What say you?

[DakotaMan]

I've always been elated with each new boat I got and have always been sad to see them go when it was time to move on. I still have fond memories of the boats I've owned. I think like anything else, you have to be able to afford your indulgences and you have to buy within your means. I have seen many people mortgage the form to get a bigger/faster boat than anyone in their social circle and those seem to cause issues.

[jhjimbo]

The day I sold my 40', twin-cat diesel, custom built sportsfisherman brought me joy that has lasted thirty years. That [email protected] boat nearly drove me crazy---seems like it couldn't go two days without something majorly expensive breaking down.

It was sort of a different story with the sportsfisherman I sold to buy the bad dog mentioned above. The old boat was slow, wooden, Harker's Island with few amenities, but it always got me there and back. She wouldn't pound, even in the roughest seas. Several years after I got completely out of the boat business, I happened to be killing time at a marina, waiting for a friend, when I spotted a burned out hull tied to the dock. When I got closer, the flare of the bow and the tumblehome aft were unmistakable---it was the old Trade Winds. I stood and looked at the hulk, remembering a whole lot of good times with that boat and got more than a little misty-eyed seeing what had become of her. She was a fine sea boat, in spite of being old and kind of slow (like me, now). I found out later that she had been struck by lightning at the dock and burned until she sank. The owners salvaged the GM diesels and, after I saw her, they loaded the hull with a couple of car bodies and some old appliances and towed her out and made an artificial reef. I thought that was appropriate.

Those were the biggest that would fit. They turned 24"X24" props, direct drive. Did a good job but old technology, heavy smokers and noisey - this goes back to 1956 to 1966 when we were boating a lot.

[jhjimbo]

I think that adage applies to the power boats I've owned. However, I'm very pleased with my two canoes and will probably be sad if I ever need to sell them.

I have a kayak and a big canoe that I enjoy. My buddy in NY has the 19' Grumman square stern we use for hunting and camping. That was the one you could get the optional sail and keel boards. We put my 7.5hp on it and you should see it go. It has close to a 1500lb load capacity if I remember correct.

[jhjimbo]

Never owned a real big boat but the one I own I love ! Many great days out on the water with friend and family mostly fishing. Worth every dime.

Tree, I lived on a Lake and my neighbor had a pontoon boat that we would ski behind. Can't remember the hp. but it was big.

[jhjimbo]

If my grandson take to fishing I'll have one. But it will be wide flat bottom war eagle or something along that line.

Boston Whalers are good.

[Buckshott00]

Boats can be a lot of fun, but I personally think of them more like money pits. I'd rather just rent a boat every once in a while than to deal with all the expense hassle and maintenance that comes with owning, storing, and maintaining a boat.

[Treestand]

Never owned a real big boat but the one I own I love ! Many great days out on the water with friend and family mostly fishing. Worth every dime.

We rent a large Pontoon boat when we have family or friends over and take a slow cruse down the St.Johns River to a small town of Sanford......Great Food;-))

[Treestand]

I enjoyed my plastic John boat that I paddled like a kayak. Not very nimble but it got the job done. But this winter we tied it to the back of my truck to use as a sled, and when it flipped it ripped a hole in it. Now I have a plastic John sled.

Yup, a hill country boy.....Lol

[Milldawg]

If my grandson take to fishing I'll have one. But it will be wide flat bottom war eagle or something along that line.

[Milldawg]

The day I sold my 40', twin-cat diesel, custom built sportsfisherman brought me joy that has lasted thirty years. That [email protected] boat nearly drove me crazy---seems like it couldn't go two days without something majorly expensive breaking down.

It was sort of a different story with the sportsfisherman I sold to buy the bad dog mentioned above. The old boat was slow, wooden, Harker's Island with few amenities, but it always got me there and back. She wouldn't pound, even in the roughest seas. Several years after I got completely out of the boat business, I happened to be killing time at a marina, waiting for a friend, when I spotted a burned out hull tied to the dock. When I got closer, the flare of the bow and the tumblehome aft were unmistakable---it was the old Trade Winds. I stood and looked at the hulk, remembering a whole lot of good times with that boat and got more than a little misty-eyed seeing what had become of her. She was a fine sea boat, in spite of being old and kind of slow (like me, now). I found out later that she had been struck by lightning at the dock and burned until she sank. The owners salvaged the GM diesels and, after I saw her, they loaded the hull with a couple of car bodies and some old appliances and towed her out and made an artificial reef. I thought that was appropriate.

6v53 wow. Those would make a better anchor. Worked on a few of them. Leaky as heck. But they were all old when I got to them.

[Milldawg]

I enjoyed my plastic John boat that I paddled like a kayak. Not very nimble but it got the job done. But this winter we tied it to the back of my truck to use as a sled, and when it flipped it ripped a hole in it. Now I have a plastic John sled.

You can take the boy out of West Virginia but the West Virginia out of the boy.

[pineywoods]

The day I sold my 40', twin-cat diesel, custom built sportsfisherman brought me joy that has lasted thirty years. That [email protected] boat nearly drove me crazy---seems like it couldn't go two days without something majorly expensive breaking down.

It was sort of a different story with the sportsfisherman I sold to buy the bad dog mentioned above. The old boat was slow, wooden, Harker's Island with few amenities, but it always got me there and back. She wouldn't pound, even in the roughest seas. Several years after I got completely out of the boat business, I happened to be killing time at a marina, waiting for a friend, when I spotted a burned out hull tied to the dock. When I got closer, the flare of the bow and the tumblehome aft were unmistakable---it was the old Trade Winds. I stood and looked at the hulk, remembering a whole lot of good times with that boat and got more than a little misty-eyed seeing what had become of her. She was a fine sea boat, in spite of being old and kind of slow (like me, now). I found out later that she had been struck by lightning at the dock and burned until she sank. The owners salvaged the GM diesels and, after I saw her, they loaded the hull with a couple of car bodies and some old appliances and towed her out and made an artificial reef. I thought that was appropriate.

Nope.

[pineywoods]

The day I sold my 40', twin-cat diesel, custom built sportsfisherman brought me joy that has lasted thirty years. That [email protected] boat nearly drove me crazy---seems like it couldn't go two days without something majorly expensive breaking down.

It was sort of a different story with the sportsfisherman I sold to buy the bad dog mentioned above. The old boat was slow, wooden, Harker's Island with few amenities, but it always got me there and back. She wouldn't pound, even in the roughest seas. Several years after I got completely out of the boat business, I happened to be killing time at a marina, waiting for a friend, when I spotted a burned out hull tied to the dock. When I got closer, the flare of the bow and the tumblehome aft were unmistakable---it was the old Trade Winds. I stood and looked at the hulk, remembering a whole lot of good times with that boat and got more than a little misty-eyed seeing what had become of her. She was a fine sea boat, in spite of being old and kind of slow (like me, now). I found out later that she had been struck by lightning at the dock and burned until she sank. The owners salvaged the GM diesels and, after I saw her, they loaded the hull with a couple of car bodies and some old appliances and towed her out and made an artificial reef. I thought that was appropriate.

Wonder if I'm still Country Road in my own post?

[jhjimbo]

The day I sold my 40', twin-cat diesel, custom built sportsfisherman brought me joy that has lasted thirty years. That [email protected] boat nearly drove me crazy---seems like it couldn't go two days without something majorly expensive breaking down.

It was sort of a different story with the sportsfisherman I sold to buy the bad dog mentioned above. The old boat was slow, wooden, Harker's Island with few amenities, but it always got me there and back. She wouldn't pound, even in the roughest seas. Several years after I got completely out of the boat business, I happened to be killing time at a marina, waiting for a friend, when I spotted a burned out hull tied to the dock. When I got closer, the flare of the bow and the tumblehome aft were unmistakable---it was the old Trade Winds. I stood and looked at the hulk, remembering a whole lot of good times with that boat and got more than a little misty-eyed seeing what had become of her. She was a fine sea boat, in spite of being old and kind of slow (like me, now). I found out later that she had been struck by lightning at the dock and burned until she sank. The owners salvaged the GM diesels and, after I saw her, they loaded the hull with a couple of car bodies and some old appliances and towed her out and made an artificial reef. I thought that was appropriate.

My parents boat was a 38' Inland Seas that did not really cost a lot. It had 6V53's and got about 4mpg at about 15knots. My Father was a truck driver so he had the tractor and trailer to haul the boat in the fall and had a place to park it indoors. So main cost was the dockage at the marina. In those days we kept track of the purchases and at the end of the year got a refund of tax on all the fuel we bought that included road tax.

A boat is a hole in the water into which one pours money. The bigger the boat, the more money required!