What Was YOUR First Boat?
10-06-2013 | 08:53 AM
#62
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Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Southern Michigan and Elk Rapids
Aerocraft Lark, from about 1970 or so...
http://www.fiberglassics.com/library...raftb67009.jpg
...inherited it from Grandpa. Then followed that in 1986 with a Baja 180 Islander
http://www.fiberglassics.com/library...raftb67009.jpg
...inherited it from Grandpa. Then followed that in 1986 with a Baja 180 Islander
10-06-2013 | 10:10 AM
#64
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Joined: Sep 2007
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12 foot eli with oars, later upgraded to a 7.5 hp evinrude......they were made here on Long Island, turns out that when i was having my superboat built that John coen got his start at eli laminates....so came full circle
10-07-2013 | 08:13 AM
#67
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 687
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From: Land O Lakes Fl
When I was 10-years old, I got an 8' round-nose and flat bottom "race boat". Drove it on my knee's. It had cable steering, but I had to work the throttle from the tiller handle on the motor (which BTW was a screaming 7.5HP Johnson). The portable gas tank sat behind me and would float if the "cockpit" filled with water (big waves coming over the nose), but it would only do that until I went faster because then the water would drain through the open transom. My brother let his friend take it for a ride; he lost control because he was trying to slow down in a turn, but he couldn't find the throttle (the motor was turned) and the boat skidded and slammed into the seawall. The transom broke and the motor flew over his head and onto the patio. That was the last time I saw it.
10-07-2013 | 10:23 AM
#69
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,288
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From: New Jersey
I got a 1977 13' Boston Whaler for my 13th birthday in 1985. My parents had a 22' Wellcraft and between those two boats, that's where I spent most of my next few summers. By the age of 14, mom wanted me to drive "the big boat" over dad! LOL
10-07-2013 | 02:25 PM
#70
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,407
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From: Central IL
First family boat was an early 70's 16 1/2" Glastron tri-hull with a 140 HP Merc. The motor and boat were two different years...like '72 and '74 but don't remember which was which year. I believe Dad brought it home around '77 or '78 so I would have been 13 or 14. The boat had no built-in gas tank. There was a recess at the back of the cockpit covered by a vinyl curtain that housed 3, 6 gallon external tanks. I was "tank boy" so when one of the tanks would run dry I was in charge of switching over to the other tank and squeezing the prime bulb (which leaked, of course so I always stunk of 2 stroke gas). I remember sitting in the jump seat back by that straight 6 Merc with it screaming at WOT and thinking if this thing blows up I'm catching parts in the skull. We would cruise the Illinois river from Havana up to a sand bar South of Pekin where everyone would beach their boats and spend the day taking turns pulling kids tubing (tractor tubes, no fancy tubes back then!) and skiing. There would always be a fire, plenty of coolers, frisbees, footballs. etc. Just good ol' summer fun. Miss those days...
My first boat was a '93 206 Rinker with a 4.3LX/Alpha that I bought in '98. Ran just under 50 MPH and the 40 gallon tank would last forever. In '99 I started to go back to LOTO so the 206 only lasted a year.
My first boat was a '93 206 Rinker with a 4.3LX/Alpha that I bought in '98. Ran just under 50 MPH and the 40 gallon tank would last forever. In '99 I started to go back to LOTO so the 206 only lasted a year.
