Sande Ace Gathering of 2008
Late July saw the fourth gathering of Sande Aces, again on Hood Canal. There were four Aces in the water, one trailered to the back yard and another present in photos. Tom and Pennie Twiss, co-founding members of the event, could not make it this year.
Twanoh State Park was the site of the morning launch.
Tom and Susanne Regan's yellow Ace is here shown on the ramp.
This was an ideal time to photograph the classic Mercury motors. We see, in order, Ned's Merc 400, Tom's Mark 35A, Ed's coalescence of 4 old Mercs, and Bob's 1968 Merc 650.
The four Aces stopped along the South Shore at Ned's friends' place.
After cruising the South Shore to Union, the group crossed the Canal
and ended up at the Waali place on Sisters' Point.
Bob Barkhurst leans against Bob Parks' newly acquired Ace in the back yard.
It is in the early part of restoration and attracted much discussion.
When Tom talks about restoration, everyone listens!
John Looker could not bring his Ace to the get-together but he did bring photos.
We hope to see the boat in the water next year.
Earl Sande and Ed are shown standing with Ed's Sande Ace. Earl was familiar with the boat since his father Orrin helped build it and his family lived next to the Waali place on Hood Canal. They were both boys when Ed's father bought it in 1959.
Ed shows off the Sande Ace nameplate on his shirt.
