Your first boat.

[Buoy]

This was mine. 1986 Baja 250 Force. Single 454, TRS drive.
I bought it in 1995, I was 24.
It really was a pretty cool boat. Two sit-down bolsters on "box" pedestals that had storage underneath. Plenty of storage in the gunwales. Under the engine hatch, there were three panels (carpeted plywood) that were about 6-8" below the bottom of the hatch above the engine, so additional storage there.
It had a small sink on the Dashboard on the port side in front of the passenger, I cut in and built a "glove box" next to the sink as a place to toss wallet, truck keys, etc. Had a porta-potty in the cabin, so it met the criteria for "second-home" for tax purposes (if I threw a microwave or grill or something on it for an audit)
Cabin had a fridge on the port, and storage locker starboard, then facing lounges, and a good size V-berth which I spent MANY nights sleeping in - comfortably.
She was NO performer, maybe 60 mph on her best day, but with me and a "boy scout - be prepared" attitude, I hauled half a hardware store around. Screws, nuts, bolts, wire, tools... you name it.
So, with all that I was running mid to low 50's.
It was White/Red when I bought it. (I hate red).
The second season I owned her, when I put it into storage I pulled all the interior. On a snowy Saturday, I went to Sears and bought a sewing machine, then to JoAnn Fabric for a couple $100 in Marine vinyl. Set it up on the table saw in my shop, and with a smoke in my mouth and a beer close by I taught my self to sew.
Re-did the entire cockpit, and it actually came out pretty nice.
Then, next season, there was "the incident". In the middle of the night I side-swiped a huge steel unlit shipping channel buoy. Took out some fiberglass on the starboard side.
So, when having it repaired I had the whole boat repainted. This was mid 90's so "checkers" were the way to go.
The guy doing the work told me "two weeks". Well, two weeks turned into 6 weeks, and it required me going to his shop everyday when I was done working. I would bring a 12 pack, and make him stay until 9-10pm every night - me working right along side him to make it back in the water for July 4th. The 4th was a Saturday, and we literally finished the boat that morning so I could launch in the afternoon.
I had a lot of fun on this boat.
I have to admit that I beat the chit out of it too.
It never left me stranded, but sometimes limped back to the dock...
Busted stringers.
Blew the drive.
Welded the clutches in the B/W trans.
Knocked the cooling water pickup loose and would have sunk at the dock if I hadn't been sleeping on it that night.
It wasn't built to run as hard as I did.
Still had a lot of fun, PIB, Woodtick island, Cedar Point, Party in the park every weekend...
Good times.
Here's some pics.
In the last one my daughter was just 1 yr old. Love that one.

[fund razor]

Oh my God. Lex is so small.

[fund razor]

I was a "partner" for a short time in a different Wellcraft, but my first own boat was a 1979 Nova XL. Single small block, and like usual, a restoration/repower.

[poncho]

I was spoiled. Family would go to Lake Okanagan and rent a ski boat every summer. Even though we had a 22ft Boston Whaler. Summer of 86 the rentals all booked. So my Dad decided just to buy one. 17ft Sea Ray. Our house back home was on the beach, so my Dad decided to give me the Sea Ray. I was 14. Found a picture on the net that looks like it.

[Buoy]

Oh my God. Lex is so small.

Sippy cup on the dash and a hand on the throttle...
Trim it up, and let it fly!

[baronmarine]

mine has a james bond special. 1972 glastron gt150 with a merc 90hp. my parents bought it new and i bought it from them with my high school grad money. when i sold it in 85, the guy i sold it too called me the next morning pissed because it sank after the first time out. (should not drink and boat.) a 7 am phone call the next morning bitching it sank. went to take a look at it and there was a hole in the side the size of your fist. every blade on the prop was knocked off and the side was all bashed in. hmm, i did not sell it to you like that, i think it is your baby. that was such a cool boat, right when the new styles where coming out. now i'm a old school guy. my mother still lives on the same lake, and there is a boat right around the corner from her that is just like it. my mother even called me a couple of weeks ago to ask if i saw it. i almost stopped in tonight to see if they would sell it, to give one back to my 73 year old mother. who still rides a 1100cc jet ski.

todd

[old377guy]

My first powerboat was a 1972 15' Seaswirl Tri-Hull with a 55 hp Evinrude. I was so proud of it until one time I brought this darlin gal with large American "ambitions" out on it. She happened to mention that she had an aquaintance that had a jet boat (she said jet powered - I corrected her) that went faster. That lit the fuse and I starting shopping for a twin engine boat; bought a 19' Sea Ray with a 350 at the boat show (impulse buy). Next year bought my Formula F-233 Interceptor with a pair of small blocks - that got me into the ball game.

[Buoy]

Todd, was that a Scimitar with the T-top, hardtop??
I think they were a 260hp with a jet or alpha???
Metal flake blue.
I remember picking up a brochure at a boat show, and thought that was a badass boat.
When I was 10-14 my dad took me to all the boat shows, and I grabbed every brochure I could.
I even filled out the cards in Powerboat mag. I would get mail from Azimut thanking me for interest, and a brochure.
I was 12!
Haha
It was fun!

[Buoy]

Sorry Todd, I re-read your post.
I was just remincsing.

[phragle]

First boat my grandfather built, 18' wood runabout. Had a first generation Volvo I/O with the Volvo twin carb 100 hp 4 cylinder. Boat is long gone, but I still have the motor and drive complete in the garage. Cut my teeth on that boat, I remember waterskiing standing on my dads feet when I really little. By kindergarten I was in the boat building business helping my dad build a 42 x24 Piver trimaran. Learned fiberglass as a kid when my dad got me a hobie 16 with one hull busted in half.

[Buoy]

First boat my grandfather built, 18' wood runabout. Had a first generation Volvo I/O with the Volvo twin carb 100 hp 4 cylinder. Boat is long gone, but I still have the motor and drive complete in the garage. Cut my teeth on that boat, I remember waterskiing standing on my dads feet when I really little. By kindergarten I was in the boat building business helping my dad build a 42 x24 Piver trimaran. Learned fiberglass as a kid when my dad got me a hobie 16 with one hull busted in half.

Rob, that trimaran is a legend, or a landmark.
The primer gray made me think it was concrete.

[phragle]

It was marine ply put together with weldwood and bronze barbed nails, fiberglass cloth on the outside and west system coated on the inside. I had so much fun epoxying the inside of that thing. I still have part of a 55 gallon drum of west systems in the garage with a 30 gallon drum of hardener.

[Ratickle]

Like this???

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1970...e#.Ul6-VJDD-70

http://uk.boats.com/catamaranstrimar...aran-13276877/

[phragle]

pretty much....

[rschap1]

My first was a 1984 Chris Craft 169 Scorpion.
185 horse v-6.
Boat did over 60.
Rock solid little rig.
Actually bought it, sold it, bought it back, and sold it again.
VERY very fun boat I took a TON of places a little 16-17 footer should have never went.

[Bobcat]

19' Dynasty.....175 HP V-6 inboard....top speed ...43 MPH I'll have to dig out some pictures....took it to LOTO in 94 ???? and had a rough time of it...I was dating a stripper at the time...so every weekend on the River I had 5 or 6 hot college strippers on the boat....great summer

[Buoy]

19' Dynasty.....175 HP V-6 inboard....top speed ...43 MPH I'll have to dig out some pictures....took it to LOTO in 94 ???? and had a rough time of it...I was dating a stripper at the time...so every weekend on the River I had 5 or 6 hot college strippers on the boat....great summer

Let me guess...
You met her at a church picnic

[Bobcat]

Yes, because the strippers in the 90's were a lot classier than today.

[Blue Oval]

Glasstron,Chriss Craft, Regal, 235 DVX Baja, 290 Powerquest, 380 Powerquest

[Offshore Ginger]

My very first boat that i purchased was a 1949 Chris Craft , Mahogany 17' Ft Special Runabout , which i still wish i had today because of all the fond memories ( fun ) my Wife , and i had running the Saginaw River many years ago .................................Wow .