Reply With QuoteAmen brother.
I know Im Old- But you went to Rudy Ramos or Len Schiada, Or Jerry Wright, Roger Wieman. Ordered a Hull. You bought it in stages 1 Hull Bare- Hull & Trailer or Strut set ETc. Picked you gel coat, tabbed it at home if you wanted deck tabed etc. Ordered your own trailer, Picked motor and running gear, Picked who would do the upholstry.
It was not the fact you built it (meaning you had a hand in every bolt) It was the Bud's all comming over to wrench in the garage, the Belley Laughs, cutting up and as each stage completed, you stand for hours thinking about the fun- Its Setting in it late at night on a crate driving it when every one else has gone to bed hours before.
Then that day arrives- The First Take Out- every bud you have shows up- all came and had a hand in it. WOW.
I guess them old days are gone- now you take out a big 2nd on your home. Have it built or pick it from a lot. Take it out and your the big dog- Untill your neighbor takes out a bigger second and builds it bigger. Whats this about, You don't know where one bolt is or how to fix anything so you tow it down to someone who know's.
3 years ago I sold a drive to a customer who had bought and owned 2 Power boats 33' and a 44' I asked him why he was restoring a old Jet he had picked up. It had a Jacuzzi in it and it was old. He said Dave I get in anyone of my boats and I can run 110 down the middle of the lake.
All I do is steer it- One day I am on the river doing just that- Start thinking of my old days Jet boating-As im doing that I drop my arm over to get a hand full of water- thats when I look and im 6' above the water. Now to get to the water I stop the boat climb over the back and dive in.
get back in the seat and take off just steering my boat again. That action brought back all the reasons why he had so much fun vs now. He said he could play with the 18' Jet, drop his arm on a warm cruise and grab a hand full of water in the 105 degree weather and splash his face and know he was alive.
The boat he restored to a fine piece- His shop and he re-glassed the intake in and did a 100% go over before he sent it to Tom Papp to set the intake. After that he took it back to his shop for detail and paint. Tom got the boat one more time to finish up detail and called me and said POP you have got to see this thing "Its A Flat Showpiece"
Just a alternative.
Amen brother.
Great post Pops. Thats what its all about, hanging your hand over the side and feeling the water.:idea: I do that all the time.
Everything is disposable now. The new technology is too hard to work on. We're too busy working.
I like the feel of a little splash of water on my face now and then. Windsurfing is great for that too.
The women I meet think boating means having someone serve them drinks on the fantail.
What are these "new" boats you speak of? Did they keep making boats after the mid 80's? 6 feet from the water? I'm damn lucky I'm 8 inches from the water!
I know what you're saying... even if I was so inclined to buy a "new" boat, I doubt I would. I have to have the project..... something to make my own and get that rush first time it gets wet. I like saving a litle bit of history, too. Maybe the next one will start with a bare hull.
BTW, anyone know where I can get a loader for a 65 Stevens flatbottom jet with a JA?
I love posts like this....and thats just what I am trying to do....bring the roots of the garage mechanics back. The only difference is that we are restoring them in the garage, not building them. Complete tear downs and new gel and re-rigged. Thats what its all about....having your friends over for some beers and workin on the boat and everyone jumpin in the truck for the weekend to go put it on the river when its done.
I guess it still happens to a degree, but its rare to hear about someone who 'built' a 22'+ boat.
Agreed!!! I have a nice 21' I/O with a 496HO. Its a really nice boat, goes reasonably fast, holds the family, etc. Cost a lot of money too, I get reminded of it every month when I make the payment. You know what, I don't really care about that boat and I'm thinking of selling it.
On the other hand I have a 16' all aluminum race boat with a SBC and a Legend pump. It cost roughly what the 496HO upgrade cost on my family boat. I think about it all the time, I turn wrenches on it as much as possible. I spend time thinking about it at work. I save my change in the ashtray and buy parts for it. That's what its all about. I think I'm going to sell the big boat, maybe buy a pontoon boat for the family and raise my boys properly.....strapped into 5 point seat belts with a lifeline on and a 6 point cage around them skating through 3" of water or tackling a class IV rapid. That's what jet boating and hot boating is all about, not 6 figure boats with 6' of freeboard and nothing that can be worked on by a normal guy-Aluminum Squirt
Yea...I was looking at the "old boat ads" and even they list different stages, but now it's all complete. Liability may have something to do with it?? I also think people want instant gratification and need everything now now now!!! Dont wanna wait to put things together!! ...
Even new cars dont really have options, but rather "preferred option packages"
To each their own.
I don't bag on a guy that buys a boat vs. building one. Building a nice,new competitive river boat that does'nt just go from A to B is'nt cheap these days. Talk to Scotten or another small hull builder for a new hull. Try 18k plus for a new hull. Add a decent motor (15k and up over 30 for a contender), pump new will be another 3-5k with decent parts.
If you're talking swap meet used, then that's one thing but for building a clean, new piece, you're easily 30k into a decent ride.
A lot of kids don't have parents that never got them into wrenching so they either opt for a tournament boat or go big.
Add to that the lack of any affordable river or close river property south of Parker (due to indian land), and you have the masses going to Havasu, Needles, and north. This increase in boats on lakes means everyone goes big just to boat over the increased swells of the lake.
I'm all for small boats and do it yourself 'ers but I do see the other side of buying a bigger boat and being able to own property (not paying lease to anyone) and live near a town with all amenities nearby.
And for boating in So cal lakes, no way, testing only, Az. waters or bust for me.
I build my own boats, motors, bikes, and classic cars. I do all the mechanical stuff, the only things i don't do is paint and headliners. I get satisfaction from standing back and looking at the finished product and saying to myself i built that. Any body can walk in with a credit card and get something done but to me that aint a true hot rodder either on the water or the street. All my projects are filled with many hours of blood, sweat, tears and cussing.
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