ALEXANDRIA — Mike Bray wanted a way to thank law enforcement officers so he dedicated one of his boats to them.
“Back the Blue” is the name of the 1956 Crestliner Commander Runabout Bray had on display at this year’s Legacy of the Lakes Diamond-Classic Boat Show. The show, held on Lake Darling at Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center, took place Saturday, July 9.
A saddle maker by trade , Bray, an Air Force veteran who hails from Monticello, hand-tooled leather in intricate detail to cover his police tribute boat.
“They need to be thanked,” said Bray about why he dedicated one of his boats to police officers.
The boat includes images of the thin blue line that is associated with law enforcement, as well as a red police siren and authentic handcuffs. It also includes a couple of sayings, “Thank you, heroes. We’ve got your six,” and “May God bless and protect our police officers.”
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Bray’s other boat on display at the Classic Boat Show, “Recovery Room,” is a 1955 Larson Cabin Special Runabout. This boat was also covered in hand-tooled leather that Bray intricately designed.
He explained that his wife, Wren, had cancer and that with all that she went through, it would be a good place for her to recover.
“It’s now the only recovery room we need,” he said.
That boat includes a guitar that is also covered in leather, even though Bray said he doesn’t play. The top of the boat includes the words to the “Star Spangled Banner” and the Pledge of Allegiance inscribed in leather. It also includes pictures of a cardinal, butterflies and hummingbirds because Bray said when people are visited by them, they are being visited by angels.
And because his wife’s name is wren, there are also wrens hand-tooled into the leather covering other parts of the boats.
During the show, Bray was talking to a couple from Tacoma, Washington, Dana and Gary Minot. The Minots ended up in Alexandria via a trip to South Carolina to purchase a motorhome.
“It ended up going south and Jesus led us to Alexandria and Steinbring Motorcoach,” she said.
The couple ended up purchasing a motorhome from Steinbring Motorcoach in Garfield instead and decided to then make a stop at the boat show.
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Dana Minot thanked Bray for showing them his boats and called him a true patriot.
The Trust Project
