My First Boat

[David CVX-16]

My first boat was a used professionally built Pabst racing runabout. I am sure there are pictures somewhere, but would have to look in suitcases. The boat weighted 110 pounds, driven by kneeling on the floor, seated right in front of the motor, controlled by 5' Quicksilver throttle controls in right hand, with cables and pulleys from steering wheel right in front of driver to the motor. Hull had large fin on the bottom and could turn quickly. Boat purchased used for $100, and new white Mercury 22 HP Hurricane from  Hanneys (fall season special) was $320. I completely refinished the inside with many coats of marine polyurthane varnish and the outside with epoxy blue and white paint. Added turn buckles and afterplanes to the back of the hull to prevent porposing. Boat would go about 35 MPH and that seemed fast two feet off the water. On Lake Johanna in Arden Hills, I hit a boat wave at an angle going full speed and was thrown out. The boat continued without a driver at full throttle, circling past the swimming area and then back close to me, and then stopped, as the fuel tank turned over when the boat hit the wave. Traveled 110 miles one day from the Mississippi from South St. Paul, through the entire length of Lake Pepin and back. Boy were my seat and knees sore from 110 miles of waves (boat was flat bottom), sun and noise from the motor. Sure wish I could buy that boat back.  

I had the boat eight years from the age of 18 to 26 and my main lake was Lake Johanna in Arden Hills. The lake was small and sheltered from the wind and I would go round and round.  

Attached is a picture of a Pabst boat similar to mine.

This from the "Wooden Boat Forum":

"Pabst boats were built by a fellow named Norm Pabst. I believe he built the boats in Fon DuLac WI. As I remember, Pabst was primarily a hydro plane builder but branched out into runabouts."

Feel free to share stories of your boat(s).

[OleRed]

This could be a Fun thread ... I'll post a couple pic's, the first pic is me and my best friend riding around the pond in "my first boat" ... I'm the one with the hat.
The second pic is my mom and dad and our first family boat,  a 1959 YellowJacket Rivera, quite a story about that boat I'll share some time.
The third pic is my grandpa, he's the one with the bow tie, taken in 1918 at Meridian Ms, he was inspector on a pipeline job there, his first boat ride was on that job.
The 4th pic is my first boat as it set's today in my sisters back yard, the old yeller house in the background is my grandma and grandpa's first house, I think 1919 was when they got it, it is actually an old BUs that grandpa put siding and a roof on to look like a real house, we restored it several years ago, I moved it to Oklahoma city when we sold the farm.

[aquamaniac]

My first boat was a used professionally built Pabst racing runabout.

David,
We had a boat that looked like a home built copy of a Pabst. My older brothers and I had a lot of fun in that little boat with a 18 Evinrude. I went to an auction this fall with the intention of buying this Pabst, but it went for more than I was willing to spend.

[badgercarlson]

Here I am in my first boat.  A 1962 Tomahawk fiberglass boat with a late 1950's 10 hp Johnson.  This was taken in the summer of 1962 at my family's cottage at Eagle River, WI.  In the summer of 1964, the motor caught on fire while I was driving the boat.  I shut the motor off and ran to the front of the boat.  My Dad was yelling at me from shore to go back and disconnect the fuel line from the burning motor.  I remember I was petrified but I did go back to the motor.  The motor stopped burning before there was any damage to the boat.  The new low profile 9.5 hp Johnsons had just come out and Dad got one to replace the burned motor.  I spent many happy summers running around the lake in that boat. 

[dorelse]

Here's my first boat.  Had it 2 years...replaced one Force motor that I fried, with a 2nd one...forgot to add oil to the gas (I think)...oops!  It was actually a nice boat, but when we bought it, I didn't realize that you could get a sundeck on boats, and we subsequently got a 1996 Glastron, which is how I ended up here!

[CVX Fever]

1988 Century 16' OB w/3.0 MerCruiser. Owned for 4 years and skied behind it all the time during the week. Plus many days on Minnetonka & lots of river trips. June-August it was off the trailer at least 3 times a week. My how times have changed! Had 11 people in it for the day once. She took awhile to plane with that load.

Never did squat to it for repairs and lost about $300 a year on it when I sold vs what I paid for it. Got my money out of that boat and then some!

[Hotwired]

First Boat was a Sailboat.  I still have it.  A 1978 Hobie Cat 16.





My first power boat was a C-500. Sold that one and bought the CV-21.

[Jason]

Bought in 2002. 75 V173. Sold in 2006 for the CV16SS. I grew up around boats though. I'll have to get some of the oldies I grew up on scanned into the computer.

[Hotwired]

I too grew up around boats .. my Dad had a Glastron Dealership and we always had at least one around.







First boat I remember was this little Silverline with a 90 hp Johnson.

[V153]

My first was a 8' riveted aluminium jon boat with a 5.5 Evinrude twin on it. Explored each and every nook & crannie of Biscayne Bay in that lil sob. Me'n my little brother could actually pull one another on skis behind it.

All our buddies had bigger 10,12,14 foot jon boats with smaller 2 1/2, 3, mebbe 4hp motors. We ruled the roost! Heh heh heh

This was around 1969 or 70 btw. Gawd am I OLD!!!

[Hyperacme]

Cool pictures Chris ...
A dealers meeting ?

[Hotwired]

That was out annual Boat show in Fergus Falls Minnesota.  I think it was January.  Held it in the local Holiday Inn!

[catchnedge]

Great idea David, and awesome pictures everyone.

I grew up on this "Apache" 14' aluminum w/1969 Merc 20hp.  Learned to ski behind this machine. We spent our summers at Clearwater & Bull Shoals Lake MO. mostly (we lived in St. Louis).  My most treasured memories growing up were at these lakes, and we still visit Bull Shoals each summer when our schedules allow.  3 pictures... 1) approx 1970, My brother John, Dad, brother Mike, me, and my nephew;  2) good profile view of boat w/brother Jim, Mike w/son, and John;  3) few years later skiing behind the boat

My Brother John had this "Speed Queen" cuddy (I would love to find this ole boat BTW, or one like it) with a 60hp Gale outboard. It seemed huge for a 60hp engine, but pushed the rig fairly well. He mostly used this boat on the Missouri River near St. Charles MO.  I've ski'd behind this one as well.  1 picture... This is about 1976/77, I'm waiving from passenger seat.

The 1976 Glastron Crestflite V-184 was the first boat Sandy & I owned ourselves, bought in 1987. Originally it had a Merc 85hp, but we put a new 1992 Merc 115 when we lived in Charleson SC (our 2nd tour in SC), and man it would fly with that engine at just over 50mph.  Purchased in SC during our first real AF assignment at Shaw AFB in Sumter. We had this boat for about 10 years... our kids all learned to ski behind it... they all got to experience being around the lake a lot when they were young!  3 pictures (in next post)  1) taken about 1993, boat at Stoney Landing, Cooper River SC, our son Cam at the wheel;  2) about 1996 (we lived in Altus OK at the time) taken at Bull Shoals lake me driving;  3) new 115 merc!

[catchnedge]

First boat we owned... see previous post for description.

[Glastron_GT160]

Great thread.  I've been around boats all my life, but only owned my own in recent years. First and second boats were fixer-uppers but allowed me to get my family introduced to water sports while we lived near Lake Huron, Sarnia.  The first was a 16ft Munro with a 40hp OMC. I subsequently bought a second boat , a 15ft tri-hull to swap the 40hp Merc motor and trailer from.  

Sold those and moved to a small 15ft bowrider, an '88 Sunray bowrider.  A great little boat, but too small.  Plagued with motor issues, a troublesome 3cyl Merc 60hp.

[Glastron_GT160]

Next boat I got smart.... went on the hunt specifically for a Glastron GT160.  Bought my '72 off eBay in Pennsylvania and had a blast with it.  Also plaged with motor issues , as the oriignal '72 1150 Merc had water ingestion issues.  Upgraded to a newer mid-80's Merc and had some great memories with that boat.

I also own a 60's era 12ft Sears Cartopper aluminum boat and a gaggle of outboards to tinker with.

Current boat is 19.5ft Searay.  Only had it one season, with little use but I am quite happy with it for the moment.   I owe Rich a ride as he has been instrumental in helping me with maintenance activities ...  and I've had a few mechanical issues while I work the bugs out.

Hopefully another Glastron/Carlson is in my future.

[MarkS]

My first two boats were jon boats, couldn't find any pics of those.  The first "real" boat I owned was a 1961 Cutter Tornado, 62 Merc 700 FGS;

[Hyperacme]

My first boat was a four foot rubber raft, we would go to Troy park on the St.Croix on the weekends and mess around for hours with it.
We would roll it up and tie it to the back of our bikes and ride up to Tanners lake, inflate it, paddle around, deflate it and tie it to our bikes and ride home.
It was heavy rubber with metal valves and lasted for years, but went through two foot pumps ...LOL
My first real boat was a 1988 19'9" Celebrity Crownline 199 Cuddy with a 350 Mag.
Man that was a NICE boat !  Still wish I hadn't sold it, Teak hand rails curved around the swim platform, Teak sliding hatch and bifold door to cuddy, Teak trim around everthing !
Bet I went through a gal. of teak oil a summer ... LOL
Brother-in-Law still has it.
First picture is my boat, others are ones from the internet that look just like mine.

[David CVX-16]

Gregg, any chance of the brother-in-law selling it back to you?

[Hyperacme]

Glen talked to him a few years ago about buying it, but he didn't want to sell.
It has sat outside since the mid 90's and is most likely in poor shape.