Re: How long did you own your first boat...
Let's see.<br /><br />My Dad had a wooden runabout before he and my mother got together. When I was 3 he got a 16ft Glaspar Avalon with a Merc 650 (65hp) outboard. We all skied behind that sometimes 2 at a time on singles. In 69 we went to get a 95hp (Which was the "Max Recommended" for that boat. The place we got the boat from sold us a Merc 1250 (125hp) for the same price as the 95 would have been. In 1989 I got a 17ft Chris Craft Cavalier and had the old motor installed on the back. Ran it till 93 when the motor sucked a reed valve and took out #5 piston. Couldn't afford to have it fixed or replaced, so gave it back to the credit union. Moved up to Washington in 95 and got a 16ft Jolly Rodger with the same Merc 1250. Sold that and got a 1996 Glastron GS 160 (16ft) Boat and trailer for 4200.00 Drove 15 miles and picked up a 1979 Mercury 140hp for 2800. Been running that ever since. I can pull 2 and if at sea level, I can pull 3 on single skis. It's very fast and lots of fun. I took the test boat out with a 115 and tried to flip it, swamp it, and drive it under water in reverse. I was not able to sink it, so I got it. The 115 motor did real nice on it, but I didn't like the new 115's that idle on 2 and then the other 2 come on at 1800rpm's, so I went for an older inline 6 and if a little HP works, then more works better.<br /><br />Good luck in your hunting. READ EVERYTHING you can get your hands on about the boats for what you want to do with it and please, do yourself a BIG favor. Get the biggest motor you can with what ever you buy. You don't have to use the extra power, but trust me, when you need it. You will be glad it's there. And with a more powerfull motor, you don't have to work it as hard as if you get a smaller one.<br /><br />Craig
I woke up one morning and thought "I want a boat". A few days later I had a boat...