How did you get into boating?

[sailor55330]

So, here it goes.

I've been on the water since I was 9 months old--nearly 50 years ago. My dad was a sailor, and that's what I grew up doing. We trailered boats all over the place. I've raced/sailed all types of boats--it was a part of life growing up, along with camping:

In chronological order, the boats I've either owned or the family has owned:
Jetwind
Hobie 14
Hobie 16
Sea Snark (first boat I owned at 13)
Kawasaki Jet Ski 750ss
Starwind 27 cruising sailboat
Catalina 30 Tall Rig
Glastron gxl205
Cobalt R3

As you can see, most of my boating career has been with sailboats. My family was never into powerboats, in fact, I had only ridden on 1 ski boat in my life other than a jon boat or two for fishing as a kid. Some of the best times were literally wringing every 1/10th of a knot of speed out of those Hobies in a effort to go "just that much faster". I promise you, going 24-25 mph on a Hobie will make 50mph on a bowrider seem bland. I actually got to sail one again a few years ago at a resort--they took my out for the "check ride" and it ended in the "instructor" screaming---"YOUR GOOD, TAKE ME BACK, TAKE ME BACK TO SHORE", so at least I hadn't lost my touch. I actually ended up giving rides to people we met for the rest of the day. I only got into powerboats after moving to MN, where I literally couldn't stand not being on the water and the lakes near me weren't really conducive to sailing, at least not easily. I would tell people I had a 30ft sailboat that I sold before moving north and they would ask "what do you pull that with" to which I would answer, a Semi, flatbed, professional driver, oversized load markers, and a lot of permits"---they just couldn't relate to a boat that was almost 12 ft wide, 31 ft long, and needed 6ft of water to even float. Powerboats on trailers were the most accessible thing to me at the time. Don't get me wrong, being on a boat like the Cobalt is a great experience, but I still long for the days of having to read the wind, understand the boat, and use a little skill to get where I want to go.... There's absolutely nothing wrong with "point and shoot" as I call it, but I miss sailing offshore vs going round in circles on a lake.

And now you know "the rest of the story"

[Big Block Power]

I bet sailing taught you how to tie knots and ropes and rigging. That's so cool. I like watching The sailors come in up on lake superior. They have more balls then I'll ever have.
We went on a evening sail in
St Thomas a few years ago it was so quiet and awesome. I would miss it too
I think it was on a 40ft sloop.

[jhnmdahl]

Grandpa was a game warden in the lakes area of Minnesota, and he had a state-issued patrol boat (maybe a 17' aluminum boat, with an outboard but it had a steering wheel) we would also use for recreational boating/fishing until he retired, at which point the state gave him a smaller aluminum boat with a tiller outboard as a retirement gift. Seems impossible these days that the state would do something like that, but different times...

[AsLan7]

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I promise you, going 24-25 mph on a Hobie will make 50mph on a bowrider seem bland.

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Great stuff s55330!

Totally agree. There are times when the wind is howling on the lake and I’d much rather be heelin’ a sailboat than poundin’ on a stinkboat.

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[sailor55330]

I bet sailing taught you how to tie knots and ropes and rigging. That's so cool. I like watching The sailors come in up on lake superior. They have more balls then I'll ever have.
We went on a evening sail in
St Thomas a few years ago it was so quiet and awesome. I would miss it too
I think it was on a 40ft sloop

Oh, I probably picked up a thing or two along the way about lines (not ropes) and knots. Heck, to this day an improper cleat hitch drives me nuts as do tangled lines

The Island sail sounds like a great time. If y’all ever want to charter a sailboat for some island hopping—I’d be willing to captain it for ya

[Big Block Power]

I bet sailing taught you how to tie knots and ropes and rigging. That's so cool. I like watching The sailors come in up on lake superior. They have more balls then I'll ever have.
We went on a evening sail in
St Thomas a few years ago it was so quiet and awesome. I would miss it too
I think it was on a 40ft sloop

Oh, I probably picked up a thing or two along the way about lines (not ropes) and knots. Heck, to this day an improper cleat hitch drives me nuts as do tangled lines

The Island sail sounds like a great time. If y’all ever want to charter a sailboat for some island hopping—I’d be willing to captain it for ya

Heck yea your on. Sorry lines. Lol

[Stagdad]

How did I get into boating? Dad. The first family boat he brought home was a nineteen sixty something 16 foot aluminum Cherokee with a 60 horse Johnson and electric choke. I still get teary eyed when I hear the Alan Jackson song "Daddy let me Drive". I could argue the song was written about me! Anyway we lived real near the Ohio River, waaay downstream from Cincinnati and that's where we swam and learned to ski. He even bought a second boat a 23' Cruisers Inc. cabin cruiser so we could camp out on the banks. Dad would call up, say "i''m leaving work, get the cooler packed and the boat hooked up." 'Nuff said. Graduated to a repo'ed 17' V176Glastron with a Black 115 "tower of power". I "loced" that boat. Sad day when it was sold. Grew up got married ..blah blah,was boatless for a few long years. Then one summer he and mom went to visit some friends at Lake Cumberland, the boat bug bit and they bought a place and a 1992 22' Starcraft Islander aluminum cruiser. He had always wanted one and finally pulled the trigger. Looked like the same ones made in the 60's and 70's only with a more modern paint job. Had that a few years, lost my Dad, but the hook was set. I was now an avid boater. Sold the Starcraft and bought the Stingray 19 footer. Like the rest of y'all ,once on the water noticed the beautiful lines on those Cobalts. Swore one day that I too shall have one. 2018 the dream becomes a reality. Now that I am a lake boater I have been spoiled. I drive across the muddy ol' river everyday and say "I aint goin' back there". But I do have fond memories of the old Ohio. Didn't seem so dirty back then......

[Hoghead]

I was always a motorcycle/truck guy. I’ve owned bikes since I was 10. Give me the sound of a punched Harley or 3406 Cat in a new Pete..

I didn’t grow up on a lake, and in fact I’ve never rode in a small boat until the day I picked up our first one. Never wanted one either..
And now I’m hooked..

I was getting the toy itch since I was toyless while starting a family and expanding our business. My wife thought a boat would be a great family thing to do, and made more sense to put a smile on my families face than replacing my motorcycle that I sold when we got married. You know, for fun stuff like living room furniture.

I looked online that night and found a repo that was a-year-old and less than half price and in excellent shape. I went and looked at it the next day and bought it. We enjoyed that chaparral 233 for 13 years.

Obviously we all like quality stuff, and when we were looking for something larger, we made the fateful error and stepped in our local Cobalt dealers R5.
We placed an order shortly after.

3406 Cat.....oh yea.

[Krob1114]

While on a golfing vacation in Branson, my buddy suggested that we rent a boat at State Park Marina on Table Rock Lake.
My daughter was around 10 years old at the time. As we're loading boat, my friend went back and rented a tube.
I didn't even know what tubing was. My daughter enjoyed it so much, my wife started thinking about buying boat.
The next year we visited my sister in the Tulsa area and daughter enjoyed boating with her.
We bought a used 2006 Caravelle BR187, loved it, and eight years later are now lake people.

[Dudley67]

Grew up on Table Rock Lake in the 70's - early 80's...

We had:
Pipestone Mariner - for those that don't know, this was a "center console" snub nosed tri-hull boat, then we upgraded to keep up with the "Jones" to a
1979 18' Webbcraft

Our boat dock on Table Rock Lake had me hooked; consisted of 4 Bass boats, 2 Cobalts (both Tri hulls) 1 Tri Sonic Deep V closed bow, can't remember the model, 1 Mark Twain Tri hull, 1 IMP (I believe) and our Webbcraft.

Eye Candy, that Tri Sonic, wit the fiberglass swim platform was the envy of the boat dock...

Left the lake area, enlisted in the US Coast Guard and spent 10 years on the water. Once I settled down in Florida, the itch came back and bought my first boat, '92 222, traded and ordered a '07 252... Spent 5 years high and dry, then moved to a house in Alabama on a "lake", back to Cobalts!

[akorcovelos]

Grew up on Table Rock Lake in the 70's - early 80's...

We had:
Pipestone Mariner - for those that don't know, this was a "center console" snub nosed tri-hull boat, then we upgraded to keep up with the "Jones" to a
1979 18' Webbcraft

Our boat dock on Table Rock Lake had me hooked; consisted of 4 Bass boats, 2 Cobalts (both Tri hulls) 1 Tri Sonic Deep V closed bow, can't remember the model, 1 Mark Twain Tri hull, 1 IMP (I believe) and our Webbcraft.

Eye Candy, that Tri Sonic, wit the fiberglass swim platform was the envy of the boat dock...

Left the lake area, enlisted in the US Coast Guard and spent 10 years on the water. Once I settled down in Florida, the itch came back and bought my first boat, '92 222, traded and ordered a '07 252... Spent 5 years high and dry, then moved to a house in Alabama on a "lake", back to Cobalts!

One of the few people who know what a Webbcraft is, and can appreciate the quality of them. In their time they were on par with Cobalt. We loved our '84 21' Riviera.

38916160_2353086748051701_3083934037769715712_n.jpg

[AsLan7]

Loce this thread. Great read.

[Dudley67]

Great reading , reminiscing of the old days.. Yes it is neat to see someone else who knows of the Webbcraft boats.

[willyswagon]

Grandfather fished lobster. There was no choice but to be on the water. Spent summers living on a sailboat until I was old enough to get a job running the yacht club tender. From there (1985) it was a job with the Coast Guard (2yrs left till pension time) and selling boats at boat shows for my buddy's company. When I retire it will be full circle and back to lobster fishing with a friend, and making liquor. For me boats always have been, and always will be a way to make money.


The fun starts when the snow flys, and the track starts spinning

PS I've sold and operated Bayliner, Maxum, Carolina Skiff, Harris, Malibu, Trophy, Meridian, Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, and Monterey. I've operated Zodiac, Carlise, and Rosborough Fast Rescue Craft, worked on 44' & 47' Motor Lifeboats, as well as the Arun class lifeboats. Which brand have I trusted my family in for the last 2 seasons.....Yep Cobalt. If I can find a way to shoe horn a bigger fuel tank into this one it will be staying in the family.

[Dudley67]

Grandfather fished lobster. There was no choice but to be on the water. Spent summers living on a sailboat until I was old enough to get a job running the yacht club tender. From there (1985) it was a job with the Coast Guard (2yrs left till pension time) and selling boats at boat shows for my buddy's company. When I retire it will be full circle and back to lobster fishing with a friend, and making liquor. For me boats always have been, and always will be a way to make money.


The fun starts when the snow flys, and the track starts spinning

PS I've sold and operated Bayliner, Maxum, Carolina Skiff, Harris, Malibu, Trophy, Meridian, Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, and Monterey. I've operated Zodiac, Carlise, and Rosborough Fast Rescue Craft, worked on 44' & 47' Motor Lifeboats, as well as the Arun class lifeboats. Which brand have I trusted my family in for the last 2 seasons.....Yep Cobalt. If I can find a way to shoe horn a bigger fuel tank into this one it will be staying in the family.

Nice another Coastie, served 10 years myself...

Lobstering.. Mmmmmmm will have to track you down, Tail and Liquor!!