First Day Out 2010

[ezmobee]

The weather has been gorgeous the second half of this week here in central PA. Fellow forum member and friend Tim Fives and I are both fairly bummed that our resto projects on our boats are not completed and neither are water-ready. Fortunately all is not lost! In the fall my dad picked up an older 14' Alumacraft. With the forecast for today being high 70's and no wind, we make plans to take dad's boat out with my 2 year old son and his 3 year old daughter at Lake Clarke.

We had a little bit of a rocky start. My dad decided to be helpful and had the fuel tank and fuel line already in the boat and hooked up for us....BACKWARDS.....I spent like 15 minutes trying to get my trusty Evinrude 4HP Deluxe to fire. Once I figured out the problem it started first pull. Anyway, we had a wonderful time and both kids really enjoyed themselves.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: First Day Out 2010

As you can see there was a bit of "debris"

The raw speed and power of my Evinrude

Tim and his daughter

My little guy

The kids waiting for me to retrieve the boat

Would it not figure that there was only ONE other boat using the ramp and he'd be an a-hole. We were both coming back at the same time, us from upriver, him from down. He crosses in front of me to use the upriver side. Ok fine. Then after our little boat is beached he proceeds to part his boat where you see it below (note: brand new truck, brand new boat). This is directly where I needed to back my trailer. I was very close to saying "hey, you need both sides?" but then I decided I would rather just hit his boat with mine if need be. Need didn't be. Tim and I pretty much just dragged our little boat onto the trailer. I had to snap some pictures of the situation.

As I was driving and taking pictures I don't have any pictures of me. I'll update this thread if Tim sends me what he took.

You can see the water was pretty low (dock totally useless) which surprised me after all our recent rain. This "lake" is above a dam though so they must be letting a lot of water out.

Video:
The neck-snapping hole shot
http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/First Day Out 2010/?action=view&current=DSCF2566.flv

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/First Day Out 2010/?action=view&current=DSCF2569.flv

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/First Day Out 2010/?action=view&current=DSCF2551.flv

Yeah, you really don't need a fancy boat to enjoy a nice time on the water. Although now we are both even more motivated to get our projects finished.

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Glad that you guys had a great time! Pics look really nice and calm.

Trying to launch and retireve at that water level can be a little bit frustrating to my wife and I!

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: First Day Out 2010

That's awesome. I'm sooo jealous. That's a great pick-me-up though. Get you motivated. Nice.

 

[timfives]

Re: First Day Out 2010

It was a perfect evening to be out. Like EZ said big or small as long as she floats it makes for a good time.

Plus it was a good shot in the arm to get moving on the restore's

thanks again EZ

Tim

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Cool, bet the kids had as much enjoyment as the adults. Might of missed
it somewhere, but did you guys meet here on iboats or elsewhere? Just curious,
great to see the kids have a playmate and super to have friends that with such
similar likes...some of my favorite childhood memories are of camping/boating and having the opportunity to bring a friend along....ahhh the good ol days of smores over a hot fire, hot dogs, catching fireflies/bullfrogs & swimming till you started growing gills.

Btw, it looks like that lil motor scoots

 

[ezmobee]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Might of missed it somewhere, but did you guys meet here on iboats or elsewhere? Just curious, great to see the kids have a playmate and super to have friends that with such similar likes...some of my favorite childhood memories are of camping/boating and having the opportunity to bring a friend along....ahhh the good ol days of smores over a hot fire, hot dogs, catching fireflies/bullfrogs & swimming till you started growing gills.

Btw, it looks like that lil motor scoots

Tim showed up on iboats with his Islander restoration thread and a York, PA location. I PM'd him and basically said I want to come over and check out your boat Turns out he lives like 3 miles from me and only about a half mile from the house I grew up in. His kids are 1 and 3 and mine is 2 and they play together great. Our spouses are even friends. I would encourage anyone on here to make the same effort to meet up with other boaters in your area.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Some more photos I got from Tim this morning:

Me and my son

Nicer shot of the bridge

A great shot of an airplane that did a sweet low altitude river run. We initially thought it was a sea plane

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Nice, I'm hoping tomorrow will be my first day out!

 

[john3931]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Glad you had a good time and where able to build up you pulling arm.

Pictures are great!!!

Water looks divine.

 

[rainman99]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Sounds like a great time. Think its neat yous became Friends on the forum. Its a small world after all. Can't to hit the water.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Just curious, there's another lane to the left of your truck, why didn't you used that lane instead and avoid any possible confrontation?

 

[mike64]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Glad you had a good time! My boat's due for a resto too, maybe in the fall... gonna try to nurse her through one more summer. I might just pick up a little tinny with a couple hp motor for a backup too.

I just woke up my motor from its long winter nap a couple hours ago. It's like 80 and sunny so I'd take her out today, but I have family in town and I'm going to be bbqing in a couple more hours. But Sunday I think I see some fishing on the agenda.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Just curious, there's another lane to the left of your truck, why didn't you used that lane instead and avoid any possible confrontation?

Cuz there actually isn't. Just a big hole. It's just a 2 lane ramp with the dock in the middle.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: First Day Out 2010

OK, pic is deceiving. Perhaps, that guy was in the process of backing out from the dock to load the trailer.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: First Day Out 2010

OK, pic is deceiving. Perhaps, that guy was in the process of backing out from the dock to load the trailer.

We both came to shore at the same time from opposite directions. First he sorta cut in front of me and went to the opposite side ramp from where he was. Then he proceeded to park his boat perpendicular to the dock thus blocking both ramps while he went and got his truck and backed it in. His boat had been there, 2/3rds in my lane, for quite a while when I snapped the picture. If I had been piloting anything other than a little tinny that could be man handled as opposed to floated onto its trailer, he would have effectively prevented me from retrieving my boat. We backed my trailer in, repositioned it a couple times to avoid this dude, AND loaded our boat in the time it took him to get to where he is in the picture. If he does that during the season, he's going to have some problems with people.

 

[FFScott6]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Glad you had a great time outthere. Now I can't hardly wait! Wait'll I show this to my brother he's gonna ... well you get the idea. He's even more anxious than me.

Happy Easter to you all!!!

 

[gonefishie]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Must be new boater ignorance.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: First Day Out 2010

Congrats on the great first trip out, good times

Did you like running the tiller? I love my 5.5hp Johnson, gps said 6.3mph today with two guys in my 12'.

Had you used the little rude on a small tinny before or just as a kicker on your Jupiter?

Hope that guy figures out the landing etiquette before someone has to yell at him

 

[ezmobee]

Re: First Day Out 2010

HA I grew up ramming around in a similar little boat with a 4HP. Although 4HP seemed to be much more effective at pushing me around when I was younger This is the one I grew up with http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/?action=view&current=Evinrude.flv I sold it two years ago on CL. I probably should have kept it for sentimental reasons.

I have used my 4HP deluxe a number of times on an Alumacraft my uncle has. It doesn't plane but certainly gets you there.