Since I've mostly blown my cover I might as well continue. My parents bought land on Cow Island in the fall of 1967. The real estate agent had a big wooden cabin cruiser so getting out to see the lot to buy it, no problem.
After buying the lot, we needed a boat. Full disclosure, my dad had never owned much less driven a boat but island property so boat. I remember touring a bunch of boat yards and we ended up at the old Lakeport Landing, I believe the owner at the time was named Jerry Hebert. My dad ended up buying a 16 foot Grady White Pamlico (are you reading Dave R?
) with a 50 HP black and white Mercury outboard so the boat and motor were probably 1960-62 vintage. It was blue with a white stripe at the top strake, copper bottom paint and bright mahogany decks, windshield, seats and transom. (I thought it was AWESOME!)
We ended up taking the boat for a test ride (I got to go) and being a wooden boat, there was some water in it. Jerry told my dad to drive straight and went back to pull the plug. At some point the boat started to speed up a little and I vividly remember seeing water below my feet and Jerry telling my dad to slow it back down. I'm probably 5 or so at this point and I have to say it's one of my more vivid early memories.
There's a prequel to what led up to my parents buying on Cow but I'm going to let some others have their memory moment now. Thanks Hemlock, great thread!