Can A Man Have Too Many Garwoods?
by: Rick Casali
Someone once said that too much of a good thing is not a great idea. Well, Bob Banister of Ash Island and Fort Lauderdale tests this concept. Bob Banister owns a stable of lovely and fast Garwood runabouts. Each one is stunning and amazingly fast. How Bob decides which Garwood to run on the St. Lawrence River is a mystery. Life is full of choices, and Bob faces tough decisions.
When Bob and Victoria Banister bring their Garwoods to boat shows in Clayton, Alexandria Bay, and beyond, these mahogany beauties draw a crowd. First, the boats are in Bristol condition with the varnish and chrome all perfect. When Bob speaks to show-goers, he beams with pride in his vessels. It is clear that he has a love affair with his Garwoods. Someone commented at a recent show that the Banisters boats are the prettiest girls at the dance. From the 16-foot Speedster to the 1996 Victoria, which is 40 feet in length, these Garwoods draw praise.
16-foot Speedster Bandito
The smallest of Bob Banister’s Garwoods, Bandito, is a crowd pleaser. Built in 1993, the Speedster is powered with a 365-horsepower Chrysler V-8. The small cockpit is all the way aft, and seats just two. With all this power in only 16-feet, Bandito has to be a kick to drive. At the Antique and Classic Boat Society (ACBS) boat show in Alexandria Bay in June, Bob drove Bandito around the docks. Her loud exhaust even at idle caught lots of attention.
Victoria – 1996 40-foot triple cockpit Garwood
Captain Banister and his family brought Victoria to the ACBS show in Alexandria Bay in June. While not a show entry, the 40-foot triple-cockpit Garwood drew a crowd. She is powered with twin 502-cubic-inch Mercruiser V-8s. Each engine is rated at 410 horsepower. With the engine hatch lifted, the big-block Mercs gleamed under the summer sun. Bob told me that Victoria can hit 48 miles per hour.
Speak Easy - 33-foot convertible Garwood
A few years ago, Victoria and Bob Banister brought Speak Easy to two classic boats shows in the Thousand Islands. Speak Easy has an elegant canvas convertible top with wood and chrome struts. Her small rear window is reminiscent of the limousines from the Roaring Twenties. While she looks like she needs a chauffeur, don’t let her elegant looks fool you. Speak Easy is driven by twin big-block V-8’s that can propel the boat up to 52 miles per hour, according to Bob. At the Antique Boat Museum’s ‘Need for Speed” show, the Banister family raced Speak Easy around the racecourse at an amazing clip. Of course, the convertible top was retracted for this show of speed and the crew waved at the spectators on shore at the ABM.
Baby Gar V – 33-foot Race Garwood built in 1995
Speaking of speed, Bob Banister owns 1995 Baby Gar V, which has 650 horsepower available for the 33-footer. Her white topsides contrast with the varnished hulls of the other Garwoods in the Banister stable. The name Baby Gar V is displayed on both the port and starboard beams. The General Motors eight-cylinder engines make the boat a real contender. One photo in this article shows Baby Gar V racing side-by-side with Miss St. Lawrence.
There are other classic boats in Bob Banister’s collection. Among them is The Texan, which is a 1935 Alfred & Lee 30-foot limousine-style boat. We have only scratched the surface of Bob Banister’s boat collection. I am hoping one day to get a tour of his boathouse on Ash Island, which would be a wonderful treat for me!
With so many Garwoods in Bob Banister’s stable, it is not surprising that his email address includes the phrase ‘garwood crazy.’ Yes, this illness is my kind of disease.
[Author's Note: The Gar Wood Custom Boats is still in operation today in Brant Lake NY.]
By Rick Casali
Rick Casali is a resident of Wellesley Island. During his youth, from 1947 to 1976, his parents had a cottage on Grindstone Island named The Orchards. Rick now splits his time between Stuart, FL, and the River. He worked for Columbia Gas System for 29 years and ran their Washington, DC office. Then in 2000, he started brokering boats and yachts, and he continues as a broker with North Point Yacht Sales. Rick and his wife Anne cruise the River in a recently purchased 1968 Chris Craft 31 Commander, which they named Foxtrot. They also have a Seaway 24 named Miss Annie.
Rick is a member of our Over 20 group of authors. This editor is always in a good mood when his name appears in her email - So this month was a bonus as he not only sent this one but has a January article ready to go!
