How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

  • Hours after I got it I was on the water.

    Votes: 59 46.5%
  • A few weeks

    Votes: 43 33.9%
  • Months each problem I fix a new one pops up. Then I had to wait till spring

    Votes: 15 11.8%
  • Years and Years I waited so long the lake has dried up.

    Votes: 2 1.6%
  • It was in the water when I got it.

    Votes: 8 6.3%

  • Total voters
    127

airframer

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
158
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

it took a couple days, each day prior i sat in the drivers seat every evening in the drive way with a beer visualizing the first fishing trip, my wife thought i was nuts:redface:
 

bigskiohio

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
882
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

i had talked to the p.o. for a couple of weeks and i could not find the time for a test drive owner wanted to give me one.actually insisted .so i bought 2 days before vacation untested ,ran all week great then coupler went out with 3hrs to go on vacation walked it to ramp and loaded up. has ran great ever since for a 36 yr old boat.
 

ericcarr

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
291
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

As for me, me and the wife took the boat out just 2 days after we bought it, and ever since weve been hooked, so to speak. It seems like we can spend days out there at a time....Love it....
 

Shizzy

Ensign
Joined
Aug 5, 2007
Messages
984
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

I put mine in the water as soon as I got back from the DMV and she was in my name
 

GHMJR

Cadet
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Messages
13
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

picked up Friday from dealer took it out Saturday. First time out on a boat by myself . :) Had a waverunner before the boat.
 

JeepinGunGuy

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 4, 2009
Messages
82
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

My first boat was a couple of weeks. It was a freebie with a frozen block. I put in a used motor just to check out the rest of the boat, which of course it ran so good I left it in all season and half of the next. Then it spun a couple of rod bearings the week before I was going on vacation. Which is why I have a second boat that I bought the day before vacation, I ran it on the PO registration for vacation without any problems.
 

redone4x4

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Feb 28, 2009
Messages
1,548
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

i checked a few weeks, but i think it was a month or two before we took it out. Man, that was a stressful experience, looking back on it. ground the prop on the ramp in the first few minutes and everything! haha.
 

PiratePast40

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
1,734
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

The poll doesn't take into account people who worked on a restoration project until it was completed. I bought my first boat the end of February this year. The engine was in pieces in a garage and I soon discovered the meaning of dry rot. After gutting the hull and replacing the transom, stringers, foam, and deck, finally got her in the water just before the forth of July. Nice looking 18' fiberform with a dependable AQ130. The only problem now is that the PO had it uderpropped to account for all the extra water weight in the foam and water soaked wood.
 

eaglejim

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Feb 2, 2008
Messages
1,006
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

My first boat :confused:can't remember 2nd boat brought it home in late fall worked on it all winter first good looking day we were in the water following week we were back to fixing :D
 

nhtrax

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 28, 2009
Messages
34
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

This is killing me bought my used pontoon thinking i should winterize but fall is a wonderful time someone out there tell me i should do a least one run
 

TiMe_1

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
30
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

Just bought my first boat on 9/30 and just took it out yesterday for the first time. IT WAS GREAT! :D
 

BTMCB

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
761
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

Dealer took us out for test drive Friday afternoon. Signed papers, towed her home, and launched her Saturday morning. Had a hard time waitng that long!
 

grahamh

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
192
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

I had to order new seats first, (otherwise I would have had no driver seat) which took a couple weeks.

I was on the water the same day I installed the new seats.
 

tractoman

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
370
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

I had to redo the entire brake system on the trailer and get it titled in my state to feel good about taking it out. It all went well on the maiden voyage though.
 

scoutabout

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
1,568
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

Like many -- the "first time" was the sea trial before buying it. I remember being so impatient to get on board it was hard not to offer advice to the guy selling it on his so-so launching technique with the trailer. It seemed to me he was taking FOREVER to get her backed straight down the ramp and launched. :D Just being careful though.

After twenty minutes or so on the water I was satisfied it was in good shape and we traded money for boat at his bank. We then lifted the trailer tongue off his truck and dropped it on mine and away I went.

Here's a pic taken about two minutes into my ownership with the boat on the back of the Uhaul truck I rented to haul it back from the wilds of deepest North Carolina to Canada. I remember thinking as he walked away, "Um...ok. Which way is home again?"

headinhome.jpg


One week later it was up north on the lake for an early October run. Again, I was so excited to get on the water and this time I forgot my gps in the car. It was a new lake to me and I got myself lost inside of 30 minutes. I didn't want to wait til morning and so launched at the end of the day and as a result the sun was setting just above the treeline in the direction I had to return to so I couldn't make out any shoreline details.

Like a lame loser I coasted up to a couple of guys fishing to ask where the landing was. Having come up the lake from the other direction they didn't know which one I was talking about. Sigh.

I kept retracing my route into the mouth of this bay I had gone into just before losing my bearings then turning around and heading back in the other direction to look for familiar landmarks. Once the sun had set behind the trees I could see my mistake on the return heading and so got myself back to the ramp.

The boat ran flawlessly but I cursed my foolishness the whole way home. Now it's been a couple of years and I can't imagine getting lost there again. My family still razzes me about it. :rolleyes:
 

jt185

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
162
Re: How long did it take to put it in the water that first time?

My son and I stopped at Walmart on the way home to get pfd's and oil. Mixed 6 gallons of gas and hit the water. We didn't even go home first. It was a 79 aluminum Starcraft. We'll never forget that day. Now I can hardly wait til spring. I wish I could be put to sleep for the winter so I didn't have to agonize and wait.
 
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