Boating ive been into since I was 10.
1st boat 12 y/o 13 whaler. used the Hell out of it
2nd 15 y/o 15 whaler
3rd 24 y/o 22 stinger
4th 25 y/o 26 Velocity
5th 26 y/o 32 hustler
6th 26 y/o 35 Cafe
7th 27 y/o 18 donzi
8th 27 y/o 272 formula ls
9th 27 y/o 24 carerra SS7M
10th 27 y/o on the hunt
Im luckey because I have a great set of parents and my dad owns a shop that i can stick my cafe and a top gun in so I can work on it anytime and any weather doesnt matter. So its all about what we have in life and to take advantage but appriciate eveything we have and we are able to do. Be thankful just to even be in this game wather its a 16 donzi or a 50 maurader cig... Good luck to all of you guys and keep enjoying these boats
-Mike

Cool thread. I agree with what others have said and am thankful to be able to afford a boat at a young age ( 30 yrs young)! Grew up on the old man's boats and pulled the trigger on a donzi 18 classic in my mid 20's. Haven't looked back yet. Currently running a 27 Activator; good times!

my 1st boat was at 15, an 8' jon boat that i found floating down the creek behind my parents house, mowed lawns with my buddy for years prior and had enough money to buy a 15hp chrysler outboard, man that was fun and dumb, got my 1st jetski at 17 and have had 4 of them up till last year, got my baja hammer at age 26, met my wife on the lake with that, now have a 25' nordic rage

My 1st boat was a 2002 23ft Caravelle Interceptor i bought when i was 22 in 2005. Sold it at the end of 2009 and got my current boat 2000 28 Sunsation.

Im 27 now and like most of you guys I live pretty modest to be able to afford to boat. I took the cheap route in life though and have stayed away from getting married!

At 22 I had a 52' Harbor Master Houseboat and a 21 Scarab II
At 24 Moved up to a 75' Summerset Houseboat
at 26 I got the Baja 405, and still have the Scarab.

14' Myers Aluminum John boat with oars. I rode it down the side of a hill once, like sledding, ah the good old days.

Thats nothin...........Jay rode one to the bottom of the ocean.

Well put!

24 I had a 25' Sunsation
28 I own a 32' Sunsation
I once heard your boat length has to stay ahead of your age

12 - Styrofoam sail boat - No sail but had a trolling motor. We wore that thing out after elementary school catching fish. Paid $20
19 - Scarab 21 - Had at School in Galveston. Bad mistake but a lot of fun. Not included in the 4 year plan so I sold it.
20- Excalibur 40 - Dad lost interest on the project and signed the title over to me. It was a bare hull at that point, but I worked in the industry and was able to finish it. Spent way too much money on it but it was a blast! The fun way exceeds the money spent.
28- 24 Sea Ray Project - "Take the Kids and Dogs to the beach Boat" I plan to have about as much in this boat when finished as it cost to run the 40' for a month.

Sold the 40 last year at 28. Sold the Ford I pulled it with and put all of the proceeds towards a nice home upgrade (keeping my previous home as rental.) Doubled my money walking out of the closing office.

My wife and I enjoyed 7 years boating with our friends. We are all at the same place in life and all seem to be "taking a break" at the same time.

Good stories in the thread!

22 I had a 2003 20' Baja Outlaw.
24 I have a 1996 27' Fountain.