How did you get hooked?

[62_Kiwi]

...on boating that is <br /><br />I have my father to thank. He bought our first boat when I was 12 years old. It was a 15' runabout with a 40hp Evinrude - I learnt to waterski behind that boat - as well as fishing and experiencing the general fun of being on the water.<br /><br />A few years later he bought a small sailing dingy ("Sunburst" class) which I learnt to sail in - and race in the weekends at the local sailing club. That was great fun too...<br /><br />Then I had a break from boating for about 20 years - got married, had kids etc, before I bought myself a boat - which is a 19' cuddy cabin with a 115hp 'rude. It's still fun and I'm still hooked! My daughters love it too. It's nice to pass that experience on...<br /><br />How did you get hooked?

 

[heycods]

Re: How did you get hooked?

Yea its ok I guess. <br /><br /><br />It was row boats and catfishing till 1960 then we got a motor, brand new 3hp sea horse. I was hooked.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: How did you get hooked?

Dad bought a boat the year I was born. Been on them ever since. Dad was heavily involved in the coast guard aux., teaches the advanced navigation course, and I have been screwing around on a kinds of different boats my whole life. Cruising, fishing, sailing, repairing, even helped rebuild an old Owens lapstrake cabin cruiser during my high school years. I still suck with engines. Cut my teeth on Lake Michigan.

 

[JB]

Re: How did you get hooked?

Summer camp in Maine (Crescent Lake) in 1943. I was 8. We had boating/canoeing lessons daily and I used to take a canoe or rowboat out to fish for salmon and smallies every evening.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: How did you get hooked?

I was born and raised on a lake, my grandfather rented boats. They were old wooden boats and it was us kids job to get them ready for the summer fishermen each year. Grandpa introduced me to fishing when I was 3 and the lessons I learned then were more about life than fishing. <br /><br />When I got a little older, we had close friends with a yacht at the St. Lawrence and we would go fishing with them all the time. <br /><br />When we moved to Texas we met an old salt who taught us everything we know about saltwater fishing and boating on the high seas.

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: How did you get hooked?

My Grandfather would take me out salmon fishing<br />off Vancouver Island in his Boeing trawler.<br />Those are some of my earliest memories.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: How did you get hooked?

I've been a bass fisherman from a young age.<br />Use to ride the ol bicycle about 5 miles to bass fish. Then when I got old enough, I bought a '49 Dodge and a 10' jon.<br />Use to tie it on top of the ol Dodge so I would not have to peddle anymore.<br />The rest as they say, is history.

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: How did you get hooked?

I actually didn't start fishing until I was 16 years old. I was a military "brat" and my step-dad didn't enjoy fishing. I started fishing off of the bank of small ponds for bream when I moved back to Alabama to live with my real dad. It didn't take long to be hooked on fishing. All my kids love to go fishing now.

 

[QC]

Re: How did you get hooked?

I had a few small boat experiences when I was really young, but a ride with my Great Uncle on the Misssissippi when I was 13 sealed the deal. Beautiful 25ish Chris that I immediately fell in love with. After that my best friend in High School had an offshore boat in San Diego (35' Roughwater). I spent a lot of time on her Albacore fishing and it just set my sights even higher . . .

 

[gonefishie]

Re: How did you get hooked?

My father owned and operated a tug boat since before I was born. I spend my summer with him on the boat and went wherever we had to take the barges to. I fell in love with the river and boating since birth so to speak. Back then, all I wanted to do when I grow up was to be a tug boat captain but got smart and chose an easier profession when I did grew up.

 

[aspeck]

Re: How did you get hooked?

Grew up poor white trailer trash (had a trailer along a river/dam that was our summer cottage). Loved the water (thrown in with a "bubble" on at age 1), boating, fishing, skiing, all my life. Learned to ski when I was 6. At 8 years of age I would take the boat 3 miles down the river (16 foot ?? Slick Craft with an 85 Merc) to pick up bread and milk for Mom. Water was just always a part of life. It was hard to take when the Army Corp, in all their wisdom, condemned our property to build a 30 mile long lake. Stole the property. It is a beautiful lake now (it was then, also), but we have to share it with so many more people, and no one owns property along it. Guess the government knows best.<br /><br />Now look what you started - got me ranting! That is how I got hooked.

 

[scrapper]

Re: How did you get hooked?

Always wanted a boat as a kid , built a plywood flat bottom boat at the age of 13 played in the creek with that for years , Hooked after that.

 

[neumanns]

Re: How did you get hooked?

As a farm kid in lake country there was no better treat after a hard days work than to get to go swimming. When I was about ten dad bought an old houseboat...Man that was the life, when we had the time. Other than that I was always just drawn to all thing's water. When I moved to texas we sold the houseboat but It was already to late...I took a summer job on a shrimp boat. A few years later I started a chandler service. When I moved from the coast I had to let that go <br /><br />For me it's not about the boating...that's just a means of enjoyment of the WATER.<br /><br />I'm like a fish, always drawn to the water...I don't care if it's a stock pond a creek or the water running down my drivway. I am just plain drawn by the water and the things that live in it. Boating is just an excellant way to spend time on the water. Funny thing is I'm not much of a swimmer....but I do like being in it.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: How did you get hooked?

I've been boating/fishing since I was a kid with my dad and pretty much every trip was a disaster or no fish.<br /><br />The best fishing trip in my boat I ever had I was lucky we didnt catch on fire or that we made it home. Wiring loom melted into one big mass. Luckily I knew the wiring by heart.<br /><br />I will get it right one of these days.<br /><br />Ken

 

[ZmOz]

Re: How did you get hooked?

I woke up one morning and thought, "I want a boat". So I went and bought one. Previous to this I had only ever been in a recreational boat once and that was like 10 years earlier. Nothing makes me happier than pushing down on the throttle and feeling the boat push me back in the seat and jump up onto plane.

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: How did you get hooked?

My Dad started sailing when I was 1 1/2 years old....my first memory was a lake he was sailing on, then he progressed up til he now has a 43' jeanneau sailing yacht. <br /><br />Somehow I can't imagine being away from the water for too long-same as I'll always have a bike on the road.

 

[FSHKPR]

Re: How did you get hooked?

my grandfather and my father both were big into fishing i still fish with my father alot. my son also loves to fish.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: How did you get hooked?

Couldn't help it, the Ohio River was next to my yard growing up. Then bought my own boat when I got out of the Navy. And I have been living happily ever after. With having a boat that is.

 

[ZooMbr]

Re: How did you get hooked?

Grew up fishing with my dad, fond memory's of catfishing at night and fly fishing in the mts of Idaho. He built all the boats we had growing up as well as several race boats (outboard). Last boat (I helped on it) was a dory style with inboard, used it off coast of Oregon for salmon fishing. When I left on my own he sold it to a salmon troller in Oregon. Always wish I had learned more from him.

 

[eeboater]

Re: How did you get hooked?

Dad was in the merchant marine, step-Dad was VERY active in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. When I realize that 'babes' love coming down and hangin' on the boat, that locked it.<br /><br />Sean