What was your first boat?

[venture34]

Boston Whaler Montauk 17. great boat for what it was!

[Sandy]

1st boat I actually owned was an 8' hydroplane I built in (jr?) high school wood shop (while everyone else was making coffee tables or bookshelves for their mom's) . Built from scratch from plans only that I enhanced, not kit, purchased through Popular Science or Mechanix. It was either the legendary Glen-L MinMax or very similar and was repeatedly proven completely unsinkable with it's 4 large sealed flotation chambers , & very stable when not flying into a NE'er in Vineyard Sound .

Great pretty easy project (A+ in the class-it was the shop teacher's favorite by far) and very fun little craft. I recommend something like this for your kids.

[paul h]

Great thread!

I guess the first would be a 3 man rubber raft I somehow managed to persuade my folks to get me. We'd paddle around Lake Tahoe on the weekends, and once my older brother and I floated down the Truckee River from the start at Lake Tahoe outlet to a pullout by a ski resort. Within eyesight of the pullout, a large boulder in the middle of the river seemed to transfix us and suck us towards it. My brother was in the bow and when we hit, he flying like superman

The first boat I bought was a pellican canoe, about 10 years ago.

First powerboat is the tolman skiff I built. A plan which was hatched based on planning on getting a used zodiak for the engine and trailer and building an 18' open skiff. Somehow the open skiff morped into a 23 foot cabin cruiser.

[Tolman24]

My first boat was a 15' tri hull with a used 1970 70 hp Chrysler I purchased in early 80's. It had no electronics, no tach,no speedo , no bilge pump etc. A motor and a hull. When I got water in it I pulled the plug and kept on step. I was about 23, married with 2 small kids. We spent every weekend at the lake water skiing and drinking beer. It was the cheapest entertainment around. I gave the boat to my son and young brother in law. The boat is still in the family and the motor still runs. I changed one power pack and one carb in 25 years. I replaced all the fuel lines because the disintegrated with age. I also changed the lower end lube a total of 3 times. I just didn't know any better. The only maintenance I did was run the carbs dry everytime I put it on the trailer. I never even changed the water pump.

[Mike Carrigan]

My first boat was a 15' tri hull with a used 1970 70 hp Chrysler I purchased in early 80's. It had no electronics, no tach,no speedo , no bilge pump etc. A motor and a hull. When I got water in it I pulled the plug and kept on step. I was about 23, married with 2 small kids. We spent every weekend at the lake water skiing and drinking beer. It was the cheapest entertainment around. I gave the boat to my son and young brother in law. The boat is still in the family and the motor still runs. I changed one power pack and one carb in 25 years. I replaced all the fuel lines because the disintegrated with age. I also changed the lower end lube a total of 3 times. I just didn't know any better. The only maintenance I did was run the carbs dry everytime I put it on the trailer. I never even changed the water pump.

Hope I'm not being too boring, it's just a great subject that alot of people are enjoying, including me.

Very scientific determining if a CHRYSLER power pack went bad. Computers? What were they? You simply turned the ignition switch on, put your ear next to the CD box, if it made a slight, very low ringing/humming sound, it was ok. If not, replace it.

Yes, you pulled the plug from the inside of the boat, got on plane, and drained any water from it.

During the sixties and into the seventies, Chrysler would host a stretch jet filled with those of us who met the volume requirement, fly us all over the world. No kidding, true story. I went on alot of those trips. Sold them as West Bend, then Crrysler, then Force (Forcelers). Your 70 H.P. was actually a real good outboard. In line three cyl, pretty bullitproof actually. "Big Motor" was the 105, all of four cylinders.

Great post, THANKS!

Mike

[bly]

Come on mike your ruining it! What was your first boat? Like this in the earlly 60s my older brother inlaw had a 16 ft Glass par with a 75 hp johnson. Biggest engine made when he bought it. The plywood floor always needed fiberlassing or the double bottom would get water in it. See its easy talking about the crap we started out with?

[NJDiver]

1954 or 55 Thompson runabout 13 foot with a 40 hp Johnson green in color purchased in 61. A cabinet maker owned it before me and would refinish it for fun. I was to young to appreciate how beautiful it was . I can not even find a picture of it to put up on my boat wall

[Erie Skipper]

1973 Crest 25 pontoon with a merc 50--what a rocket she was!! With two 6 gallon tanks we could cruise all day. Next was an Alvin Roof special, 1980 Galaxy 21 cuddy with a Volvo 140 I/O--all forward please until we get her on plane.

Nice to see MFG mentioned--good old Ohio boat!! Agree with Mike, making my brain hurt also.

[Guest edgewater225]

an Opti - I was 7 and very quickly realized I needed Power. A 14' f/g skiff with a 25hp Johnson was a big improvement.

[bstnsportsfan]

My first boat is my 12' Ocean Malibu Kayak...hopefully I will be able to upgrade soon to a real boat that is not self propelled!