What was your first boat?

Ned L

Commander
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
2,266
Re: What was your first boat?

My first boat was a 14' plywood rowboat. It had washed up on some friends waterfron property with a couple of holes in it. I was eight at the time & convinced my parents to bring it home for me (otherwise it was destined for a burn pile). We brought it home, patched it up, and I kept it in a local tidal creek for about four summers, had a lot of fun with it. Our 'family boat' at the time was a 30' Ulrichsen skiff. I think my rowboat made boat # three in the family. Things grew from there to I think 14 or so boats (8' up to 46') when I was in the high school years. At times it could be a real decision as to what boat to take out. :)
 

Lucraft

Cadet
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Messages
18
Re: What was your first boat?

My first boat was a mid to late 90's Coleman "Crawdad" plastic flatbottom, 11' long; got it when I was about 13. I started out with a 27 lb thrust Minn Kota trolling motor and later upgraded to a 48 lb thruster. My friend and I launched it in a freshwater canal in Naples, FL almost every weekend, using my 4-wheeler and a borrowed trailer from my neighbor to tow it to the end of the street.

Many, many large mouth bass were caught from that boat, and we covered quite a bit of ground even though we only had 1 deep cycle battery. There were several nights right around dusk that we'd come putting back to the 'ramp' barely moving, having run over 5 miles round trip totally draining the battery.

One day I forgot to put the plug in before launching and suddenly found my feet wet. I twisted the trolling motor handle to '5' and promptly pulled back onto the trailer. That first plug-out experience is unforgettable, and once is all it took for me to double check every time now..

My first "real" boat is the Lucraft flatbottom I'm currently restoring.
 

Philster

Captain
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
3,344
Re: What was your first boat?

1977 Chaparral. 18'. Open bow. Two-stroker Evinrude 115 HP. Alum prop.

Had one gauge: Broken tach

Pre-mix 50:1. Had three 6-gallon portable tanks. No trim for engine. No power tilt. Changed water pump every three years. Annual tune up.

Other repairs: ZERO dollars from 1977 through 1997. Twenty years without a repair.

It spoiled me. All it did was run and run. I have never driven a boat since that could come out of the hole like that. I swear, it weighed 500 lbs.

Skiing, tubing, drifting, swimming, cruising and beaching. We used to pull kneeboards and tubers off little islands and shoals and never think twice about the sand that the prop was stirring up. Ignorance IS bliss.

If you read my signature, that tells you all you need to know. In the end, the I/O is fun, but damn... that 'Rude is probably still going!
 

MushCreek

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 20, 2009
Messages
150
Re: What was your first boat?

I was about 10 years old in the early 60's, and was in the habit of hanging around the CT waterfront at every opportunity. We had the remnants of a commercial fishing fleet, as well as a group of old salts who had long retired (it occurred to me the other day that these old men probably served on sailing ships early in their careers!).

Anyhow, there was a dried-up old skiff of about 12' laying in the weeds, and I had my eye on it. It was a square-tail dory, what we called an 'Amesbury dory' locally. Somehow, I got the old men (who may not have even owned it) to give it to , with permission from my parents. I first had to be able to swim across the Indian River by myself, probably 150' or so. I quickly learned to swim, and hauled my prize the 1/4 mile home on an old cart of mine. It had wide planks on the bottom, running lengthwise, and it was so dry, I remember being able to stick my fingers in between them!

I found something to caulk it with, and mixed all of our old leftover paint to paint it. I dragged it back down to the water, and launched it. The old salt who gave it to me told me to let it sink, and stay submerged for 3 days before I bailed it out. I wasn't buying that, and I remember bailing with tears in my eyes as the old-timers had a good laugh. Believe it or not, it actually tightened up, although it took a lot longer than 3 days!

Back in those days, you could tie up to the Town Dock for $5 a season! I made money by bringing pop bottles in for the deposit, and later on, mowing lawns and shoveling snow. I went on to have an incredible number of boats in my childhood- row, sail, and power. In any give season, I usually had several, none of which were particularly fancy, but they all got me out on the water! It's sad to think that you couldn't duplicate my childhood today unless you lived on the water. I don't think there are many places left where you can tie your boat up for a nominal fee, and find it still there the next day.
 

Tommy Monsoon

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 14, 2008
Messages
40
Re: What was your first boat?

A 1991 25' Maxum (purchased July 2009) with a Mercruiser 5.7L, Alpha 1.

Really pleased with the condition of the boat and that its a Cruiser!


Cheers!
 

NelsonQ

Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
1,413
Re: What was your first boat?

My first boat that I purchased back in 2007, was a 1973 Sunray 14 1/2 foot runabout with a 1962 Mercury 50HP on the back.

We'd just purchased a place up on the lake and after watching from the shoreline of all the folks fishing and tubing, we decided we'd make the investment. Cost me $1800 CDN including a 1975 Sears Craftsman boat trailer.

Great little starter boat, and was sad to part with her the next year. Started first click, ran like a champ and hit 30MPH.

Here's a pic of her....
 

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Flyvet

Cadet
Joined
Oct 26, 2009
Messages
25
Re: What was your first boat?

My first real boat was an 8' plywood pram sailboat I bought with money earned on my paper route. Bought it from a shop in Mt. Dora, FL, didn't have a trailer or drivers license but would pull it on an old red wagon down to the nearby lake and sail or row. It had a dacron cat rig sail and daggerboard, was white outside and varnished interior, I was real proud of it. Actually my first watercraft was something you might see in a Little Rascals show. My neighbor was in the tire business so he gave a few of us kids tractor tires tubes to play with. Most of the kids used theirs to bounce on like a trampoline but I made mine into a boat/raft! My weakness was already showing, I was probably 10 years old in the late fifties. I cut a square piece of plywood and placed on top, cut a hole for a daggerboard, made a mast and boom out of a 2x2, made a sail of an old sheet and a makeshift rudder. Needless to say it didn't move out too well, but would run with the wind. But it floated!
 

60 starcraft

Recruit
Joined
May 8, 2010
Messages
5
Re: What was your first boat?

12 foot grumman flat floor vnose wooden benches 4hp johnson i still have it and probbly will untill i die its my favorite one of the 3
 

ampcarfan

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 5, 2010
Messages
34
Re: What was your first boat?

1966 16' MFG, great boat but the motor was also a 66' 60hp Johnson (HUGE cowl) and was whipped but ran. Put a newer model 77' (I think) 50 hp Johnson, and had a great time with that boat! Wow, that was alot of years ago..lol
 

gt

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 5, 2009
Messages
86
Re: What was your first boat?

8' homemade Minimax, 10hp Merc KG-7. Almost identical to this. At 12 yrs old, I had a ball. Made mom nervous though..

MinimaxPic1.jpg
 

northernmerc

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
401
Re: What was your first boat?

Since you asked . . . for our (my brother's and mine) grade 8 graduation, our dad bought us a new 14' wooden rowboat. It came from Eatons, a Canadian company that offered mail order service at the time.

We rowed that boat up and down the Swift Current Creek for the next few summers. Whenever we broke an oar, we just made another one. We had lots of fun with it.

Later, as a young adult, I put it on top of a car and hauled it up to Lac la Ronge in northern Saskatchewan. That's where it stayed.
 

northernmerc

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
401
Re: What was your first boat?

8' homemade Minimax, 10hp Merc KG-7. Almost identical to this. At 12 yrs old, I had a ball. Made mom nervous though..

MinimaxPic1.jpg

I remember boats like that. I'll bet it could fly!
 

GatorMike

Ensign
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Messages
902
Re: What was your first boat?

I still own my first boat, have owned numerous boats since getting it but never got rid of that first one. When I was a kid we lived on a small lake for my 14th birthday my dad bought me an 8ft fiberglass wellcraft rowboat with a 3 1/2 horse outboard. A neighbor kid and I got crazy and put a 25 horse mercury on it and ended up spliting the hull down the keel but a few days work and some fiberglass resin fixed that. 40 years later I stil have it. Hasn't been in the water in about 10 years though.
 

mciaio

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
141
Re: What was your first boat?

Great stories.

When I was groing up, almost too young to remember now, we had a little 19 foot I/O something or other. Named it 2x4 cause my dad was a builder and also 2 parents and 4 kids. I don't remember much of the boat but that it was red. Then in the late mid-80's my dad bought a 1978 Sea-Ray 32 Weekender. That was an awesome boat. I remember standing on the v-berth with my head out the front hatch while under way cruising. I was mesmorized by the water running under the bow and the sound of the wind in my ears. I remember that like it was yesterday. Anyway, Dad sold that to buy the latest and greatest Macintosh computer of the day.

I bought my first boat when I was in my early 20's. It was a 1989 Welcraft 192 Classic. Cuddy cabin boat with a Merc 470 I/O. I had that boat for three years. I had many a dates with the ladies on it. While dating my wife we went out on it. Other things seemed to become more important in life, like paying bills, and I could no longer afford my dock fees. I signed the title over to the marina to cover my costs. I saw the boat down there a couple years later with new bottom paint and it looked good. Every time I see a 192 Classic I think of her and always point them out to my wife.

With the 23 Chaparral bow rider we have now I hope to make memories with my young sons like the one I have of that Sea-Ray.
 

2stroke1971

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 8, 2009
Messages
209
Re: What was your first boat?

Spent lots of time on a boat as a kid, but my first boat was only last year, it was a 1972 Steury V215. It was a 15 foot fiberglass boat, V nose, high sides and a flat bottom. VERY wide as well. Had a '72 Johnson 25 on the back. I bought it from my Brother when I couldnt stand fishing from bridges and piers anymore.

For it's size, it was very capable, I took it out at Sandy Point usually, but also had it out at Hoopers island and Chincoteague a few times. It came right out of the water with the Johnson topped out! Got alot of strange looks taking it out on some pretty rough weather days! Wish I still had it to tell the truth, if I had a large back yard I would have never sold it. (Bought a bigger one over the winter)
 

tx1961whaler

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 31, 2008
Messages
5,197
Re: What was your first boat?

First boat is my current boat, a 1961 Boston Whaler. Dad had it before I was born; it became "mine" when I was 10 in 1974.
I've had many other boats in between, but always kept the original....
 

25thmustang

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
1,849
Re: What was your first boat?

The 27'er in my sig was my "first" boat. First one I purchased myself, but grew up on boats.

The 29'er in the sig is technically the 2nd boat, but will most likely be my first boat I get to drive and enjoy.
 

Summer Fun

Banned
Joined
Mar 2, 2002
Messages
2,251
Re: What was your first boat?

A 1984 16ft Cuddy Bayliner in 2003. Our friends Pat & Lynn were following us. :)
Now I have a 30ft Sea Ray. :)

SlvnBch.sized.jpg
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
16,031
Re: What was your first boat?

I had partnered on several boats earlier, but the first boat where I was sole owner was a 1986 Citation cuddy that I bought when it was 3 years old. I used for fishing on the Chesapeake for 3 years before I sold it to pay the Chiropractor bills. Bounced around like a cork when it got rough which was 80% of the time I went out.

Came into some money on a company buy-out and bought my first Grady White. Have not looked back since. :):)
 
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