The 2022 Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend can give any modern-day vehicle an inferiority complex. It has already been a year since Napleton News last visited but time sure flies. The annual event highlights a host of legendary boats and airplanes. But above all, you must remember, at ORVW, the car’s the star.
Held each year at the island paradise known as the Ocean Reef Club, Vintage Weekend uses almost every aspect of the facility, beginning with the Club’s Inn and world-class hospitality, the Island’s marinas and its corporate jet-friendly airport.
Cars, Boats and Planes, oh my!
When the original running of the Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend occurred many years ago, it involved boats of the day. Cars followed a year later, as did aircraft. Before you know it, the Weekend suddenly became a thing, way before the singer known as the Weeknd, er, became a thing.
Boats are important at the Reef, owing to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Not just any boats, though. This year, they ran the gamut from the Legend, a replica of Ernest Hemingway’s Pilar to the 133-foot Feadship-built Catacea which was the winner of the “Spectator’s Choice” award, as determined by the number of shoes on the dock.
Aircraft took to the skies shortly after lunch on Saturday. Spectators looked to the skies for a glimpse at aerobatics pilot Patty Wagstaff and her custom Extra 300L airplane. As she finished her show, she performed her trademark “Patty Wag” tail wag as a way of saying goodbye!
Members of the AeroShell aerobatics team took to the skies next in their WWII era North American AT6G “Texan” trainers. They are equipped with LED lighting so they can perform at night and during daytime.
Rolling Art at the 2022 Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend.
This year, Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend organizers juggled the event around a bit, and adapting the concept of having a featured marque. The first of these was a celebration of the Bentley automobile. This special feature included a gaggle of Speed Six, 4.5-liter and Birkin Blower Bentleys, including Jim Grundy’s LeMans-numbered racer.
Some features remain, including the road rally from Ocean Reef to the world-famous dive bar known as Alabama Jack’s. Captured on film in movies like Drop Zone and television shows such as Bloodline, it is a relic of Florida’s past, yet one that never gets old. It’s always a fun sight to find cars that are older than the Restaurant diagonally parked across from it.
In addition to the Bentleys, there were other vehicles of note. They included several rest-o-mods (restored and modified) hot rods such as Joseph Handy’s 1969 Chevrolet Camaro and James DeNooyer’s 1942 Willys Coupe. The Camaro featured a late model Corvette engine, while the Willys sported a Mopar Hemi engine with chromed supercharger. DeNooyer claims it’s a seven-second car on the drag strip, but it actually looks too pretty to race.
From the other side of the Pond
European vehicles were well-represented at Vintage Weekend. The display of motorcars included Bill Parfet’s 1955 Jaguar XK140, Philip Bagley’s 1958 Porsche 356 Speedster, Russell Hibbard and Karen McKinley’s immaculate 1967 Porsche 911 S and Dirk DeGroen’s BMW 328.
We were just getting started. For a more comprehensive view of the weekend, scroll down through the picture gallery below.
