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What was your first boat?


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My first (new) boat was a 1980 model Star Craft Mariner 180 center console, powered by a 75 HP Johnson. The bare hull weighed 705 lbs. With the motor, battery, 12 gallons of fuel, and two POB, she probably scaled in at a tick under 1500 lbs. Her top end was a shade over 40 MPH (WOT against measured course between two buoys, using a stop watch). Due to her light weight and nearly flat bottom, she could cruise at around 20 knots, burning about 3-3.5 GPH. I had a lot of fun with that boat, and even fished her 10 miles off the beach once. Electronics wise, she was equipped with VHF, and a Lowrance graph-recorder (paper machine).

The biggest issue was her propensity for pounding rivets loose. I came up with a workaround, replacing most of the factory rivets, and then coating the inside of her hull with a tar based paint. That repair was quite effective, as the last year I fished her (1982), I noticed that she did not develop any leaks, at all.

I sold her off to a close friend in early 1983, after I took delivery of a Mako 235. The last time I saw that boat (circa 1991-92) she was still out there fishing.

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First family boat was one my Dad bought back in the mid 70's and was a tri hull bowrider with a 85 Evinrude which we used for skiing then moved to inboards for that

My first boat was a 15 narrow fiberglass boat with a 25 Evinrude that had stick steering in the front as well as you could use the tiller from the rear. We lived on the lake and I used

this boat for many years

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I will be giving away my age, but here goes. in the early 60s growing up with the ocean 1500 ft one way and the bay and intercoastal even closer the other way. I found a planked garvey abandoned on the marshes and a relative found me a small old outboard with no reverse. the engine spun around 360degrees so no reverse or even neutral? I thinki it was called a martin. I almost drowned that winter in it. I was hooking up the pully sashweight while motor was still running and it spun around and over I went in november with a winter coat on. I think I was twelve or so and scared on an outgoing tide heading for the inlet? I wonder why I never foregot that boat? If I told you I have owned a 100 boats since then I might be underestimating?

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Did Montgomery Wards sell SeaKing outboards in the 50's?? If so we had one on a 8' jon boat I used to drag to the water three blocks from my house. I was 9, and got tired of fishing from the Ballast Point pier in Tampa, so I started to take my dads boat out. I rigged two bicycle wheels to a broomstick, made a rickshaw to tote it the three blocks to the water. I fished a lot in Tampa Bay for the next two years. I had to drag it home along the mangroves a time or two when it wouldn't start. I cut my mechanical teeth on that old rig.

Our first new family boat was a '72 Westwind with a 50 Evinrude. My first new boat was a 1986 19' Traveler with a 90 Yamaha.

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My first boat was a 10' skiff that was built by me and my dad (Mostly dad, but he did no work unless I was their "assisting"). It did have twin power though - one oar for each side.

From there I upgraded to a 13' Whaler, at age 13. I made more than one trip to Block Island in that boat.

Two years later I had a 17' Whaler.

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