Boating for fun, work or fishing

Kicked off our 2017 season tonight! I'm excited just got this boat late last summer and only had the chance for one tank of gas through it so I'm hoping to put it to good use this year and many years to come! Anyone else do any boating for fun, work or fishing?

 

fishing

 

Oh yeah, getting my boat out of storage this weekend.

I spend a lot of time in/on the water because I melt over 85°

I have a classic 78 ski nautique that I've restomodded.

 

That's great to resurrect an older boat like that! It's sad to see so many of them just rotting in the weeds.
As for the melting part in the heat, it was 80'ish here today first heat of the year and I got right home we ate quick, ran to the reservoir and snagged some ice cream on the way home!

 

It was a very low hour boat when I got our in 2000. The floor and vinyl was in poor shape though.

250 man hours and a lot of itching from fiberglass, and it was all good.

 

Sweetness! I had a 60's vintage mfg that I acquired just to have the trailer and had thoughts of redoing it but to much itchy fiberglass there so I let her go.... yours looks really nice though what motor?

 

351 windsor v8. I've got gt40p heads and edelbrock performer intake on it

The hull was in great shape, just the floor, seats, and vinyl was bad. I took all that out, re engineered it, and redid it all. It's technically a Martinique, but those years were on the same ski nautique hull. The Martinique was just a pimped out deluxe version.

Here's a partial pic of the interior

It's way nicer inside than any classic nautique that came from the factory.

 

I build kayaks for my winter hobby, this is a shot from last summer.
I built all of the kayaks out of foam, except for the one on the right, my daughter and I built it, she did almost all of the work, I just showed her how.
Hers is plywood.

 

As always too things are better with a dog!

 

Those are nice looking kayaks! My brother has one and loves it mainly fishes out of it. I'm kind of ashamed to say I've never been in one or a canoe for that matter

 

Here's my new rig. I thought long and hard about it and pulled the trigger end of last summer. The old boat was a bit hard with more than two people so......

 

View attachment 125312 View attachment 125312 Bust Out Another Thousand Had to say it. I have pics also. Spent many hrs in this 22' Sea Swirl center console this winter. Mucho funo. Actually my buddies boat. In Key Largo. Me holding the Barracuda. Now back at my place for some refitting/repower. Will be on Lake Superior this summer. Then back south for the winter. All fun. All costly! My personal boat for Iowa is a 12' v with a mighty 7.5hp for our shallow rivers. We also have 3 box store kayaks and two aluminum canoes.

 

Boating and sking, that's how we do it. Just can't wait for the weather to cooperate. Still feels like winter here!

 

It's in the mid 80's here right now but today was work day at home wishing we were on the boat cause I sure need a nice breeze .
I started with a 12' Montgomery ward sea king and some oars, it was fun. Then I picked up a 1965 Johnson 5.5 sea horse, even more fun! Then found an old trailer and fixed it up and repainted the boat added seats, Ohhh yeah we were livin'!
Then one day ran across a 16' Sylvan sport troller with a 25 horse, floor, storage, casting deck, trolling motor and moveable pedestal seats. Still kick myself for selling the 12' but wasn't "allowed" 2 boats.
Ran that boat a few years til last summer I wanted a wider deeper sided boat with more ability to go out and play rather than strictly fish so...... signed my life away and there she be! 2016 Lowe 1710 fish and ski 115 horse 4 stroke and lots of room! Still keeping my eyes open for a 14' aluminum mainly because there is a few places around that are restricted to that length for fishing and it's a little easier for a quick trip than the big boat.

 

And another thousand! And another! Hoping to have it a loooonnngggg time
As for that center console I've always loved the looks of them and hope someday to get on one for some tarpon and bone fishing down in Florida. My in laws live there and we are going in October for a couple weeks hope to get some water time in!

 

Where in Florida? Guessing gulf side for that fishing. Gotta love fishing in the aquarium! Never know whats on the line down there.... Center console is kick arse. Seems like so much room.

 

That's just what I want to do is get a smaller lighter boat. They can be great for limited access and can cost nearly nothing to operate compared to family sized boats.
Didn't even take the Sea Ray out last year.
When the Mrs and I were first dating we'd go out at least 3 times a week!

 

Same here we ran the 12' at least a couple times a week April to november

 

Me trusty canoe is a 15' Coleman Ram-X,,been with me better than 20 year, and has run a million miles of rivers, lakes and ponds.
Tried the boat business a couple times, fishing rig,,and a vintage runabout, good boats, some big fun, but couldn't connect me to the H2O the way my canoe does.
The GCI seat backs are a great addition.