The Empress is 23' 8" model Marlin of Oregon built in the 80's for a couple of years. It has a modified V at about 18 degree trans/21 degree entry and is good for playing. Rides hard in the real rough stuff on Lake Michigan though. Has a built 509 w/Bravo. Came with 260/Alpha.

The Bonanza is 10' copy of a GW Invader. I'm running a 50 Merc with a manual plate and tabs. Anything over about 1' gets crazy. Havn't run it in years.

Sometimes it's choice, but many times... especially the first time- it's inexperience compounded by naivete with a little poor judgement sprinkled on top. And some times it's wishful thinking and blind passion.

And the rest of us should know better by now but we continue to do it.

See, this is why I was giving you such a hard time in your thread about selling or keeping the Apache. Believe it or not, I'm really on your side on this one. I just want to see you do the right thing.
This thread made be go out and do the right thing yesterday.
I went out and removed the windshield on my boat. The only reason I hadn't already done it was because I didn't want to get that deep into this project.
But it's the right thing to do - if I'm going to do it right.
Today I'm going to yank the whole dash pod out, wasn't planning on going this far right now, but there is no sense in doing it half-azzed.


When I was a young man, my Father ( a man of very few words) said one thing to me that has stuck with me more than anyone has ever said in my life.
A Man is a Man when he makes a decision. Right or wrong, a Man makes a decision for a reason, and at the time the decision is the right one to make. That Man knows he will have to live with that decision, and all it's repercussions.

I am going to take aart everything I one so that I will be making the decision to do it right. THose damn engineers and assemblymen at the factory had no idea what they were doing. I am going to fix all of their mistakes.

Just kidding. but a little sarcasm from time to time is good.

I didn't think you were kidding. It's the motto we all live by.

That's not too far off-base on alot of brands. Some are built purely for show with little effort put into the parts you can't see. Others are masterfully built in some areas and cobble together in others. I dn't know of any of them that couldn't be made a bit better with some attention and quality components.

I now feel better about my project. At least I have the Sea Ray as backup...

Thanks Guys...

Hoping to feel better about mine soon too....started last fall with a "simple" gimble ring and drive coupler job and slowly morphed into a full on restoration once things got dug into....a transom here.....some balsa and stringers there....next thing I know there's no boat for this season.....latest estimate puts her in the water in 4 weeks...at least I'll have a little season left. Glad yours got back and running!

Biggus and I were ripping into my 311 earlier this year and when I had the water pick ups off to get them fixed he wanted me to check the transom. I was afraid to. He finally got me to push the screw driver in there and boy was I releived when the wood was solid. :D