What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

[salty87]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

i'm still on my first boat. it's an '87 Supra Saltare (hence Salty87, i needed a name). this will be my 6th year with it, i've put 600 hours on her...mostly wakeboarding.<br /><br />until recently, i would say all pleasure. i've fixed things here and there and upgraded lots of stuff. i've got her just like i want now, 'cept she needs new stringers and all. so, lately, it's more dread than pleasure. i'm getting hitched in may so i don't think that job will get done anytime soon.<br /><br />and, to get off boat topic....hook em!

 

[Serentiy]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

1956 Larson 14ft fishing boat When I got her my Grandpa had it sitting out in the pastor for many years all the wood rotted the paint worn off and holes where screws and ribbits were Tow years of working on Her and she's a beauty. I love to just sit and watch the waves go by listing to nature I have the original 1956 evinrude on her now.<br />serenity

 

[deputydawg]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

1976 Ebco tri hull 18' 165hp Mercruiser<br /><br />Things I like, wider than most boats. 6 kids ages 1 to 5 and 4 adults still enough room to enjoy the day. <br />It is deep enough that the kids are safe. They can't crawl our or fall out.<br />The seats are bigger than most so it is comfortable to sit in.<br />New engine so it runs great. (after a little work)<br /><br />Things I don't like, it is a tri hull. Color is fading. The drive was bad when I got it, being the poor guy I am I found a used drive off of a junk boat. It doesn't shift smooth from forward to reverse.

 

[NMplayer]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

89 20ft Lowe pontoon boat 50 HP Johnny<br /><br />I can't believe how much I like this thing. The wife always wanted a pontoon boat and she found this one. I can fish all day long with the wife and kids and nobody has a complaint! I couldn'r do that in my old tri hull

 

[snapperbait]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

<----- 1972, 21' Tigercraft... Ford 302 efi, straight inboard... Pleasure and misery all rolled into one....<br /><br />Went from a basket case with no motor and a tree and some ferns growing in it, to what it is today... <br /><br />Stringers were gone.. Floor, gone... Gelcoat, mostly gone, and what was left could be picked off with a fingernail..... When I got done with the sawsall and sander, all that was left physically was a fiberglass shell..... Two years and a few months from the day i dragged it home until the first launch... Did at least a little something to it every day during that time..<br /><br />I have an envelope full of recepts that truthfully, i'm afraid to add up.... and, i have to order a new fuel pump today too....dangit!..<br /><br />No time to use it now, and it breaks my heart to see it sit..

 

[aspeck]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

Snapper, is the tranny fixed?

 

[snapperbait]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

yep!..

 

[RetNav]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

Right now I am down to three boats and two of them gets almost equal use. <br />The two favorites are a 90 Dusky 256 WAC with Twin 90 200 HP evinrudes on back. Likes gas a lot but with the riders going offshore buying the gas it isnl't bad.<br />The other one is a 98 Carolina Skiff 17' with a 70 HP yammie on back. It is the V series boat and for the flats, Streams, Rivers it is ideal.

 

[rosco_59]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

This is my second boat and I love it, I have a 87 Bayliner Capri 1700 with an 85hp Force and the both have been nothing but a pleasure so far. I have one thing that will need some attention this year but no big deal. I think it looks nice and does just what I want it to do.

 

[Holdimhook]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

21ft Palm Beach Pontoon with 60 Rude, 12ft flatbottom deathtrap with 3.6 Merc, and my favorite is our venerable 65 mod. Boston Whaler Sport 13 with 35 Merc. The Whaler was bought new by my father in 1965 and I wouldn't trade it for a brand new one. All our boats are pure joy and pleasure even on the very worst days!

 

[heyttown]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

First boat for me, Bought it from a friend of mine who was saving $$$ for marriage.(boat info in my sig)...Havent had much problems with it.Ive had it out on lake erie fishing for walleye and perch.But the main purpose for the boat was for my duck hunting habit.....I would say the best part about the boat is that it will run in water less then 1'deep....Had the water blown out on us several times,tilt the motor up and idle in we go.<br /><br /><br />I have purchased 2 "cabelas" folding seats,Fishfinder with temp and speed,lighted compass,Completly rewired the entire boat,and added carpeted floors from the front to the very back with many storage compartments.....I love having the floor in it,especially with the icy mornings getting to the blinds,but it did take about 4mph off.<br /><br /><br />If I could change something about the boat,I would change how the boat deflects waves...Ive had it in 2-3 footers(which doesnt seem like much to bigger boats but)and it is usually a wet ride.<br /><br />My next boat will be an all purpose boat where I can go out on the lake with 3-4 foot waves safely...Pull out the fishing poles and fish,and in the same trip put the poles away, and get the skis and tubes out and do some watersports.

 

[fireship1]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

I sure have learned alot from my first boat. It's a 1985 Sea Ray Seville bowrider. Has the base 4 cyl 140 iron duke. I still own this boat and I feel for it's age it looks and runs really good. I droped in a fresh GM longblock in 93 when I got her. The old owner let her sit outside and freeze all winter long, thus killing her engine. I've changed lots of stuff on her and did lots of wiring. I think I could give Bob Villa a run for his money if I start my own show "This Old Boat." I'm glad I had the chance to learn from all the time I have put into her, I think it's made me a better boater somehow. The recent addition is a 1969 Starcraft Mariner V with a 48 SPL Evinrude plant. Starts and runs nice. Can't say how it handles, haven't had her out yet since I have owned her. So what's the point of this story.....The bottom line is this. The only thing that works on an old boat is it's mechanic! <br /><br />Who am I kidding....I love to tinker with both of them!

 

[fireship1]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

Oh, one more thing. My only gripe with the Sea Ray is that the floor is getting soft in a spot or two. To fix or to sell? something to think about!

 

[ob]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

15 ft Whaler Dauntless w/ 70 hp evinrude.Bought new in 96'.No problems.Economical little rig.Runs as good as the day we bought it.

 

[OLDSPUD]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

'03 four winns 245, and a '98 sea ray 180. Haven't used the sea rey yet 'cept when I bought it, seems to drive like a little sports car compaired to the bigger boat.<br /><br />The four winns is awesome, rides great and is real stable, great with smaller kids. They like riding in the cuddy.<br /><br />Both seem quite reliable, I like that, I would rather drive them than work on them.<br />spud

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

Started out years ago with a small steel row boat called the Mayfloat with a 18hp rude on it. Then I kept moving to something bigger until I have the 27' Bayline Victoria. Being a cabin cruiser, it is all pleasure, cruising, fishing, tubing, and of course being able to "Rock the Boat". Yep, I love the pleasure and so does the mrs!

 

[woodrat]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

1969 13' Whaler with the orignal johnson 40 horse. Great little boat for flatter water, and handles rough stuff OK except for the low freeboard. Engine is loud, sometimes jumps out of gear, and stinks, but the boat really scoots when you want it to. Cable and pulley steering has been troublesome sometimes. Been in the family since new. Too small for the family and for rough water fishing, so I went out on a limb with a loan and bought a <br /><br />1989 16' Valco Bayrunner aluminum center console, with a 60 horse Yamaha and a 9.9 Yam kicker. Came with a crazy heavy aluminum hardtop and a lot of useless old electronics. This boat is beautiful to look at and much more suited to bigger water than the whaler. I put newer electronics on it and fixed a few things and my brother and I fished all over in it for a couple of years until last summer, when a big crack opened up on the chine and it started leaking like crazy. Caused by the heavy top that had been on it damaging the stringers under the floor. I had removed it, but it was too late I guess. Now it is all stripped down, going to the welder at the end of the month. Then it will get all put back together and cleaned up and sold. Not because I don't love the boat, but because it is too small for more than two people to fish out of without tripping over each other, and my family wants more time in the boat too. Plus I wouldn't mind losing the monthly payment. So with the stripped down Valco sitting in the drive and the undersized Whaler tied up at the dock, I went out and bought, with CASH this time, a <br /><br />1972 19' fiberglass Bellboy with a 120 mercruiser IO set up. This baby has a windshield and even a windshield wiper! Ton's of room, I can get parts at NAPA, and it has a nice semi deep v hull and lots of freeboard so I can take it in the ocean a little more freely. I haven't even put it in the water yet, I've been too busy and haven't finished installed new electronics and radio. The trailer axle fell apart in a cloud of rust when I was bringing it home, but the boat seems really solid and I didn't pay very much for it, so I am hopeful, and so are my kids who are nagging me every day now to get it launched.<br /><br />Also have some kayaks and a little one person sailboat that my 12 year old has laid claim to. Boating has become a significant expense in my life, but is way worth it.

 

[KilroyJC]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

Fot those of you who haven't seen my ongoing posts:<br /><br />1976 Starcraft Holiday 18 w '75 70HP Evinrude.<br /><br />I just dry-fit my new transom core, and it sits in there beautifully. I am out the door in 15 minutes to pull the entire steering assembly (original to the boat)to clean & lube the cable, and to drill some holes in the transom core support to promote drainage (one of the many helpful suggestions I've gotten here on the iBoats forums!).<br /><br />See it at my website below-

 

[cajun555]

Re: What About YOUR Boat...Pleasure, Pain, Nightmare, or Worse?

The main boat I use is a 1959 Feathercraft with a 1964 40 hp rude. So far, not a hole in the water. So far has not left me using the APU(Paddles).<br /><br />Second boat is a 1972 Ridgerunner. Bought it just for the motor thats on the Feathercraft. F/G hull was good but the floor was rotten. Decided to rebuild floor which was easy enough to do but sunk about 250.00 in the floor. Probally 100 dollars than the boat was worth, but now I've got a pretty decent boat to hang the 1956 30 hp Johnson that came off the Feathercraft.<br /><br />So far happy with both. My biggest cost is registration fees for boats and trailers and launch fees.