Boats you miss or wish you still had?

[Numlaar]

Hey all,

I am sure someone has already done this at some point, but I thought it would be neat to share some information on past boats that you have owned, and wished you still had...

I'll start with one that was extremely unique... my grandfather purchased a 1972 "Aqua Loop" PWC... it was powered by a 72 Mercury 25HP... I used to ride it when I was a toddler sitting in front of my dad... and later on when I got old enough took out by myself ... the thing was a screamer with that big of an engine on such a small craft... it was made in canada and only 800 were ever built... the idea didn't seem to catch on at the time... and was a precursor to the modern jet ski...

But I have to admit, this thing was an absolute blast!! (Although a bit unsafe) they didn't employ engine kills, or a prop guard (safety wasn't a big deal in the early 70's lol), so you had better not fall off!!!!

Here's a pic of one I found on the net for what they look like:



Ours was the exact same orange, but had a big smiley face done on the front of it, and we called it "the bug"...

Also a couple years later, my grandfather purchased a 1974 searay 200... we had this boat for 20 years in the family, and hands down was one of the best boats we have ever owned... not to mention the styling of this boat was super sleek... and still applicable today... this boat rode super nice, and could take some serious waves smooth as silk... if I had the money I would buy this one in a heartbeat:

http://www.boatland.com/1974%20Sea%20Ray%20200CB.htm

Yes these are memories from my childhood, but hey, I still love them!!!

So what was your favorite ride? Would you own one today if you could??

If I could find another aqua loop for sale, I would definitely get one for the rarity and to relive some childhood memories!!!

 

[dontask]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

Google "Barracuda Hydrocycle" you'll see pictures to compare to your Aqua Loop. Barracuda Hydrocycles came out in the 60's, I had one with a 35 hp. Barracuda was better looking though.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

My Whirlwind cold molded mahogany boat. It was a beautiful boat that flew with an old Johnson 40hp motor on it. Unfortunately, its not a boat that is very useful in the bayous of Louisiana. Frankly, its just too pretty to be beat up in a place where hitting logs ans such, is not uncommon.

 

[asautt]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

Strange that you mentioned the 1974 searay 200. I just got rid of a 1970 Searay 200 a couple of years ago. You're right, it was one sweet ride! 30+ yrs of salt water usage had taken it's toll and the wife raised a fit every time I put a buck into it so I let it go.

My all time favorite was a late 60's Thompson 18 footer. She wasn't fast, but I spent hundreds of hours all over Lake Erie in some pretty hellacious weather and never had a doubt that the Thompson would get us home. Every once in a while I check the net to see if any wood Thompsons are out there, but then I start thinking about the maintenance and upkeep on a wooden boat and decide to let the Thompson live in memory only.

Alan

 

[JB]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

I really miss every Boston Whaler I ever had. That includes an 11, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 18.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

I miss my 1969 blue and sand 14 foot Glastron tri-hull. A real piece of work with rolled and tucked upholstery, full custom canvas and grab rails set into the hull at the stern seats. With a 60 hp engine she was a little rough on the teeth but a beauty nontheless. A real Pu**y Wagon. Used to pick up girls all the time with it. It was the same model that went into the swimming pool in James Bond movie "Live and Let Die." Traded it in on a larger Glastron Deep Vee for a trip on the water, up the Hudson River, to Canada.

 

[dorelse]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

I would LOVE a mid/late 70's Glastron Carlson CV-19ss. Just cannot find one!

 

[nite1980]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

Hey all,

I am sure someone has already done this at some point, but I thought it would be neat to share some information on past boats that you have owned, and wished you still had...

I'll start with one that was extremely unique... my grandfather purchased a 1972 "Aqua Loop" PWC... it was powered by a 72 Mercury 25HP... I used to ride it when I was a toddler sitting in front of my dad... and later on when I got old enough took out by myself ... the thing was a screamer with that big of an engine on such a small craft... it was made in canada and only 800 were ever built... the idea didn't seem to catch on at the time... and was a precursor to the modern jet ski...

But I have to admit, this thing was an absolute blast!! (Although a bit unsafe) they didn't employ engine kills, or a prop guard (safety wasn't a big deal in the early 70's lol), so you had better not fall off!!!!

Here's a pic of one I found on the net for what they look like:



Ours was the exact same orange, but had a big smiley face done on the front of it, and we called it "the bug"...

Also a couple years later, my grandfather purchased a 1974 searay 200... we had this boat for 20 years in the family, and hands down was one of the best boats we have ever owned... not to mention the styling of this boat was super sleek... and still applicable today... this boat rode super nice, and could take some serious waves smooth as silk... if I had the money I would buy this one in a heartbeat:

http://www.boatland.com/1974%20Sea%20Ray%20200CB.htm

Yes these are memories from my childhood, but hey, I still love them!!!

So what was your favorite ride? Would you own one today if you could??

If I could find another aqua loop for sale, I would definitely get one for the rarity and to relive some childhood memories!!!

i have a aqua loop with 20hp mercury on it , new here dont know how to post pics

 

[JoLin]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

My very first boat was an 8' inflatable with wooden floor and transom that i picked up for $50 (?). on a closeout in 1965 or 66. I was 12 or so. My Dad and I found a 5-hp Elgin in a junkyard for $5. and got that running, too. Took about forever, but I kept fiddling with it and got it to run very reliably after awhile

I had a blast with that little dink.

 

[floatingwoody2006]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

bought a 14' lund aluminum with a 1974 18hp evinrude in pieces for 350$. Spent many hours on re-assembling the motor, rebuilding the trailer, painting the boat....before

after

ended up trading it even for a yamaha warrior 4 wheeler that crapped out 2 weeks after i got it..I nearly cried.

 

[Numlaar]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

i have a aqua loop with 20hp mercury on it , new here dont know how to post pics

O M G I am soooo jealous!!!!

If I could, that is one watercraft I would buy to have again just for the nostalga of it!!

I had an opportunity to buy a pair of them from a guy in Texas about 3 years ago... but the wife said nooo way and of course I listened... in retrospect I should have picked them up... (funny how hindsight is always 20/20)

He wanted 1500 for the pair, both had running outboards (although the motors were pretty old), and trailers... UGH! (it would have taken two trips to texas and back from FL though cause they were on individual trailers...)

One day I will find and own one again!

 

[Numlaar]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

bought a 14' lund aluminum with a 1974 18hp evinrude in pieces for 350$. Spent many hours on re-assembling the motor, rebuilding the trailer, painting the boat....

ended up trading it even for a yamaha warrior 4 wheeler that crapped out 2 weeks after i got it..I nearly cried.

Funny how that works!!! Sorry for your loss!

I lost a 79 Bronco because my wife wanted to clean up the driveway, and sold it for 400 bucks... (the tires alone cost 800.. grrr)... the guy that bought it still uses it, and that was like 7years ago.

I DID cry on that one!

 

[ebentraywick]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

i miss my 10ft wood boat that i built when i was 8 what a fun thing that was even thought it would only hold my but i have grate memories of that thing

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

I'm only on my second boat but I do wish I had kept the first one. It was a 17' 1978 Winner bowrider. It was 2' smaller than my current boat but it was a deep vee so it rode much nicer (it was also much slower). That Chevy straight six was a cinch to work on. The best part was that my dad and me laid down some fiberglass on top of the deck (he worked with the stuff 28 years, I use to help him off and on when he owned a shop). Every time I clean fish guts off the carpet of my current boat I really miss the old girl. I sold it to my buddy for $900, he uses it almost every weekend. I should have kept it strictly for fishing off of it.

 

[AZSenza]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

I had a 1985 4Winns 17ft bowrider. the PO had shoehorned in a Merc 260 and alpha 1 drive pushing a 19 pitch stiletto prop, that part was all new. It also came with Bennet trim tabs and nice gelcoat (Blue and off white) I added thru hulls, a nicer stereo and cleaned and polished all the teak railing. People couldn't believe she was 20 years old...and was she FAST! That boat had a holeshot and a top end of 60 mph. ( it did hit 62 gps once but I was alone and low on fuel) It became a project boat when I decided to redo the sole and it started taking too long. Sold her late one night for 1,000 cash, the outdrive alone was worth more than that, not to mention the 260 merc with about 150 hrs on it.
I couldn't watch it leave, I had to go inside!

 

[Tubingluvr]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

I miss my 1988 sea ray seville 18 footer with a mercruiser 4.3
I loved that boat, such beautiful lines.

 

[jfachner72]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

I had a nice 1988 V.I.P. Vindicator once.

I think it was a 23' with a 460 OMC and a King Cobra.

It was a pretty nice boat.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

I had a 16' ouachita flat bottom bass boat with a 20 merc and forward stick steering. It has so much floatation that you could totally swamp it and the seats and engine head remained totally out of the water. It was roomy, and the draft was so shallow that it would go places I can only dream of going with my more modern bass boat.

One thing about it that was great is that the whole fam damily could run to one side and lean over to see a fish or something, and it would list about 3 degrees.

sigh
John

 

[TonyJ124]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

Good Thread!!

The boat I miss the most was actually my father's '92 Cruisers Inc 2670 Rogue. It was a well-built, very well laid out boat... I did a lot of "growing up" on that boat in my teens- I'd live on it at our dock on Lake George (NY) in the summers.

It looked just like this:

Man I miss those times...

 

[RoyR]

Re: Boats you miss or wish you still had?

I actually built my first boat as a teenager by myself, made from wood and using drums for flotation devices, aligned similar to an inflatable, actually worked pretty well.