The Kirkland, Washington Concours, coming your way on Sep 07, gives me a rare excuse to upload an image of a classic wooden speedboat. Kirkland, you see, includes a small but enchanting selection, tied up at a dock adjacent to the lawns of the Woodmark Hotel at Carillon Point where the classic cars are on display. I've loved these "woodies" since I was a child born next to the beaches of Lake Ontario, for they represent the beauty of wood, the elegance of speed, and produce engine sounds as nostalgically rich as a Ferrari Testa Rossa cruising through the hills of Tuscany.

Among the boats to be shown are a "Truant II" (named Boat of the Year for 2007 by the Antique and Classic Boat Society), a 1939 Gar Wood Custom Runabout with triple cockpits; the 1941 Gar Wood Commuter, "Hapike," originally delivered to the Mayor of Sand Point, Idaho, in 1941; and a 1965 Riva Aquarama, "ciao Tahoe," built in Italy and powered by twin V-8's. Of course the Concours is worth visiting for the outstanding classic cars that appear on the lawns but if you should go, stroll down to the docks and gaze upon some of the most beautiful boats ever to grace the lakes of North America and Europe.