Your first boat

Trick · 07-10-2001, 08:04 PM

I know some of you Ifishers have some very nice crafts. My guess is that most, if not all, started with some less then desirable sea buckets.

Post a pic or give a description of that first boat and divulge how much beer you had to trade to aquire that jewel of the ocean. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Pete · 07-10-2001, 08:20 PM

This is a "Trick" question, isn't it? I loved my first boat ... it was a ton of work, but it responded so well two two years of work. Ok, what was it? At age 16, my parents wouldn't let me buy a car ... but they did let my buy a very used 28 foot mahogany hulled Chris Craft. She cost me a whoppin' $500. I had her out of the water for 6 months while I recaulked the hull and renewed the copper coat paint. Back in the water I sanded every bit of brass and mahogany clean of paint and redid her with varnish. The cabin slept 8, 3 burner stove, head, shower, fridge ... Chrysler 360 marine power bulleted it along at a stunning 11 knots. I kept her moored near Annapolis on Chesapeake Bay where we fished for stripers and blue crabs. Did I mention she was powered by Schlitz? When I left for college I sold her for a little more than I was into it ... she sank in her berth 6 months later when the new owner failed to plug in the trickle charger.

SnagMagnet · 07-11-2001, 03:43 PM

ROFLMAO Pete.... First boat was a 20' Valco that was WEEEELLL used on the snake in eastern Idaho. If anybody ever saw a boat sportin the name "NUTTIN BUTT UGLY" fishin the Drano, John Day area that would be me. It was sportin a fine Krylon camo paint job. Boat was a fine vessel if you could keep the reverse gate down at full tilt.... For that guy that was in the trihull on Drano that day....I'd pay big bucks for that picture you took!!!!!!!!! Anybody ever see a 135 HP outboard jet wanna jump in the boat with ya at full tilt? Not a pretty site... [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] Sold it for $400 more than I bought her for... I'm now building one and after Pete's post....I'm installing 2 bulge pumps... [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Jim · 07-11-2001, 03:57 PM

Are there any better memories??? My first boatI was 10yrs old...I pulled out of Spanaway Creek...it was an 8' wooden pram. So...after letting it dry all summer...I proceeded to restore it...lots of great lessons including my first fiberglassing job! That boat caught more fish than probably any boat I have owned since...most of the time I was fishing lakes with it...but it took its share of float trips down the Mighty Chehalis for Hooknose Silvers and a few Kings. My custom mark on that boat came from my first lone duck hunting excursion after getting my license...I was a little bit late so was setting decoys from the boat during shooting hours...had a flock of Blue Bills come divin in and shot three times and got two.....problem was I was sure when my first shot went off...one look at the stern and it became clear. There was a perfect 12 gauge hole...Dad wasn't happy, but it stayed there until I gave the boat away to a friend of mine...yes...he still uses it!!!!

Great Question for me...Thanks for bringing back a flood of memories!!

Jim

ampersat · 07-11-2001, 04:11 PM

not too much of a memory for me because i still have mine. it's an old town guide 14'7" canoe. one fishing trip in her so far and i have to say the bite was pretty good. hopefully, over the next few years i catch enough trout to fill her up. i'm itching to trade up to something i can at least stand up in but she'll do till then, i guess. the wife won't let me sell it just yet. she says it makes her feel 'all pocahontas and stuff'.

Phish_on · 07-11-2001, 04:29 PM

Mine is in the garage ... unless you count inflatables.

My second boat came and went.

My third boat is a canoe.

07-11-2001, 05:56 PM

12 foot wooden drift boat. Fish and Fix. Major blood in it a long time ago, far far away in Trask. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Thumper · 07-11-2001, 06:21 PM

Well, I am old enough to have been up the ladder and now back down. Other than a 24 ft. Searay Weekender, my first boat was a 16 ft Klamath with a 50 HP pump. Then I met Fin on the North Fork of the Lewis and his boat convinced me to get a real sled. So I sold the Klamath and bought a 16 ft guide model Alumaweld flattie and talked Page Stevens into putting a 200 jet on it. It was very, very fast, but would only go straight. If it dug a chine the ride was over! Then up to a 460 inboard rear-console JetPace, now back down to a 16 ft Grumman Pokey and a cataraft. Guess I have come full circle. May have to start over.......

WaterDog · 07-11-2001, 08:21 PM

My first boat was a 16 foot wood sled I paid $500 for. Not real pretty but it did the job and it caught fish. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Deepslayer · 07-11-2001, 08:33 PM

My first boat is in the backyard. A 1967 17'thunderbird tri hull with a 120hp inboard/outboard. Got tired of dumping money into it, so I mostly go fishing with friends. Buing gas and paying for bait is a lot cheaper and worry free. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

local_hooker · 07-12-2001, 04:26 AM

12' rivited alum flat bottom, w/ 3 hp. merc. I was 15 and it was slow but I killed many ducks and fish in that boat.

DF · 07-12-2001, 08:15 AM

My first boat was a 14 ft sears gamefisher flat bottom. It leaked a little and had a 12 Horse sea king outboard, It got up and flew. But I sold it a few months ago. I have yet to get another boat

ol tuna skipper · 07-12-2001, 04:28 PM

My first boat (not including a raft that was given to me, which I still have) is a 19' Alumaweld Formula Vee. I did a lot of boating in OPB (other peopled boats) before deciding I needed one. Then the wife stepped in and said if she and the kids were going it had to be safe and comfortable. We settled on this.

Jim · 07-12-2001, 05:04 PM

Tuna...to bad you didn't buy a nice boat [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Do you have a prop or jet on it??

I like your wife! Sounds like you have a keeper!! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

I'm sure I have a picture of my 1st boat somewhere with ducks on the seat after a fun day...but don't know where it is.

Jim

HOGTIDE · 07-12-2001, 05:06 PM

MY first boat was a 15 fiberglas driftboat made by 'Ensign'. Only $650, which seemed like a lot of money for a rowboat back in 1976. Nice boat for the $. Caught lotsa fish.

Boat #2 was a Mid-Jet...worst purchase I've ever made. After a year and a half of problems with 'everything' on it (don't buy a rotax) I sold it.

Boat #3 14' Western w/ 18hp Merc. Probably the best , most practical purchase I've made.

Boat #4 17' Boston Whaler...just for the 'hot' Buoy 10 days. Unbelievable big water performance from a small boat.

Boat #5 17' Alumaweld SuperVee Pro...liked it so much I kept it around for 9 years... a bulletproof, tank of a boat.

Boat #6...as of this April, 20' Alumaweld Intruder SJ. Big, Roomy, Comfortable, Powerful and a 'Windshield'!!!...guess I got old. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

pirk fan · 07-12-2001, 05:32 PM

12 foot fiberglass Sears Gamefisher with an aircooled 5 hp Sears (Eska) outboard. Many adventures and many fish. Not the toughest hull and got lots of fiberglass patches. Sold the boat for what I payed for it - $200. I'm sticking with aluminum now.

Jennie@ifish · 07-12-2001, 06:37 PM

My first and only boat:
I bought a 8 foot wooden pram at a garage sale for 35.00. It was full of holes, so I took the baby home, went out and got some fiber glass stripping and the goo that goes with it, and re fiberglassed the whole thing in the basement.
What a job! I didn't realize what went into it.
Then, I bought some Marine Tech paint, white, and blue for the accents, and painted it SO cute!
It came with antique oars, which were really worth way more than the boat!
So, I named it "The Cosmic Muffin" after something I read in a Jimmy Buffet book and set sail one day.
It was SO awesome, cuz I didnt have a trailor, but I could go anywhere! I just shoved it in the back of my Ford Station Wagon and off I went, to every local river and lake and slough in Clatsop County!
I miss it!
When I got together with Bill I sold it, and although the upgrades in boats are nice, I still miss the freedom of coming and going when I please, and being independent in my craft.
The only problems I encountered were these two:
Once, I needed to anchor, and didn't have one, so I filled up a milk jug with gravel. I rowed my son across the lake, set anchor, fished.... and decided to row back.
I forgot to pull anchor.. Man, was that ever a hassle rowing and pulling all the weeds on the bottom of Smith Lake with me! Whewie!
I felt SO stupid!
Then, once on the Necanicum I got a salmon on. A huge Fall nook, and I realized that my small craft was not able to handle this.
I whipped out my lighter and melted the line. Bye bye chinook, or Jennie would be dunked.
I still wonder if I made the right decision!
Anyone see the Cosmic Muffin around... I want it back!
Jen

Mr. Fisherman · 07-12-2001, 08:15 PM

So, inflatables don't count.

They did when I was 12.

My next boat was a 15' Sea King glass boat with a 25 HP Evinrude. It was a feesh killer [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]. It was in such good condition that I even had the original owners manuals and the motor looked like brand new under the cowling (sp).

It was as old as dirt but she never let me down. I miss her.

Then I bought a canoe, man that was a mistake. I bet those bank anglers still laugh when they tell the story of a big guy trying to tilt down his trolling motor ina canoe in lost lake and saw a canoe completely on end [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] I still can't believe that I didn't tip it. Some days yer just lucky.

Next I bought my current boat. An 18' Sea Swirl Seirra Sport. Not eh fishing machine I wanted but it'll do for now.

I plan on getting into another boat in a year or two. I'm leaning towards one of the larger Arimas [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img].

Great memories....

Trick · 07-12-2001, 08:32 PM

LMAO Jennie......That reminded me of a stupid thing I did not to long ago. I have a little 12' aluminum puddle jumper that I run out to the islands to camp and fish in. I had my two oldest sons which are 5 and 8 with me. Well, as we fished off the island the tide was running out. I kept pushing the boat down with the tide because when your by yourself it's hard to move them in the sand. I swear I took my eyes off the boat for two minutes and apparently the tide turned and the boat was probally 20 yards out and headed downriver when I noticed it. I had two options: 1)swim, heavy current, cold water, life jacket in boat, not a good option. 2) run 50 yards and ask the guy down the island to give me a lift, best choice. We'll his boat was sick and I was really worried when he said he was having motor problems. By then the boat was a hundred yards and moving fast away from me and I began to wish I had taken choice #1. Fianlly retrieved the boat. Have been laying out the anchor line since that incident just incase.

I'm just glad that I'm not the only one who has temporary lapses of judgement...Thanks Jennie! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[ 07-12-2001: Message edited by: Trick ]

OR Coast Range · 07-12-2001, 08:48 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> So, inflatables don't count.
They did when I was 12. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Ray,
Too easy. Way too easy. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]