Champagne Taste is based on the lines of the SPEEDLINER built by General Marine of St. Joseph, Missouri. During his 30+ year career, Mr. Fletcher built over 60 boats. Champagne Taste is made from solid Honduras mahogany planks laminated over African multi-ply on Honduras frames, on white oak chines and keel. She is made with composite wood/epoxy construction with epoxy-fiberglass sheathing on bottom.

In 2015, we purchased Champagne Taste on a bit of a whim after putting a deposit on a cottage “project” on Lake Muskoka, not realizing the fun we would have with guests and family participating in the ACBS events on the big three lakes.  After learning how to varnish by watching YouTube videos over the winter of 2015/16 (remember the name of the boat and the song), we removed the hardware, sanded down the aging varnish and spent evenings refinishing her to be able to participate in the Gravenhurst show the next summer.   

For the first three years, Champagne Taste was our only boat outside of a tin boat that came with our cottage and we use her to tour our guests and family around the lakes, take day trips to Port Carling and beyond, and even brought a swim mat across the lake in her to the entertainment of onlookers.

We have participated in the 100-mile cruise a few years ago, and our favourite picture of her is with the R.M.S. Segwun, which hangs above our mantel at the cottage.  Our guests and kids have brought us luck, twice winning the ACBS poker run and with the winning buckets displayed in the main guest room.  The smiles that the boat causes to both passengers and onlookers, reminds us the time invested is worthwhile to keep her shipshape.  We look forward to being able to participate in ACBS events in the future and enjoyed the National Vintage Boating Day last year while physically distancing.