First Lust!
04-02-2018 | 10:02 AM
#21
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 682
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From: Akron, OH
Not offshore boats, but my first memory of Fast Boats was a week in August spent in MI at DeWitt’s Northaire Resort, on Clam Lake, near Torch – probably about 1968. We rented a cabin and there was a family next to us, I think it was a father and his two or three teenage sons. They had two matching blue fiberglass speedboats—black bucket seats and giant-ass Merc outboards hanging off the back—my dad referred to them as “yellow-jackets” but I know they were not.
My older brother and I loved to watch them fly up-and-down Clam Lake, throwing huge rooster tails—I’m sure they would not be doing that today. They would sit out at a campfire by the water most nights; I can still remember coming out to the docks one morning and seeing their spent fire with a bunch of empty Hamms beer cans in the ashes…Seemed to me they were having lots of fun.
My dad was a fisherman, and wasn’t crazy about how this disrupted his fishing a little—but he was an ex-marine who appreciated having fun…and I could see that he kind of enjoyed watching them too. Times are different now, but it’s a happy memory that still gives pleasure.
My older brother and I loved to watch them fly up-and-down Clam Lake, throwing huge rooster tails—I’m sure they would not be doing that today. They would sit out at a campfire by the water most nights; I can still remember coming out to the docks one morning and seeing their spent fire with a bunch of empty Hamms beer cans in the ashes…Seemed to me they were having lots of fun.
My dad was a fisherman, and wasn’t crazy about how this disrupted his fishing a little—but he was an ex-marine who appreciated having fun…and I could see that he kind of enjoyed watching them too. Times are different now, but it’s a happy memory that still gives pleasure.
04-02-2018 | 10:10 AM
#22
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Joined: May 2001
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From: Worldwide
04-02-2018 | 08:26 PM
#24
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 415
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From: North Bay, Ontario/Cape Coral, Florida
"Night Moves" was here in Ohio in the late 80's, my buddy and I were trying to get money together for it, and to sweeten the deal, the dealer put in a new "bag" cell phone in the boat! Another fellow here, Mitch Warnike, purchased the boat and ran it here for years! Still a very cool boat!!
04-02-2018 | 08:44 PM
#25
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,688
Likes: 216
From: Olmsted Falls,Ohio Marblehead,Oh
About 30 years ago my parents lived on an island all summer. I was 11 years old at the time and I was trapped out there haha. I used to go to the marina and pump gas for free during the day for something to do. Most days the marina owners son would take me to a burger stand and buy me a burg for lunch, they were actually some of the best days of my life. One day there was a 38 topgun (really the only performance boat on our lake in Canada) in for repair. The marina owners son Darryl had the boat backed in at the ramp running it on the trailer and I was sitting there at the gas dock drooling. He was just about to back it off the trailer when he yelled over to me “hey do you wanna go for a ride”? I jumped in that thing so fast I probably left the gas running into whatever boat I was filling at the time and we headed out for a ride I will never forget as long as I live, I was hooked. If not for that day who knows what kind of boating if any I would be interested in..... now the owner of that gun and I are friends and I have owned numerous performance boats since. Thanks to Darryl Hincks and Dave Harcourt, it changed my life! Photo was from years later when it was for sale after the owner boat a 41 Apache in the US.
04-02-2018 | 08:44 PM
#26
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,688
Likes: 216
From: Olmsted Falls,Ohio Marblehead,Oh
04-02-2018 | 08:49 PM
#28
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,688
Likes: 216
From: Olmsted Falls,Ohio Marblehead,Oh
For me I was very fortunate to grow up with fast boats since I was born... When born my dad had a 17' Kona with an outboard.... Around when I was 5 he bought a brand new 18' jet boat with a 454. It was love at first site! The big engine sticking out, the rumble of over the transom headers, and the rooster tail did it for me. It is funny to think that was our "family" boat. 2 kids, my parents, and a small dog would go out every weekend on it. 10 years later my dad was ready to move up. We were really limited with places to boat. Family was getting bigger and it was the right time. He found a 24x7 Python Vector... That opened up our world to boating in sandusky bay and around the islands on calm days. This is when I really started seeing the boats that made and impact. The select few are...
1. The Irritator: A 35' Cigarette Mistress that was racked stored at Venetian. The name was killer. I loved seeing it roar past cedar point while playing on the sandbar. It was just awesome!
2. Night Moves: Same boat as above.. A 38' Cigarette Flat Deck. We used to see the boat come and go out of the Harbor in Sandusky. At that time it was stored on a lift at the end of one of the finger docks. Later it did get rack stored at Venetian. I will never forget driving accross Cedar Point causeway and seing it get on plane. Just a super awesome boat.... Whenever I hear Bob Seger I still go back to seeing that boat...
Those boats all started it for me... and my pops. While we had a "mini" cig, We dreamed of having big one. We eventually did with a Mistress and a Top Gun. Ever since then I have loved the boats with the number 1 on the side...
I cant leave out my love for Apaches. There were 3 that I saw and still think are sweet even to this day..
1. Lenny's 41, Team Apache. The memory that really stuck was seeing the picture of it hanging in the old McGarveys whenever we would stop in. Ever since then I really loved that boat.
2. Alter Ego: A 41 Apache. Only saw it once! Snapped a pic for evidence. Never saw it again until OSO came along.. That thing was sweet.
3. Stillwater: A 41 Apache that was in the boat house right by the entrance to Venetian. Never seen it ran. Just by luck we were idling down the canal. I saw that big Indian head! The cover was off and I could see the gold dash bezels... I was never really hip on the colors but man did it look classy!!
I guess seeing those boats are why I have my little Apache Scout.... Someday when my kids get older I will jump up in size. I still dream of owning a big Apache or Cig. Just need the right boat for the area we boat.. Most of the lakes I go to I could see a 30 spectre being super fun.... Who knows... All in all this stuff is my passion!!! It really is the only thing I like...
Jr.
04-02-2018 | 09:00 PM
#29
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,688
Likes: 216
From: Olmsted Falls,Ohio Marblehead,Oh
I grew up on lake Erie going fishing on my uncles 24 Sea Ray, always loved boating... dad and al his buddies were all hot rod gear heads so I have always been into fast cars and anything else with engines...fast forward to late 80's we would camp at Kelleys Island Ohio, The Casino is well known offshore hangout, always packed with a marina full of everything and anything loud, I would stand at the rail and dream saying someday I will have a cool boat like them... Mid to late 90's my best bud bought a 311 Formula, ran 80 when he was done with it, for that time that was FAST! fell in love even more as I went with him every weekend and boated, met guys like Jbonz and more that are on here... I got a 20 Sea Ray free, fixed it to sell and buy my Chris craft245 Limited, had that a few years went to Baja 320, then the Mistress and now a Top Gun, I love my Old school gun and a lot of old school boats.... I would not change a thing about any of it!!
04-03-2018 | 08:59 PM
#30
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,975
Likes: 495
From: Cleveland, OH / Pewaukee, WI
I grew up on lake Erie going fishing on my uncles 24 Sea Ray, always loved boating... dad and al his buddies were all hot rod gear heads so I have always been into fast cars and anything else with engines...fast forward to late 80's we would camp at Kelleys Island Ohio, The Casino is well known offshore hangout, always packed with a marina full of everything and anything loud, I would stand at the rail and dream saying someday I will have a cool boat like them... Mid to late 90's my best bud bought a 311 Formula, ran 80 when he was done with it, for that time that was FAST! fell in love even more as I went with him every weekend and boated, met guys like Jbonz and more that are on here... I got a 20 Sea Ray free, fixed it to sell and buy my Chris craft245 Limited, had that a few years went to Baja 320, then the Mistress and now a Top Gun, I love my Old school gun and a lot of old school boats.... I would not change a thing about any of it!!
