Bob was born in Attleboro, Mass. to a creative family whose gifts included woodworking, painting and jewelry making. By ten years old, working with his dad and uncles in the family woodworking business, he learned skills that he carried forward throughout his professional and personal life. With his uncles, he built small runabouts in the 50s and early 60s which they used fishing on the lakes in Maine and New Hampshire and later, water skiing at the family camp on Cape Cod. Building boats involved repairing and restoring the outboard motors used to power the small crafts.

Professionally, Bob served a state apprenticeship as tool and die maker, and worked for several manufacturing firms in Attleboro before moving to Florida in the early 70s. In Florida, he ran a manufacturing company which produced automotive ignition components until 2008 when he retired to Tennessee after 28 years. During the winter, he and Leslie work on doing the finish work on their new home. Summers are for boating…

Bob became involved in antique outboard motors again about 15 years ago in Florida. Since then he has been trying to buy his childhood back. He was first introduced to the Florida chapter of the AOMCI at a meet in Mt. Dora when he and wife Leslie were there for an antique show. Wandering on the docks he struck up a conversation with Bill Augspurger who invited him to join the Florida club. By the time the meet was over, he had also met Tom Shelton who had a 1959 Mark 35 E for sale. The rest is history…

Bob was Vice President of the Florida chapter for six years serving under both Don Abel and Bob Walwork. Presently, he is completing the interior woodwork and finishing on a 1929 ACF Wasson 18’ triple cockpit runabout to be set up with a 1939 SpeediFour electric start motor. His latest outboard motor project is a 1958 35hp Johnson Javelin which should be ready for running on a 1954 White. on the lake this spring.
His biggest interest in outboard motors is the “orphans”, and he has about 30 offbrand motors in the 2-15hp range.

Throughout his lifetime, Bob has also been heavily involved in restoring British cars, and is currently refurbishing a 1959 Morgan Plus Four drophead coupe.

On one of their first dates in 1968, Bob took Leslie to Meredith, NH to visit an old outboard motor museum. After about an hour of looking at dusty old motors, Leslie was totally bored and went out and sat in the car…for about two more hours. She should have learned her lesson… Much time that summer was spent at the lake on the Cape and soon Leslie was laying flat on the deck of Bob’s newest boating creation, a 15’ runabout with a 1964 Merc 850, so he could get it up on plane. Boating was not a pastime in her family, so the new “adventure” was exciting and intimidating.

At first, Leslie did not accompany Bob to the motor meets. Soon however, stories of the beautiful lakes enticed her to accompany him. Not many ladies attended the meets at that time, so she would bring a book to read until it was time to go boating. Times changed quickly and soon Leslie became the editor for the club newsletter, The Read Cage, and created the club website which she still maintains.

Both Bob and Leslie cherish the good friends they have made through the club, and look forward to their trips back to Florida so they can attend the meets and catch up on the news.