said. “Over 25 years ago, eight people decided, ‘There needs to be an organization that appreciates these boats.’ It was with that idea in mind that the ACBS was born and will continue to live on.”