My First Boat!

[Misty Blue]

Let's try a new FUN thread...My FIRST BOAT!

I'll start.

'Got out of the Navy in 78. When I got home I found my Uncle Bill (step dad) had sold our sloop. He said that he sold it because I wasn't around to sail it with him. I reminded him that I had been away. Remember, the war???

So I took out a loan for six months pay and bought a Cape Cod Goldeneye sloop from the Cape Cod shipbuilding company in Wareham, MA. And she was a beauty!

We named her the Wild Wind. Unc and I would head to the Lake mid-week all summer long for three days of sailing fun. One of our favorite runs was out of Braun Bay, past Camp Lawrence, Round and Welch islands and back up the broads. Then finish the day with good food and s.

All good things must come to an end and the Wild Wind was no exception. Some years later I was married, new house, kids and kicking my job into high gear. The Wild Wing got sold. But we have pictures on the wall and fond memories in our dreams. Thanks Wild Wind.

Misty Blue.

[The Eagle]

This sounds like fun, so here goes!
My first boat, was a "classic!" It was a 19 foot 1970 Glastron, that was stored in an old barn in Winchester MA, for...well, YEARS! Possums, had got into it and ate all the seats. My wife had taken our two kids for a vacation (while I stayed home and worked) She did not like boats and always argued when I wanted to buy one...SO, my friend told me about this "old boat," he inherated with an old house he bought. I went to see it (the old barn was very dark) and it looked pretty good, for an old boat. (Doesn't your first boat ALWAYS look GREAT!) He wanted to "get rid of it," and I wanted a boat. The price was right, he had a truck with a tow, and offered to tow it right to my door. So, I said, "Let's do it!"
Home I went and waited, patiently, for my "new boat," to arrive! Boy was I excited! Until it turned the corner of the street. Have you ever wondered what a boat that had been sunk for years and came back to the surface, and towed in for scrap? Leaning off the rusted trailer, tarp ripped, filthy dirty, parts hanging on for dear life, and flying all around, and dust and dirt blowing off it like a dust storm! Well, I bought it! I figured it was a "pearl in the ruff!" I was handy, and I KNEW I could get this thing cleaned up and running. Once I got about 15-20 years of dirt, cob webs, rust, possum nests, and what have you cleaned out.
Now comes the BEST part of my story....My WIFE came home! (before I could even get the hose out to wash it down) My kids were excited as could be, yelling to all thier friends "My Dad bought us a BOAT!" and my wife said,' (You all guessed it) "What the HELL IS THAT!" I told her that while she was gone, "The Boat Fairy came by!" If looks could Kill...I'd be dead!
I tried for years, and years to get it running, but it was so old, every time I needed a new part, it had to be ordered, and was always, "back Ordered." So my kids ended up using it as a "Fort" in the back yard. I bpught new seats and all, but it never ran. One time we had friends over for a few brews, and just for kicks and giggles, (after we had a few) we got out some water skis, and (you have to just imagine this one) hooked up a tow rope to the stern, I got on the skis, my freinds sat in the boat, on the trailer, in the yard, and yelled ,"Go Man GO!" as I pretended to ski, and one friend sprayed the hose at all of us (the waves crashing over the bow, of course!) We all had a good laugh (the neighbors just looked with a "puzzled look in their eyes) and we...opened anothe brewski! Needless to say, the boat never (that I know of) ever made it back into the water. I sold it to some guy who wanted the outdrive, as that worked perfect. He smashed his outdrive in rocks in his, and my old classic Glastron outdrive, fit his perfectly.
Yes it IS true (in this case, anyways) the two best days of owning a boat is the day you buy it, and the day you sell it! I am now on my third boat (that floats and runs) and the best part of this whole story is, after this "adventure," my wife, never argues with me about buying a "GOOD" boat again. Yes, we are still married after 35 years.

The Eagle

[townsde]

Last June a friend of ours let us use their camp on Squam for a long weekend. He would not let me use his 20 foot Sea Ray but he did let me use his 12 foot aluminum fishing boat. My wife and I went out in the fishing boat and while I fished she rowed. I let her fish for a while and I rowed and she caught some fish and had a really good time. On the way home she said " If you had a comfortable boat I would not mind fishing with you sometimes". That is all it took. I found a used Bass Tracker on Craigslist and it was in our driveway in 3 days. And she and I had a good summer of fishing together.

The next thing that happened is we liked the camp on Squam so much we started looking for a camp of our own. This March we closed the deal and we now have a water front camp on Moultonborough Bay.

Then she said "We really should have a big boat so we could go to Wolfborough or Meridith". You guessed it, we are picking up our Four Winns this Saturday.

No one knows what she will talk me into next!!!

[upthesaukee]

Got my first boat, 12ft plywood homemade with chine strips and a 16 HP Scott Atwater that ate plugs like I ate M&M's (and I loved M&M's ). Had friends of my folks that had a boat shop down in Mass and gave me a 25 HP Johnson. We took brass strapping and secured the sides and bottom to the transom and then fiberglassed the bottom and sides. It was like a hydroplane when we got finished. Took it down to the measured mile by Rattlesnake (yeah, that long ago) and it was between 45 to 50 MPH. Not a boat that you wanted to be out in if I was anything but a very light chop on the water. So much fun, easy to snorkle or SCUBA out of, and great for fishing. And at about 35 or 40 cents per gallon, cheap entertainment for a couple of friends on a weekend. Thanks, Misty....oh the memories.

[Lakepilot]

My parents had a nice Starcraft ski boat that I put many hours on. When I got married all we could afford was a 14' aluminum boat with a 5 1/2 HP Evinrude. Boy was I proud of that boat. Sold it to my brother in law years later. We've been through several sail and motor boats and now have a 25' Cobalt.

[Dave R]

"My" first boat was a 10' Starcraft Jon boat with 5' oars that my dad used when he was a teen. I spent countless hours fishing from it on the Lamprey River. The boat is still at my parent's house. My dad and I were just recently discussing one of our most memorable fishing trips together in that boat while we were making plans for the two of us to go big game fishing in Costa Rica next month. Can't wait.

The first boat I owned was an 18 foot fiberglass Mohawk canoe that my wife and I gave each other for a wedding gift. It got crushed in the heavy snow we had two years ago, but I repaired it and painted it last Summer so it's looks good as new. It has sentimental value and I really enjoy paddling it.

My first motor boat was a 17 foot "project boat" that needed lots of repairs to make seaworthy. I got it working, and used it hard for a couple of years. I later pulled the engine, rebuilt it, and after a 5 year hiatus from boating, I put the engine back in and used it some more. 8 years ago I sold it for more than I paid for it and still see it in use now and then. I learned a lot about boats from that one.

[winni for fun]

My first boat was a 1983 13' Boston Whaler Sport. My uncle had owned the boat for a while, but he sold it to a local mechanic after it flipped over while moored during Hurricane Bob. It sat on stilts for a few years until my dad thought it was time to get the kids a boat, I will never forget how excited I was. My dad made me take a boater's safety course. We had it for 6-7 years and provided us with many great memories down the Cape.. We would take the boat all of Vineyard sound, lobstering, and tubing. The 13' Whaler will always hold a special place in our family.

[XCR-700]

Is this what you had in mind,,,

BTW, it was a Glastron, and I'm still driving one!

[Just Sold]

My first boat was a 1960 9' Starcraft Pram and 1961 3 HP Evenrude. Bought from Downings in Alton and I still have both - stored at my brothers home. My nephews used it in the 70's & 80's on the Ipswich River in N. Reading, MA w/o the motor as the river was too shallow for using it.

I did have a prior boat & motor that was used on the oak row boat that came with the cottage we leased in Alton Bay. I did not own the boat. It was a 1 Hp Champion Pressure Cooker Company motor that came from what is today Melvin Village Marine. Very old - 1920's??? It came out of someone's barn and dad paid something like $20.00 for it. It never ran right and spent more time not running than running. John Birdsall might remember it as he or his brother worked on it once for me.

[robmac]

Oh the memories of the FIRST boat. Mine was a 1973 Glastron GT 160 w/a 115 Evinrude outboard. Being a young man with a boat was fantastic. Out on Winnipesaukee every chance I had was just the best time. As time went on and I sold it for another I always thought that was the best boat I ever owned. One day going through the Want Advertiser I found one for sale down in MA. I drove down and the boat was in perfect shape and I bought it. After rewireing the trailer it was back up to the big lake. Well first trip out with four adults and a 3yo with waves crashing into the back seat it was decided I needed much bigger boat. I guess when your 19 or 20 those little things don't bother you as much as when you get older but I'll never forget the fun I had with that first boat.

[Steveo]

1955 21 ft mahogany Correct Craft with Grey Marine Engine. It had a hard top. GREAT date boat when I was in high school.

[jmen24]

First boat of my own was a 146 Fiberglass Lincoln canoe, gave that boat to a a friend of mine about 5 years ago.

First motor boat was a 1989 Sunbird SPL 150 with a 48 Evenrude outboard, had to replace the entire interior, new carpet and seats. I remember the first time we went out in it and after swimming the carpet got a little wet and our feet were covered in this brown water substance, we took the carpet out that weekend and had some new on order.

We took that boat all over (the wife and I, we were 19 and 20 respectfully) We got a bunch of friends together and headed up to Suncook Lake to a family friends camp, we were going water skiing. My buddy who was the ace jumped in first, with five in the boat. You all know where this is going, after trying all different configurations of people in the bow, all we amounted to was dragging my buddy around the cove, not even getting on plane. What a laugh we had that night around the campfire, me and my big new boat!

[AC2717]

Well still the one I used today, but I bought it in September of 2006 the same weekend we closed on our camp on Paugus Bay.
It is a 1988 Colbalt 23BR. 23 footer, Bow Rider. Loaded to the gills with top of the line 1988 quality, everything still works!! Love her, the best thing about it no payments, just paid cash for her from Thurston's and said not only a great learner boat and safe for the family, she was and still is very cost effective
I would love to upgrade, but cannot let her go or the idea of making payments on our favorite family toy. We have decided to drive her to the bottom of Lake Winni and then search out for another one, so it might be this year, or 20 years from now, who knows, best riding boat out there in my mind, because she is mine LOL

It is a lot different from the boat I used to drive as a 1st mate, which was the Spirit of Boston dinner and dancing cruise ship, but the "Never Land" runs and moves a lot better!!!

Named after the Disney Movie Peter Pan for my wife and daughter (who is 4) who are disney fanatics, (I am to but I wanted a mythology name), and also for wanting to never get to land when we are on the lake!

[BroadHopper]

I use to hang out around Goodhue's in Glendale. (Marine Patrol HQ). He and his son Tuppie were heavy into fast boats. The marina was a Mercury, Hydrodyne and Hydrostream dealer. Tuppie would take me out in his toys and I was hooked!
My first was a home built hydroplane that someone left at the boatyard. My Dad bought me a Quicksilver outboard which was a bit more than I can handle when I am 14 years old! I use to terrorized all the Boston Whalers that the Lake Shore Park kids had around the mid 60's. Gary Cook had a 13' with an Evinrude 70!
Since than I have graduated to a Hydrostream Viper, 4-Winns Liberator and now a Formula F-223 LS.

Live on the Lake was good.

[VtSteve]

My first was an old 12' aluminum Sea Nymph with a 5hp Gale Buccaneer outboard. I wasn't allowed to use the motor, so I used to row the boat the length of Meredith Neck down to the coves at the end, sometimes all around Sally's Gut and beyond. Once I was allowed to use the motor, I frequently travelled to the Golden Horseshoe, the Weirs, down to Glendale and sometimes much further.

My dad had three boats we used later on. An old Lone Start, probably 18' or so, a 17' Glastron outboard, and a 21' Galaxy stern drive. We drove around in those boats constantly back then.

The first boat I bought new was a 1994 Larson 175 with a 4 cylinder Volvo stern drive. Had that one on Winni back then for a long vacation. I bought a new 22' Stingray cuddy in the winter of 2007, after nearly ten years boatless. It's been a great 3 years, except for lat year's the summer that wasn't.

Near as I can recall, I have been on the boats of my family's friends since I was five years old, and have driven and/or owned a boat since 1964/1965 range. If it weren't for golf, I dare say I wouldn't spend much time on land in the summers at all.

[Cal]

1964 16' Thunderbird with a 75 hp Evinrude. 46 years later I'm still running the Thunderbird logo

[Silver Duck]

I had been hanging around a small sailboat racing club in the town where I grew up (as often as I could get away with as a guest) for a couple of summers.

The summer I turned 12, I was finally old enough to become a junior member in my own right, but needed to own a boat that matched one of the club's one-design racing classes to qualify. My Dad helped me find an old, wooden Snipe class racing sloop (I still remember the sail number, 1969).

Lord, I loved that boat! I spent every moment I could racing and/or messing with her for the next six summers. I can still picture her clearly!

Thanks for bringing back some very good memories!

Silver Duck

[SIKSUKR]

Your gonna love this one. My first boat was actually half, yes half of a styrofoam sailboat. Yup, that's what I said. Dad bought a styrofoam, maybe 8 foot sailboat. He would let us paddle it around since I didn't know how to sail. Young SS thought it would be a good idea to jump into that boat from the dock and this became one of many lessons learned of what not to do. Of course I broke the boat right in half. After a few days my backside redness had faded and little SS's engineering skills started perculating. I was left with the back half so I fastened poly sheeting(plastic poly bag) to the broken off bow with duct tape. The stern still had the rudder attached so that was my motor. Simply moving that rudder back and forth created forward movement and voila, I had my first boat! Albeit only 1/2 a boat and about 3 feet long, but it was mine.

[NoBozo]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Your gonna love this one. My first boat was actually half, yes half of a styrofoam sailboat. Yup, that's what I said. Dad bought a styrofoam, maybe 8 foot sailboat. He would let us paddle it around since I didn't know how to sail. Young SS thought it would be a good idea to jump into that boat from the dock and this became one of many lessons learned of what not to do. Of course I broke the boat right in half. After a few days my backside redness had faded and little SS's engineering skills started perculating. I was left with the back half so I fastened poly sheeting(plastic poly bag) to the broken off bow with duct tape. The stern still had the rudder attached so that was my motor. Simply moving that rudder back and forth created forward movement and voila, I had my first boat! Albeit only 1/2 a boat and about 3 feet long, but it was mine.

Sounds just like the Snark. I remember it well. It could be purchased at K-Mart for cheap. NB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snark_sailboat

[John A. Birdsall]

Well you have to go back one step in the spring of 1957 my father launched his boat that he had building all winter. an 11' plywood boat, He put the biggest motor the plans called for on it, a 6 hp elgin. He launched the boat on the south side of Echo Point, and took it directly around the point to the boat house. just a two hour tour.....he went and got the car and trailer and put it away and went to the boat dealer and bought a 12 HP Elgin. that piece of junk was on and off the boat all summer. In the fall we pulled the boat and on the way home stopped at the kingston boat dealer and did a good trade, He got every penny back on the 12 HP and bought an 18 HP which we picked up in the spring of 58. well this boat woud go fast. And I was just 12 and relatively light weight so I could not operate this by myself. In the winter of 58-59 my dad and I built a 6' boat. It was supposed to have a outboard made into an inboard and away we go. But we put the 6 hp on it.
I got into the boat and sat in the back and it would push water, not go fast until I leaned on the bow, If it did not hit 40 it is a miricale. Grandma was on the peir taking movie pictures. On monday morning dad was going to work and by orders of my mother he was to take the outboard home with him. That boat was fun, but it was dangerous too. It turned up as a tobogan one winter for the neighbor. and then it was a garden. Oh yeah 1959 was perhaps the last time my father was allowed to drive the Puddy-tat, which is yet another story.

[egatlake]

Now this is what this forum should be used for. great stories My first was a 15 ft red and white Glastron with a OB 55hp Johnson. We had it beached at Sebago lake in a small cove due to a storm. the next morning we came to retrieve it and started bailing and bailing to no avail. Upon investigating my Dad put the boat over a metal drain pipe(it was under the sand). that night we had the storm and a bolt of lightning must have traveled along this pipe and put a foot square hole in the bottom (true story). raised the floor a couple of inches too. This was back in the sixties. He bought another boat 17 Silverline with a 100 evinrude and named it Lets Try Again!!

[MAXUM]

This is great!

My first boat was a 1964 Lone Star 14' fiberglass boat with all the interior ripped out for a couple swivel fishing seats and a 10 HP outboard on the back, tiller driven of course. Told my newly wedded wife at the time it was all I wanted, just something to get me out on the water to fish. Heh within months I had given to me a 40 HP Johnson sea horse outboard of about the same vintage. A few weeks later I had spent 3 times what it was worth to get it running but figured with all that "power" I had a poor man's cigarette boat. laughable at best, that darn boat cost me more money than I care to disclose. Oh was that thing pathetic and a piece of junk, but like a first car you gotta start somewhere. Makes me really appreciate what I have now. Only thing missing is a nice little camp for me to park it in front of. If only I could find one of them cheap I'd be golden!

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

I use to hang out around Goodhue's in Glendale. (Marine Patrol HQ). He and his son Tuppie were heavy into fast boats. The marina was a Mercury, Hydrodyne and Hydrostream dealer. Tuppie would take me out in his toys and I was hooked!
My first was a home built hydroplane that someone left at the boatyard. My Dad bought me a Quicksilver outboard which was a bit more than I can handle when I am 14 years old! I use to terrorized all the Boston Whalers that the Lake Shore Park kids had around the mid 60's. Gary Cook had a 13' with an Evinrude 70!
Since than I have graduated to a Hydrostream Viper, 4-Winns Liberator and now a Formula F-223 LS.

Live on the Lake was good.

I know Tup pretty well, his son and my son go to school together. I walked by his house this morning when I went to check out the new ramp at Lee's Mill. When I see him next I will get some stories out of him!

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by AC2717

Well still the one I used today, but I bought it in September of 2006 the same weekend we closed on our camp on Paugus Bay.
It is a 1988 Colbalt 23BR. 23 footer, Bow Rider. Loaded to the gills with top of the line 1988 quality, everything still works!! Love her, the best thing about it no payments, just paid cash for her from Thurston's and said not only a great learner boat and safe for the family, she was and still is very cost effective
I would love to upgrade, but cannot let her go or the idea of making payments on our favorite family toy. We have decided to drive her to the bottom of Lake Winni and then search out for another one, so it might be this year, or 20 years from now, who knows, best riding boat out there in my mind, because she is mine LOL

It is a lot different from the boat I used to drive as a 1st mate, which was the Spirit of Boston dinner and dancing cruise ship, but the "Never Land" runs and moves a lot better!!!

Named after the Disney Movie Peter Pan for my wife and daughter (who is 4) who are disney fanatics, (I am to but I wanted a mythology name), and also for wanting to never get to land when we are on the lake!

I would not be in a hurry to get a new boat. Those 80's Cobalts are great- lots of freeboard and heavy.

[Tallyho]

My first boat was an 8 ft. unpainted plywood pram, purchased at Downing's in Alton Bay. I can still remember the Downing employee, a Mr Ralph Jardine, carrying it down the hill to the dock. Talk about excited, my own boat! I had to prime, sand, and paint it before I was allowed to put it in the water. The color was Pettit Lemonade yellow. Only oar power for the first year, and then the 1954 Evenrude 3 hp showed up. I still have that motor, and it still starts on the second pull! I have a picture of my daughters running the same motor in 1993. See photo gallery.

[VitaBene]

Sorry for the multiple posts but I wanted to respond to a couple of earlier posts.

Our first boat was an 87 Cobia 215 CXL with the dreaded 4 cylinder that we bought new. We had a great time with that boat, first boating out of the Dorchester Yacht Club, mostly with trips around the inner and outer Harbor (a lot of overnights at World's End in Hingham MA and even a few weeks at Martha's Vineyard). We then moved it to Squam Boats next to the Bowling Alley that is now Walter's Basin.

Great thread MB!!

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Great thread Misty Blue! It's just missing too many of the pictures to go with the stories. Dig out those old photos!



The sailboat is from my childhood. We used to spend time on Contoocook Lake . It was a lot of work to maintain a wooden boat.

The other boat was our sons first attempt to build their own boat. They recycled plywood from the porch at the camp. It had screw holes in it, which they covered with duct tape. It was absolutely hilarious to watch one kid paddle while the other kid bailed. Their second boat was also recycled.

[SIKSUKR]

RG,that 3rd photo on the right is about what my 1/2 styro boat looked like except for the missing rudder!

[AC2717]

Originally Posted by VitaBene

I would not be in a hurry to get a new boat. Those 80's Cobalts are great- lots of freeboard and heavy.

Thank you VitaBene, I love my Cobalt. I have no plans to ditch her!
If you are cruising Paugus Bay (with Rt 3 on your left) at all you will see her Moored right near the Margate, blue canvas (hopefully getting new canvas this year she needs it) The Previous owner was on Paugus Bay too I believe, I see them every now and then in the Channel, they noticed the boat and flagged me down, They traded up for a bigger one due to the growing family with grandkids

[KBoater]

I started boating before fiberglass with a lap streak row boat and a 8hp Martin Motor. We graduated to a 17’ Correct Craft with a 45 hp Gray Marine. My best story about the Correct Craft is that one day it was raining hard and so I decided to beach it on my friends beach at a fast forward speed. After the rain stopped, I discovered that the shaft was damaged and the boat would only go in reverse. I got it to its home dock(2 miles) and didn’t boat for a few weeks. Fear of telling the parents was the major factor. I lucked out and hurricane Donna came, put the boat on the rocks and further damaged the boat. The boat was restored and a 65 hp Gray Marine was installed. We used it for many years. I never told my mother until a few years ago and she laughed because she really never realized it.

[JonLevis]

The first boat that I remember was a late-80's 19 foot Bayliner Capri Classic bow rider. Had a Force 125 Outboard. I remember my father taking us to the Weir's fireworks one nights and on the way home he left his mark on the Graveyard. It was 2AM and my two younger brothers and I were bouncing around in the boat talking to Rubber Duck on the radio while my father tried to change the prop! Since then, I hav taken over the helm...we went from the Bayliner to a 1979 Trojan Houseboat "Poor House" (lived at Handy Landing in the Weir's Channel for years) to a 31' Chris "It's All I Could Afford", and now the 51' Bluewater "Manitou".

[TOAD]

1966 10' Sears aluminum john boat, 3 HP Evinrude.

then

1974 brand new 14' Starcraft Holiday, 10HP Evinrude with rain top, steering wheel, and bow cover. Thought I had hit the big time!
Caught a lot of fish from Quabbin Reservoir out of that rig!

[Lucy Goose]

Originally Posted by AC2717

Well still the one I used today, but I bought it in September of 2006 the same weekend we closed on our camp on Paugus Bay.
It is a 1988 Colbalt 23BR. 23 footer, Bow Rider. Loaded to the gills with top of the line 1988 quality, everything still works!! Love her, the best thing about it no payments, just paid cash for her from Thurston's and said not only a great learner boat and safe for the family, she was and still is very cost effective
I would love to upgrade, but cannot let her go or the idea of making payments on our favorite family toy. We have decided to drive her to the bottom of Lake Winni and then search out for another one, so it might be this year, or 20 years from now, who knows, best riding boat out there in my mind, because she is mine LOL

It is a lot different from the boat I used to drive as a 1st mate, which was the Spirit of Boston dinner and dancing cruise ship, but the "Never Land" runs and moves a lot better!!!

Named after the Disney Movie Peter Pan for my wife and daughter (who is 4) who are disney fanatics, (I am to but I wanted a mythology name), and also for wanting to never get to land when we are on the lake!

Hey I used to be a first mate on the Spirit of Boston as well.

And my first boat was with my father-in-law, a 24 ft Grady White we used down in Orleans. Then I took a lot of sailing lessons but hubby doesn't like sailing so we just bought our first boat which is a Four Winns Vista 278. Just took it for a test drive on Saturday in Melvin Bay and we are in love. Can't wait to get out on the Lucy Goose more.

[loony]

My 1st boat was a 18' 1950's (?) Lyman with 1926 Johnson seahorse outboard. It was given to me, and I know why. It was a very long narrow boat that cut through the water like butter, fun to putt around in.
It spent summers in the water, but I got it on a trailer. If it sat on the trailer more than a couple of weeks, it leaked like a sieve. A few days before every outing I had to support it on jacks while on the trailer and keep the bottom filled with water. I had to do this for weeks in the spring.

I was told that the best 2 days of owning a Lyman was the day they bought it and the day they sold it. Luckily
I neither bought, nor sold mine. I sold the trailer and the boat was thrown in for free

[LIforrelaxin]

My first boat was my favorite boat. A 1975 Bayliner Quartermaster with a 115 hp mecury model 1150 tower of power. She was a stunning 18.5 feet long although the factory would call her 19 feet. My father actually purchased the boat right from the Bayliner factory in Redmond Washington. For any of you that don't know the History of Bayliner, this was long before Brunswick Marine bought the company.

She was made to run the river of the west coast on plane she only needed about 13 inches of water, and at rest maybe about 24 with the engine all the way trimmed down!!! She was a bright glimmering yellow with a beautiful black stripe. We never really new how fast she went we had no gauges in the boat until around 1990 when we did a major overhaul. We just ran until one of those 6 gallon tanks went dry, put the other one on and headed home. We could carve corners and lay her right over on her side, she would dig in and hold the corner as sharp as we wanted. I only ever felt her slip once, at WOT there was some limit.

Around 1990 we overhauled the boat new seats, added gauges, and spruced up the hull. The gel coat was waxed, back almost to its original shine, and all the teak sanded and oiled so that it looked new. We where convinced she would last another 15 years. So we kept running her hard. We could finally see that at 15 years old, and an estimated 600 -- 700 hours we could run at about 45 mph at WOT. Who knows where we where back when she was new.

Like a good work horse old yellow kept on going, I skied and tubed with friends all through high school and college. Never a complaint never a day off sick. New plugs in the spring, and a run around the Island at WOT every so often was all she ever asked for. Like anything though our relationship wouldn't last for ever.

It was about 2000 or so I started to notice that old yellow wasn't quite making it to 45, 44, 43, or even 42 mph anymore. She was doing all she could to get me and my Golden Retriver up to 40 mph. Oh how he loved to put his nose through the window and feel the wind. I tuned the engine, had the carbs rebuilt, tried everything I could think of over the next several years. But By 2005 on thing was clear old yellow and the 1150 merc where finally showing there age. Top speed was down to 36 maybe 37 mph if I was running alone. It seemed as though she wanted to perform but she just couldn't. I struggle all summer trying to make her feel better. All the memories in that boat. Most importantly the memories with my father in that boat, who had past away just a few years before.

As I sat having breakfast the day I took her out that fall. I watched as she bobbed up and down at the dock. I listened to her hull slap the water. And as I hooked up the trailer I some how new this was the last time I was going to pull her out of the water. So I got the trailer down to the ramp, and parked it. My neighbor gave me a ride back. Down I went, started her up, and headed out. WOT around the Island one last time.


This boat was bought the year after I was born. Until I gave the boat to Charity in the fall of 2005 there isn't a summer memory I have that it isn't in. It still ran, but it didn't perform they way I wanted it too. I could have installed a new engine but it wouldn't have been the same. After an estimated 1300 hours it was time to retire old yellow and start a new set of memories with a totally new boat. There was a uniqueness to her that was unremarkable. I know Bayliner produced more then one of these boats. But it was the only one I was ever in. It became a fabric of our family. The day the man from the charity came to pick her, up I watched my mother cry, my sister weep, and my niece run away, while we hooked old yellow up to his truck. He asked me if I was sure it was a 1975 boat, it was in to good of condition. I showed him the VIN. I watched her drive out of sight that day. Knowing that the last memory I had of her, was looking just the same as she always had. Bright Yellow with her black Stripe, and that proud Merc 1150 Tower of Power mounted on the back.

Hopefully someone has take her in. Mounted a new engine on her transom, and is now making memories of their own.

[Mee-n-Mac]

If by boat you don't mean blow-up raft ...

Our first boat was a mid 60's 14' Glastron, I think a V-142 Skiflite with a 35 HP Merc O/B. Ugly as all sin and blue all over. It did serve to take me to Center Harbor to get gas, comics and the like (I was to young to drive a car) and explore the nearer parts of the lake. Even back then the Broads were a bit too rough for that size boat. I have to say that boat was tough though even if I did manage to bust the windsheild off when jumping the (old) Mounts wake. Rot in the transom and flooring finally did her in.

[gtxrider]

The very first boat was a little blue plastic job that is under the cottage to this day. Sunset Bob had one and posted several pictures.

Our first real boat was a 15 foor '66 Starcraft Jetstar with 33HP Evinrude with an optional electric start. Boat and TeeNee trailer were from Downings but the engine was purchased in New Jersey. We later upgraded to a 50 HP Evinrude (max for that boat). Boy was that a nice little ski boat.

In '76 up graded to 15' Starcraft American with 70HP with a later engine upgrade to a 85HP Johnson.

Jump ahead to August 1986 and a 1987 FourWinns Horizon...still going and going.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by gtxrider

The very first boat was a little blue plastic job that is under the cottage to this day. Sunset Bob had one and posted several pictures.

I had the same one (green as was Sunset Bob's below), then stryofoam surfboards from Ben Franklin ...

[Just Sold]

I had one even smaller in blue. It was a suntan lotion display sailboat that we threw away the sail and I used it one April to put the water line in because no other boats were in yet. (My dad owned a drug store)

Too bad those waterline weights were so heavy and awkward to hold as they caused me to tip over! Spent the next 10 min shivering over the furnace register and getting warmed up.
BTW the waterline was in deep enough to get the pump working.

Originally Posted by Mee-n-Mac

I had the same one (green as was Sunset Bob's below), then stryofoam surfboards from Ben Franklin ...

[Misty Blue]

Back in the days when Deb and the kids would spend the Summer at the Lake and I would come up on days off we had a ball. The Misty was running good, and we had a fleet of small boats dedicated to Lake fun.

So I get home after seven night shifts in a row only to find a six pack of Moosehead in the kenmore. So, what's up with this I think. I'm getting buttered up.

"Hi honey!" She said. "I stopped by Heaths and got you your favorite brew, a nice big steak for the grill and, oh, by the way I bought a boat."

As you exit Heaths there is a cork board with 3" by 5" file cards offering services, events and things for sale. One of them was a 1968 Century Buccaneer. A quick run to Blackie's cove convinced Deb that it was the boat for her. Like I had anything to say in this matter?

Well we used her that summer and hauled her to an empty cow barn in Shelburne MA for a winter overhaul. During sugaring season we would run between sap loads and installing new decking, vinyl, seats and wiring.

For Mother's day I had Pauquett signs (Annie) make up a stern plate,Debs Joy.

Deb's Joy is now spending her 42nd year on the Lake and 30 to 40 kids have gotten up for their first ski behind her awsome 160 Mercruiser.

As a side light, the privious owner offered to trade his new boat for the Deb's Joy. Sorry, your loss.

Misty Blue

[trfour]

My Very first boat was a $49.00 Chris Craft wooden pram. I enjoyed it so much, and it took me to enjoy many a much larger ships that includes our very own M/S Mount Washington, and also Our USS Hazelwood that my older brother Mel served in Our Navy on. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hazelwood_(DD-531)

Getting back to the very little pram, it was about a 1/2 horse trfour ore powered craft, " could be disputed over here", Noth'in but pure fun though!

An good old add pic;

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Misty Blue

As you exit Heaths there is a cork board with 3" by 5" file cards offering services, events and things for sale. One of them was a 1968 Century Buccaneer. A quick run to Blackie's cove convinced Deb that it was the boat for her. Like I had anything to say in this matter?

Spot on! The other half do have their say! Reason why any vehicle ads are geared toward the female buyers!

And if she didn't have a say, well that's the reason to name the boat after her!

Skipper of 'Jayne Marie'

[6meter]

My first boat was way back when I was 11 yr old. A 12' Sears Gamefisher and a 9.5 Johnson to tool me around at 20mph to wherever I wanted to go in heaven. At that age, I learned to work for $$. Spending all summer on the water you learned how to make $2 to fill that 6 gal gas can. I used that boat til I was 17 and gave it to my younger brother, and he used it for another 5 years. That little motor and boat took SOOOO much abuse between running it always as fast as it would go, sinking it several times, seeing how high we could get it over a big wake,etc... Well, that fall when we took it out for the season we saw the crack in the fiberglass from one end to the other. Can't imagine how that happened???? Brought it back to Sears for a full refund and Mom and Dad went and got me a 12' MFG. GREAT times! At 21, I paid for my first one. A 1971 Glastron 16' IO.

[Greene's Basin Girl]

Originally Posted by 6meter

My first boat was way back when I was 11 yr old. A 12' Sears Gamefisher and a 9.5 Johnson to tool me around at 20mph to wherever I wanted to go in heaven. At that age, I learned to work for $$. Spending all summer on the water you learned how to make $2 to fill that 6 gal gas can. I used that boat til I was 17 and gave it to my younger brother, and he used it for another 5 years. That little motor and boat took SOOOO much abuse between running it always as fast as it would go, sinking it several times, seeing how high we could get it over a big wake,etc... Well, that fall when we took it out for the season we saw the crack in the fiberglass from one end to the other. Can't imagine how that happened???? Brought it back to Sears for a full refund and Mom and Dad went and got me a 12' MFG. GREAT times! At 21, I paid for my first one. A 1971 Glastron 16' IO.

The first boat motor I remember having was a green Mercury. We had it on a big brown wooden flat scow. Our house is on a pennisula and at that time we didn't have a road to house. The scow held all our belongings that we brought across from the mainland. In fact I was going over in the boat before I was born ( when my mom was pregnant with me. The boat was great for hornpout fishing. We used drop lines and we would catch 60 of them in an outing.

[Baja Guy]

My first boat was the family boat that my dad got our 2nd summer in Moultonboro Neck, that was 1972. He was leery of getting a boat because we were still constructing the house and the "labor" wanted to skip swinging a hammer to enjoy the lake!
We kept begging though and eventually he bought a 16' 1966 Red Glastron. Probably from Shep Brown's. I can'tremember the model name but it might have been 16SV or 16SSV. It had red & white seats, 2 steel 6 gallon gas cans and an 85 horse Evinrude engine. It also had a full canvas top which was great if we got caught in the rain, which happened to me more than once. We mostly used it to water ski and take rides around Braun Bay, Long Island, and "up" to Center Harbor. I am the oldest of my siblings and I had a job before my sisters and brother, so if I could afford the gas we would go over to the Weirs for pinball, hanging around and people watching.
In those days we would start off on the ski raft out in front of our shared beach, (Far Echo Harbor Club) circle right around Gline's Island and come back down to our beach and drop there. You can't do that any more.
There is a no wake zone between the island and the neck now. It always was too narrow to go through there above headway speed, we just grandfathered it in by going through on plane like those before us had. I bet the folks on that corner of the neck love the peace of having that area posted for slow travel! Later when we got a little more powerful boat we would do a standing 1 ski start off that raft. But I digress.
The boat had cable steering, a 2 stick controller, a manual/electric choke that you could override if the damn thing wouldn't start, and a hand pull starter if you really had trouble. It also had a couple of oars in the gunnels. Used those a few times!
I miss the simplicity of that old boat sometimes, it drew minimal water. I think the shallow draft saved me a few times. It didn't even have an electric bilge pump, it had sisters and brothers to do that.

[Island Girl]

Our first family boat was a plywood row boat with a 7.5 horse power Elgin. My Dad had to wind the rope around before pulling. If it did not start, he wound the rope again and again.

The next boat was a mahogany Hiliner with a 10 horse Johnson. I loved that boat. The steering wheel was in the back for many years. My Dad eventually put it in the front, but you had to jump in back to make the boat go faster and slower.

He then bought a 15.5 foot SeaRay 500, fiberglass with a 35 horse Evinrude, eventually replaces by a 65 horse Mercury. He hated that Mercury.

Once we had the SeaRay, the Hiliner became mine... I was 12. We learned to waterski and slalom ski on that little mahogany beauty.

IG

[JG1222]

It's been a while since I've posted, but this great thread prompted me to come out of "retirement".

I still own my first boat. Bought it when I was 13 or so (I'm 36 now) - a 1980-something Grumman 14'. It only took a few weeks to burn up the 25hp Evinrude that came on it (one must remember that if water isn't spitting out the back of your outboard, it's going to permanantly STOP very quickly!).

Replaced the Evinrude with a 25hp Merc, and the fun began. There isn't a corner of the big lake I haven't explored in this little boat. When I was young and foolish, I'd shoot the Broads full throttle on a windy day. It could go under most any bridge in high water. I LOVE this boat, and still use it a few times a year.

FUNNY STORY - A few years ago, we had a big family vacation (about 20 of us staying at Oliver Lodge). I took off at 6:00 AM one weekday morning for a solo cruise around the lake. I shot across the Broads and was wondering why I was taking on SO MUCH WATER.

Now, 23 years of running this boat HARD has losened a few rivets, so it's never been bone dry, but MAN, I was taking on a lot of water. Well, the week before I had installed a new battery box to run the lights. Apparently I used some screws that were a bit too long, and the bouncy trip across the Broads (combined with the weight of a deep cycle battery) made swiss cheese out of the aluminum hull under the board where the battery box sits.

I made it to Wolfeboro, and walked into the hardware store on Back Bay and asked the clerk (jokingly), "Do you have any corks? I've got some holes in my boat." I told him the story and the guys actually gave me little corks to put in the holes. I made it back to Meredith safe and sound.

[Winni-Retired]

My first boat was a used 1967 Glaspar g-3 ski boat, which I purchased in 1971 ... boat / motor / trailer / 500 bucks. It was a 4 seater, appox 14 feet long with a 40HP Evinrude. Great little ski boat .. but a bit a chore on certain days to go from Paugus Bay to Wolfeboro.

I had it for two years when the mooring rope busted and off it went into the rocks. No I never had two ropes to the mooring tire .. why not ? Blame it on youth. I did have insurance, so when the check came, off I went to Vin Callahan at Channel Marine and came home with a nice brand new 1973 medium green 19 foot Century Rave .. inboad / outboard. My last boat was a 21 foot Century ... identical to what the MP used in the 70's / 80's .....

The only picture I could find was from 1971 at the Swedish Village. It is sharing the picture with my first new car, a 1970 Ford Conv.

[Other Lake]

Great thread, thanks all...

My first boat is currently a year old. Since my late teens I have always dreamed of having my own boat, but it had not been in the cards. Not being a very handy person, I thought buying new would be best way to go, but had little budget.

Watching the Celtics playoffs last year (the boat was the only good thing to come out of that) I saw a commercial for a Marine up in Vermont advertising brand new 2007 Bayliner 175's with trailer at an incredible price. It was 2009 and Bayliner had asked them to stock some leftovers and incented them to move the inventory.

My wife walked in the family room and I said "I think I am going to buy a boat"
She responded; 1. You've never driven a boat before - Me: sure I have, before we met 2. You don't have a license - Me: I can get one 3. You have never trailered anything before - Me: I can learn 4. The kids would like it - Me: I am pretty sure that was the green light.

Two days and a 3 hour drive later we bought a new 2007 Bayliner 175. I do not think you can buy a boat that is more of a "base" or "entry level" model, but I could not be more proud of owning a boat. 1. I have driven a boat a lot now. 2. I have my NH Safe Boating Certificate. 3. My trailer skills are getting better, but if you are behind me on a ramp, have a little patience. 4. The Kids and my wife are all enjoying being on the water every chance we get.