Disneyland Mike Fink Keel Boats Refloat - Reliving My Youth

Have you ever had the opportunity to go back and live a part of your life that was very special to you? Well recently, I did with the Mike Fink Keel Boats Refloat.

Those Were The Days

Whether it was the Bertha Mae or the Gullywhumper, it really didn’t matter. As long as I had a shift on the Mike Fink Keel Boats, I was a happy camper.

There was something very special about working the Mike Fink Keel Boats at Disneyland. It was an attraction where you had a bit of freedom to go off the cuff and make a very enjoyable experience for the guests.

Keel Boat Crew on the Final Day Of Mike Fink Keel Boats — Mike Fink Keel Boats

For those that don’t know, the Mike Fink Keel Boats were a ride around Tom Sawyers Island at Disneyland in California. They were little double decker boats that circled the Rivers of America while we told a bunch of bad jokes. Based on the boats in the Disney movie Davy Crocket and the River Pirates. The ride closed mid 90’s, and the river hasn’t been the same since.

The Mike Fink Keel Boats Experience

It took a lot to work the Mike Fink Keel Boats. You had to actually drive the boat as they were not on tracks, as well as tell a spiel around as you circle the island. You had to entertain 40 guests as you tried your best to avoid a dozen Davy Crocket Explorer Canoes, up to three Rafts to Tom Sawyers Island, the Mark Twain Riverboat and the Sailing Ship Columbia. Sound like a lot, but once you got it, you got it.

Mike Fink Keel Boats Dock - Davey Awaiting Bertha Mae Arrival — Your Truly Awaiting Bertha Mae Arrival

For the cast members that worked the Keel Boats, it was a blast. Personally, my goal for the day was to get my fellow Keel Boaters to crack. If I could get them to laugh, my day was made. Of course, you want to make the guests laugh and have a great experience as well, but if you can get your fellow KB’er to laugh, it was a good day.

If you had the right crew for the day, you might even forgo your breaks to deadhead, or ride along with another driver to hear their spiel. That is when it got fun.

Blast From the Past

Well, its been 25 years since I’ve donned my big Keel Boat hat and settled in for a trip around the river, but I do remember it like it was yesterday. I guess a lot of yesterdays have gone by since then.

Mike Fink Keel Boat Dock - Disneyland California — Keel Boats Closed – Former Keel Boat Home

Well as luck would have it, I opened my Facebook one day and saw that I had a message waiting. An old Keel Boater by the name of Bryan Carlson reached out to see if I’d be interested in doing a Keel Boat Refloat during the great Quarantine of 2020. Why the heck not, nothing else to do right? I was in from the moment I heard Keel Boat!

Bryan assembled a squad of former Cast Members to do an “At Home” rendition of the old Keel Boat spiel. We all had a small section to do, and hammered it out on our own schedule. It took some time, and a variety of invites and tries, but we finally hammered it out. Considering it’s been 30+ years for some, they all were excited to jump in and get involved. With the popularity of some of the other “At Home” “Quarantine Edition” attraction videos going around, we decided to put it together.

The Mike Fink Keel Boats Refloat features the Who’s Who of Keel Boaters of their era. What a fun experience and super glad I was able to get involved.