About Us

The Northwest corner of Montana has a long and proud tradition in wood boating.  Beginning at the end of the 18th century, mighty wood steam ships plied the waters of Flathead Lake delivering goods & services and providing the quickest form of transportation around the 29-mile-long Flathead Lake.  Recreational boating followed with fisherman and boat racing.  The first power boat race on Whitefish Lake took place in 1907 leading to the Whitefish Lake Regatta in 1934 which ran continuously for over 60 years.  In 1938, the Glacier Boat Company began offering tours on the lakes of Glacier National Park.  These historic wood boat still operate in the Park today.  The post-war years and the boom in outdoor recreation found three prominent local boat builders; Stan Craft & Lee Craft on Flathead Lake and Hutchuck Boats on Whitefish Lake, supplying boats to the local sportsman population as well as shipping their boats to other dealers in the region.  Boating on the pristine waters of the many lakes in the region continues to grow to this day.

It is upon this historic wood boat foundation that the Big Sky Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society was chartered in 2006.  The Big Sky Chapter primarily serves the wood boat community using the many lakes in the northwest corner of Montana.  Although, we have chapter members from all over the US.  Our chapter membership is comprised of large numbers of seasonal residents.  Our boating season is short in NW Montana, but we make the most of it with two non-judged shows each year and other on-the-water boating activities.  We invite and encourage you to join us in promoting the preservation and enjoyment of classic boats.