What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

[jasper60103]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

this is only my second year with a boat so I havent found all the spots. I do have one honey hole, but I havent told anyone where that is....

Oh, it's like that?

 

[waterwezl]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

I suppose it's my turn. I was raised by my grandparents in a small town in NW Arkansas. The closest body of water (other than the occasional pond) in the mountains was the AR river. Grandpa was an avid fisherman that would drag me out of bed at "oh s**t thirty" in the morning to load the boat up and go to Tenkiller or some other lake miles away. I never wanted to go. Ya see Grandpa would anchor the boat, cast a line and SIT. All day we would sit on the lake or the river and watch bobbers float. Grandpa spoke very little during these excursions. I wasn't much into drowning worms but how I loved to drive that old Mohawk from spot to spot! It wasn't until after he died that Granny told me the only reason he wanted me to go was because he enjoyed spending time alone with me, even though we didn't talked much. There were five of us kids and he rarely took the other four.

I moved to FLA and met a helluva guy that was (to me) the most knowledgable person I'd ever met in regards to boats and boat building. He had an old Imperial euro-class ski boat sitting under a tree with an engine that didn't run. The boat just looked fast sitting on the trailer. We worked out a trade, I'd help him with some mechanical stuff when I could and he'd give me the boat. I brought her home and a 15 dollar timing belt later had her running like a champ. Tom (the fella i got the boat from) couldn't believe it! He'd had it for years and never could figure it out. I'm sorry to say, Tom passed a short while back. I never had a chance to square up with him so I'm doing the resto in his memory. Not too long ago I took a vacation to AR to find the Mohawk sitting under a tree in sad shape. With Granny's permission, I removed the chrome items (bow light, cleats, etc.) for use on my Imperial. When my project is complete I'll have a floating memorial...which is just fine with me!

 

[Shizzy]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

this is only my second year with a boat so I havent found all the spots. I do have one honey hole, but I havent told anyone where that is....

Oh, it's like that?

Im still early in my career so Ill guard my one spot carefully...

a great book to pick up is "twin cities fishing guide" I see it in most bait shops. simple maps, lots of tips and marking on the maps where fish should be.

http://www.amazon.com/Cities-Fishin...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234533616&sr=1-1

 

[reelfishin]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

....................
There are fishing boats, pleasure boats, sail boats, and general purpose boat boats. Boats as unique as the people restoring (and sometimes lengthening) them. I think it would be neat to hear just what attracts each person to their boat. What about it makes it worth saving, how it came to be yours and the trails overcome in finding the right boat for YOU.
......
Jason

I agree with TD's above comment that there is not one perfect boat for all uses, which is probably why I have 7 a the moment.
My first and foremost purpose to own a boat is for fishing, whether it be freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, bays, or even larger water. I look for something that will get me where I need to go, get there safely, one that uses the least amount of fuel as possible and one that's is fairly stable at rest when fishing. It also needs to be light enough to tow around without the need to have a heavy tow vehicle just to get it to the water.

I've come to strongly prefer aluminum boats in the 14' to 18' range, and I currently own only one Glass boat, my 14' MFG Niagara, which will get restored for more or less a play boat that may see some fishing in the river. My favorites are the 60's Starcraft aluminum boats, those with that wide upper keel plate on the front of the bow. I've had great luck with that hull design, their light, stable, and take very little power to run at a good speed.
I've had others, but so far the Starcraft boats are the best riding and most trouble free. I had one years ago that was handed down to me that was well abused which withstood years of hard pounding and saltwater use with never so much as a loose rivet or the slightest leak. As a teen I put that boat through things that I'd not dream about doing today and it survived.
My current Starcraft boats have it easy, and I plan to restore two of them to new condition over the next few years.

I grew up in a family which didn't boat or go near the water, I had an uncle that was into fishing who bought me my first fishing rod as a kid, I'd sneak off to the local pond to fish when ever I could. I was about 12 when I trash picked my first boat, an old lapstrake wood boat with rope steering and a 2hp motor. It was a mess but it floated and the motor ran, from there I was hooked, I bought my first decent boat with paper route money, one of those plastic 9' pontoon boats, I fished off that for a while, I then graduated to a 15' Grumman aluminum jon boat, about a 1980 or so model. From there it exploded all the way up to a 42' Silverton, and several large, older, wood boats, one being a 26' Owens plywood hull. Nowadays with gas being so high and slip fees being as high as they are, I stick to smaller boats that can get there and back quickly and be trailered home.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

I started out with both powered boats and sailboats as a kid, so I didn't develop a preference for one over the other.

As an younger adult, I sailed more than anything else, and began to race sailboats after college. I raced a couple of different boats, with very different characteristics. The first, a Columbia 34 was slow but could do well under PHRF rules. It also had a ton of room in it for a 34 foot boat, so weekend cruises were great too. The other boat, a Ross 930, was much faster and was a purpose built racing boat. Its a New Zealand boat that performs very well is stiff air. It does have accomodations, so cruising is not out of the question, buts its not a boat shows a strong suit for that.

These days, I'm using powerboats only. My main activity in them is photography, so I look for stability and room. I was never much on buying new boats and/or motors, but these days I'm pretty much a tightwad, so I look for boats that need a lot of TLC. My latest project is a 19' Thunderbird Cheyenne. I'm going to have to put some money and time into it, but its going to be a great boat when I'm done.

Another aspect of "fixer-uppers" that I like, is the ability to fit them out as I like. For example, I don't want to put foam in my bilges, so I'm going to compartmentalize the area under the deck. This will allow for some storage and some airtight spaces for flotation. I may also substitute the storage for an internal fuel tank, which still allows for flotation because fuel is lighter than water. Doing this will allow me to regain space under the rails, which had previously provided space for fuel tanks. In this area, I can install some flotation, as well as some storage space.

The same is true for the cuddy. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to arrange things, but I'm thinking of doing an asymmetrical "1/2 V-berth," with some storage on the other side. I'm even thinking of installing a small microwave and a couple of other things on the opposite side of the berth. This, of course, will necessitate use of a small generator, so I'm thinking about a small Honda unit. What I have in my head and what I will actually be able to pull off may not coincide, but I'll play around with a few ideas and see what I can make work!

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

I retired so I could spend a lot of time with my father in his final years. After he passed away in July 2007 someone said that I should do something for myself, so I decided to buy my first power boat.

After lots of research and three different factory tours in Minnesota, I picked out a new 17 1/2 foot aluminum boat with a full console. It is easy to tow, can handle big water, and has enough deck space and freeboard that we feel safe in bringing our dogs. My wife and middle son (the high school math teacher who has summers off!) love to go fishing in it. And if they're too busy, well, I just love going out in it myself.

 

[dave11]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

Function. A boat must meet specific requirements for what I will be using it for.

 

[azlakes]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

Function. A boat must meet specific requirements for what I will be using it for.

insightful. would this be that function?

http://www.cigaretteracing.com/

 

[arks]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

I think it would be neat to hear just what attracts each person to their boat. What about it makes it worth saving, how it came to be yours and the trails overcome in finding the right boat for YOU.

EDIT: I got awfully long-winded in this post, and maybe a bit off track. Sorry 'bout that....

My Silverton 34C is our third powerboat. I won't count the row and sailboats of my youth.

Got the first one (1976 15' Crestliner w/85HP Johnson) with money left over after we bought our first house in 1983. I figured if that money was sitting in the bank, we'd just spend it! She was a good ski boat but a bit too small for the Chesapeake Bay.

After 3 fun summers we traded her in for a one-year-old Wellcraft 23 Nova XL. It was the perfect boat for us in many ways. We had no kids, it handled the "Chesapeake Chop", could run like a performance boat, and had overnight capabilities. New baby arrived in '89; didn't change us too much (as far as boating at least), but as she got older we started thinking about a true cabin boat. We have many great memories with that Wellcraft. Kept her for 18 years and sold it for almost what I paid for it back in '86.

Armed with the Wellcraft cash, we spent about 4 months looking for "the next one". Our previous experiences helped narrow the field to a twin-engine bridge-type boat. Of all the boats we viewed, the "traditional" Silverton 34C had the best combination of amenities, handling, mechanical access, and value.

I found a real nice '87 Silverton not too far away, so we negotiated a deal- pending a satisfactory survey. New to the world of marine surveying, I asked if I could watch my selected surveyor at work. "No problem- I would actually prefer that my customers see what I'm doing." Long story short, after 12 hours he had found many thousands of dollars in deficiencies that I never saw, not to mention some unsafe exhaust conditions. What an education for me! We promptly bailed out of that deal. The survey cost me $700 but saved me literally 10 times that amount in repairs. I consider it money well spent and a personal lesson learned.

Our current ride (1984 Silverton 34C) was actually found on ebay. I contacted the owner during the auction but couldn't buy it until the Wellcraft was sold. 9 months later we were boatless. I didn't even think about this boat until after the debacle with the other Silverton. I found the sellers e-mail address in my computer, and he still had it. He sent about a thousand pictues and we liked what we saw. The next Friday we drove 11 hours to Southport, NC to see it and arranged for a surveyor to meet us there. While there, he performed a static survey (at the dock) because the weather was too nasty for a sea trial. We left after arrangements were made for the surveyor and seller to perform the sea trial and have her hauled for a hull inspection. They got everything done within a week, and I received a very thorough 44 page survey of the boat, including pictures taken during haul-out. She passed muster with a B+. Some minor issues were negotiated to everyones satisfaction, so we wrote a very detailed sales contract. After signatures were secured I collected the funds, flew down and brought her home on her own bottom (with help from a Captain hired by the seller). Absolutely no mechanical problems the whole way (450 miles). What a fantastic trip, and I learned a lot about her, too.
She's now 25 years old and isn't as shiny as the new boats, but she's reliable and all mine. Even with her advanced age I still get compliments. Yeah, she's a keeper.

 

[beerfilter]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

Small tinnys are my choice for a number of reasons , mostly from a standpoint of practicallity .

I don't care about water " sports " , just fishing and seeing the scenery .

Lightweight , easily towed or loaded onto a small vehicle , and they require less power to get up on plane and stay there .

Shallow draft for the skinny water I love to fish .

Manueverable .

Dents and leaky rivets easily fixed with my favorite tool , a hammer .

If the hull gets trashed beyond repair , it still has value for scrap .

A replacment rig is easily had for under $2k , including motor and trailer .

I would love to have a nice bass boat , but I don't want to drop 5 figures on a boat , and have to drop ANOTHER 5 figures on a vehicle to tow it .
A marina slip is not an option where I live .

I would have to reconsider my choices if I lived close to the ocean , to much water with fish to not chase them every spare moment .

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

I have found as you age, requirements for your boat changes. Young and single, all I needed was a simple small boat for fishing. Got married with children, then I needed a bigger boat for water sports and extra room. Then now we are empty nesters and our needs changed again. Now we have a bigger boat that is too big for water sports, big enough to live on, excellent to fish off of, and most of all big enough for the grandkids.

I wasn't aware that there is another life style other than boats?

 

[fat fanny]

Re: What draws you to your particular choice in boats?

Bottom line I love my SEARAY 175five series it has evrything I need the kids love it the wife has room to soak up the reays and when I want to punch it it has a good power plant that will put up to 45 mph in good conditions. Watching my 9 yearold daughter on the tube yelling "GO FASTER DAD" is priceless. Working on it can be frustrating but the Iboats family is always there to help and offer sound advise and techniques. The only real answer any of us can give to the original question is we got hooked for one reason or the other and all of our choices seem to stem from the same thing FAMILY period. So it could be a Tug boat or Gravey boat as long as it floats we would all be keeping them seaworthly for that next day on the water when those priceless moments occurr.