Any Boaters on TRF?

[RocketFeller]

While rocketry is definitely my number one hobby/ passion, boating/fishing comes in a close second.

We probably spend about equal amounts of time fishing, cruising/tubing the reservoirs (we have some big ones in Oregon), and crabbing the bays for Dungeness.

For the past twenty years I have been an inflatable owner. I started out with a 1999 Zodiac Futura MK II, equipped with a console and 25 HP Mercury “Bigfoot” motor.



After sixteen years and thousands of hours of hard use the transom gave out and I replaced the hull with a Bombard C4.





While I love my bumper boat, it has become too small for our two growing kids (7 & 9), a wife, and a dog. After a lot of online research and a trip to the Portland Boat Show we finally decided on the new boat.



We ended up buying a Scout XSF 215, a 21.5’ center console offshore boat.

I really wanted something that was a serious boat, capable of fishing the Columbia inlet (a seriously rough place at times), crabbing in the bay, and possibly going out after tuna.

My wife wanted something with nice upholstery that can cruise the lake with friends and pull the kids tubing. I was planning on getting it equipped with a Yamaha F150, but apparently the salesman (gotta like a guy named Buzz) had mentioned that if you load the boat to capacity (9) the 200 is a better fit - the guy should win a prize for that one...

The new boat should arrive in late March or April - it should be a great summer!


For the fellow rocketeer captains out there, what kind of boat do you have and what do you do with it?

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

Yep I am a master.... Oops read the title wrong. BOATER. Lol
Sorry, couldn't help myself.

I love being on the water. Be it a lake, river, pond, creek, gulf...whatever. I sank my boat some years back and just haven't had the funds to make a large "unnecessary" purchase. I surf fished here in Louisiana for a few years and hopefully will resume this summer. Only boat I have now is a piroque I used for duck hunting but it hasn't been in the water in years.

Love the pics, very nice.

Boater by heart, bum by finances.
Ho-hum

 

[RocketFeller]

Yep I am a master.... Oops read the title wrong. BOATER. Lol
Sorry, couldn't help myself.

I love being on the water. Be it a lake, river, pond, creek, gulf...whatever. I sank my boat some years back and just haven't had the funds to make a large "unnecessary" purchase. I surf fished here in Louisiana for a few years and hopefully will resume this summer. Only boat I have now is a piroque I used for duck hunting but it hasn't been in the water in years.

Love the pics, very nice.

Boater by heart, bum by finances.
Ho-hum

There is a tackle shop in Puerto Vallarta called “Master Baiter’s Sportfishing and Tackle”. I laugh/cringe every time I go by...

I definitely get the finance part - we’ve been wanting something bigger for a long time. Last year we looked at a bunch of used boats, but nothing fit what we were looking for. We finally got to the point where we just bit the bullet and bought new.

Down in Louisiana you have just about as much water as dry ground, at least the part of the state that I visited - beautiful place!

 

[Hardline]

Wayco and my version of boating, a Sea Eagle 380X inflatable kayak - folds up to the size of a backpack (https://www.seaeagle.com/inflatable-kayaks)

Here we are on the Colorado River near Parker, Arizona in November. It is whitewater capable (we are not....)

 

[Peartree]

Wayco and my version of boating, a Sea Eagle 380X inflatable kayak - folds up to the size of a backpack (https://www.seaeagle.com/inflatable-kayaks)

Here we are on the Colorado River near Parker, Arizona in November. It is whitewater capable (we are not....)

View attachment 371323

Powerboats, no. But my wife and I bought these Pelican fishing kayaks for each other for Christmas. Now, we're just waiting for warmer weather.

 

[RocketFeller]

Wayco and my version of boating, a Sea Eagle 380X inflatable kayak - folds up to the size of a backpack (https://www.seaeagle.com/inflatable-kayaks)

Here we are on the Colorado River near Parker, Arizona in November. It is whitewater capable (we are not....)

View attachment 371323

We have rented kayaks (inflatable and hard plastic) a few times and they are lots of fun, it is cool to be able to get in the water just about anywhere, I bet.

 

[RocketFeller]

Powerboats, no. But my wife and I bought these Pelican fishing kayaks for each other for Christmas. Now, we're just waiting for warmer weather.View attachment 371342

Very nice!

I had a small fiberglass rowboat as a kid/ young adult that we still fish from once in a while on the small local reservoir.

 

[Hardline]

We have rented kayaks (inflatable and hard plastic) a few times and they are lots of fun, it is cool to be able to get in the water just about anywhere, I bet.

That was the whole point, we want to be able to spontaneously go kayaking. Took it to Mission Bay last June since we saw a lot of kayakers out there but the day we planned to put it in was rainy, windy and cold. I'm a desert rat and those are three bad words (especially when put together!).

 

[stealth6]

Lots of "boat" time for me over the years.
I grew up near the coast in New England, but also around a lot of lakes, and so spent a great deal of my growing-up years on the ocean, lakes, and rivers in all kinds of boats.
Then I spent quite a few years doing a fair bit of off-shore work in Zodiacs, while my recreation days involved sea kayaking a decent amount. Mostly on the West Coast.
Then I went off to sea, working on ships (and some sail boats) all over the world, from Canada to New Zealand to Antarctica to the Persian Gulf to Southeast Asia, etc.
These days my work (and play) sees me rafting, canoeing, and "duckie" kayaking the Colorado, San Juan, and Green Rivers a fair bit.

Boats?....yep.

s6

 

[dhbarr]

I grew up in a desert, still not very good at swimming. Boats are alright, I guess. A hovercraft now....

 

[RocketFeller]

Lots of "boat" time for me over the years.
I grew up near the coast in New England, but also around a lot of lakes, and so spent a great deal of my growing-up years on the ocean, lakes, and rivers in all kinds of boats.
Then I spent quite a few years doing a fair bit of off-shore work in Zodiacs, while my recreation days involved sea kayaking a decent amount. Mostly on the West Coast.
Then I went off to sea, working on ships (and some sail boats) all over the world, from Canada to New Zealand to Antarctica to the Persian Gulf to Southeast Asia, etc.
These days my work (and play) sees me rafting, canoeing, and "duckie" kayaking the Colorado, San Juan, and Green Rivers a fair bit.

Boats?....yep.

s6

Wow, that is a lot of time on the water. My hat is off to you, I’m more of a “within sight of shore” kind of boater. Although that might change if I go out after tuna with my neighbor....

 

[RocketFeller]

I grew up in a desert, still not very good at swimming. Boats are alright, I guess. A hovercraft now....

I actually looked into buying a hovercraft about fifteen years ago- it is actually kind of a logical progression from Zodiac to hovercraft...

 

[kjkcolorado]

Love boating! Never grew up with it, but married into a family that has been going to Lake Powell since it opened to boating. When my wife and I started dating, at least one trip a year has been the norm. Fortunately our expenses are limited because her family (currently my brother-in-law) has had a houseboat and various speedboats available for our use. Also had a roommate right before I got married whose family frequented a nearby reservoir with their nice ski boat. Learned to waterski and got good enough for a period of time where I could run the slalom course. At this point (almost 50 years old), I still get a few good runs in when we go to Powell, but more interested in driving the boat for our kids as they waterski, knee board, etc.

 

[NateB]

I grew up on a lake and the city I live in now is home to some calm rivers. I've been on boats as long as I can remember. We just have a plastic kayak, which is perfect for now since it is easily transported. I have done some light rapids ke kayaks and canoes, but it has been since I was a teenager. For now, I enjoy paddling around the rivers and lakes in Northern Indiana. Someday, I'd like to build a nice wood kayak.

 

[T-Rex]

Grew up on Lake Erie. Family had 16' Penn Yan, 25" Trojan Sea Voyager (?), 31' Trojan 3100, and the last was a 32'Trojan F32 w/ flybridge.
As a slave to Uncle Sam it was the 1123' USS Enterprise.
Being the worst guy on the planet when it comes to money, I am relegated to a Puddle Duck Racer, which has been under constriction for 3 years. (PDRacer.com)
Miss the water....

 

[RocketFeller]

Love boating! Never grew up with it, but married into a family that has been going to Lake Powell since it opened to boating. When my wife and I started dating, at least one trip a year has been the norm. Fortunately our expenses are limited because her family (currently my brother-in-law) has had a houseboat and various speedboats available for our use. Also had a roommate right before I got married whose family frequented a nearby reservoir with their nice ski boat. Learned to waterski and got good enough for a period of time where I could run the slalom course. At this point (almost 50 years old), I still get a few good runs in when we go to Powell, but more interested in driving the boat for our kids as they waterski, knee board, etc.

I, too am pushing fifty and get a lot of joy out of pulling the kids. I used to like kneeboarding quite a bit, but my wife doesn’t like driving the boat much since she almost killed me several years ago.

I grew up on a lake and the city I live in now is home to some calm rivers. I've been on boats as long as I can remember. We just have a plastic kayak, which is perfect for now since it is easily transported. I have done some light rapids ke kayaks and canoes, but it has been since I was a teenager. For now, I enjoy paddling around the rivers and lakes in Northern Indiana. Someday, I'd like to build a nice wood kayak.

View attachment 371377 View attachment 371378

Cute kiddo!

Grew up on Lake Erie. Family had 16' Penn Yan, 25" Trojan Sea Voyager (?), 31' Trojan 3100, and the last was a 32'Trojan F32 w/ flybridge.
As a slave to Uncle Sam it was the 1123' USS Enterprise.
Being the worst guy on the planet when it comes to money, I am relegated to a Puddle Duck Racer, which has been under constriction for 3 years. (PDRacer.com)
Miss the water....

“Under constriction” Pun or Freudian slip?

 

[NateB]

Cute kiddo

Thanks, the little guy has it good. Kayak and mountain bike rides with dad, rockets to build and launch, lake near grandmas house to swim in...

 

[boatgeek]

As you might guess from the username... My dad took me sailing for the first time when I was two or so. After a capsize, my mom put the kibosh on that until I learned to swim. We also had a big old Grumman canoe when I was growing up, lots of fun taking that to various places around Western Washington. In college, I picked sailing up again and then built a canoe about 20 years ago soon after leaving college. The first thing anyone says when they come to our house for the first time is "Wow, you have a canoe on your ceiling!" It hangs in the living room because I want to put a car in the garage and it doesn't fit anywhere else in the house. In college, I took enough naval architecture courses to be dangerous while getting a civil engineering degree, then I was lucky enough to get a job in the nav arch field. We mostly design working boats--fishing boats, tugboats, barges, etc. from about 50' long to about 400 feet long.

My kids picked up sailing too, my younger being competitive in high school. She's actually at sailing practice right now. As she puts it, "I'm a much better person when I've been out on the water in the last week." That probably goes for a lot of us.

 

[tfish]

sort of...

Tony

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

There is a tackle shop in Puerto Vallarta called “Master Baiter’s Sportfishing and Tackle”. I laugh/cringe every time I go by...

I definitely get the finance part - we’ve been wanting something bigger for a long time. Last year we looked at a bunch of used boats, but nothing fit what we were looking for. We finally got to the point where we just bit the bullet and bought new.

Down in Louisiana you have just about as much water as dry ground, at least the part of the state that I visited - beautiful place!

Yep, plenty of water here. I am less than an hour from no less than six lakes, one being a trophy lake, and three rivers. A little over two hours from the coast. We don't have the prettiest waters or beaches but we have great fishing.

As you might guess from the username... My dad took me sailing for the first time when I was two or so. After a capsize, my mom put the kibosh on that until I learned to swim. We also had a big old Grumman canoe when I was growing up, lots of fun taking that to various places around Western Washington. In college, I picked sailing up again and then built a canoe about 20 years ago soon after leaving college. The first thing anyone says when they come to our house for the first time is "Wow, you have a canoe on your ceiling!" It hangs in the living room because I want to put a car in the garage and it doesn't fit anywhere else in the house. In college, I took enough naval architecture courses to be dangerous while getting a civil engineering degree, then I was lucky enough to get a job in the nav arch field. We mostly design working boats--fishing boats, tugboats, barges, etc. from about 50' long to about 400 feet long.

My kids picked up sailing too, my younger being competitive in high school. She's actually at sailing practice right now. As she puts it, "I'm a much better person when I've been out on the water in the last week." That probably goes for a lot of us.

My dad had a big ole silver Grumman when I was growing up, still has it in fact. It is hear at my house for the time being. We (dad, my big brother, and I) took that thing out quite a bit when I was younger. I remember Dad would get out on a point of land and have the two of us take the canoe around the tip and pick him up on the other side. I was probably 6 at the time. We were his motor on several duck hunting trips. My younger brother and I have taken on several duck hunting trips ourselves.

I did some work on Staten Island some years back. The mill was right on the Hudson. I would get sidetracked watching the tugs and bigger boats/ships going by, kept threatening to quit and get me a job on a tugboat back home (Louisiana). Never did though. They got to calling me Steamboat Mikey. Same goes for when we hit the coast. I enjoy sitting there watching the boats. Kinda like Otis I guess.

 

[T-Rex]

“Under constriction” Pun or Freudian slip?

not sure, maybe just fat fingers
One day I'll finish it, maybe. (some days I feel like just throwing on the burn pile and tossing in a match)

 

[tfish]

My big boat that I use to fish bays (Halibut) and the ocean (King Salmon)


This is my transportation in Alaska.

My home made Pram, for fishing lakes and rivers.

Tony

 

[boatgeek]

Yep, plenty of water here. I am less than an hour from no less than six lakes, one being a trophy lake, and three rivers. A little over two hours from the coast. We don't have the prettiest waters or beaches but we have great fishing.



My dad had a big ole silver Grumman when I was growing up, still has it in fact. It is hear at my house for the time being. We (dad, my big brother, and I) took that thing out quite a bit when I was younger. I remember Dad would get out on a point of land and have the two of us take the canoe around the tip and pick him up on the other side. I was probably 6 at the time. We were his motor on several duck hunting trips. My younger brother and I have taken on several duck hunting trips ourselves.

I did some work on Staten Island some years back. The mill was right on the Hudson. I would get sidetracked watching the tugs and bigger boats/ships going by, kept threatening to quit and get me a job on a tugboat back home (Louisiana). Never did though. They got to calling me Steamboat Mikey. Same goes for when we hit the coast. I enjoy sitting there watching the boats. Kinda like Otis I guess.

I don't think you can kill those canoes. We bounced off rocks with it on the coast. After a while, it ended up with some friends of ours, who still have it and sometimes take it down rivers our here. If you decide you've had a mid-life crisis and want to change jobs, there's a bunch of programs to learn to be a tugboat officer/engineer. Out here, the towing companies are pretty desperate with a graying workforce. Of course, you would start all over at the bottom of the heap.

 

[RocketFeller]

My big boat that I use to fish bays (Halibut) and the ocean (King Salmon)
View attachment 371390

This is my transportation in Alaska.

My home made Pram, for fishing lakes and rivers.

Tony

Nice fleet! We looked at a Wellcraft center console quite a bit before settling on the Scout, they are really nice boats.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

Boating? I learned how to sail ten years before I learned how to drive. Still driving; miss sailing.

 

[tfish]

Nice fleet! We looked at a Wellcraft center console quite a bit before settling on the Scout, they are really nice boats.

It's been a great boat. A year ago I needed to re-power it and found a great used 1998 90hp Ocean Runner for it. I got stuck out in the Potato Patch outside the Golden Gate a few years ago. Taking "green water' over the bow. I was amazed what the boat could take and stay afloat!

Enjoy your new boat!

Tony

 

[Mugs914]

I've always loved boats and ships of all kinds, from historic sailing ships to top fuel drag hydros.

I have canoed (is that a word?),kayaked and sailed on and off for many years. Hobie cats, Lightnings and bigger stuff too; San Juans, Catalinas and Capris. We raced the San Juan in the local yacht club's racing series.

Currently I'm building a ten foot outboard hydroplane for a 40 horse motor. It's an old round-nose design from the late fifties and will be used as a fun little lake toy. Should run about 60 mph or so. I'm not planning on actually racing it, but then I have said that many times before and it hasn't proven true yet!

 

[RocketFeller]

I've always loved boats and ships of all kinds, from historic sailing ships to top fuel drag hydros.

I have canoed (is that a word?),kayaked and sailed on and off for many years. Hobie cats, Lightnings and bigger stuff too; San Juans, Catalinas and Capris. We raced the San Juan in the local yacht club's racing series.

Currently I'm building a ten foot outboard hydroplane for a 40 horse motor. It's an old round-nose design from the late fifties and will be used as a fun little lake toy. Should run about 60 mph or so. I'm not planning on actually racing it, but then I have said that many times before and it hasn't proven true yet!

I watched some of those tiny hydroplanes race in Southern Oregon when I was a teenager. Crazy fast for so little horsepower.

 

[dr wogz]

Like sooner Boomer, I learned (and raced) sailboats before driving. A Sabot, then a Laser, then crewing with dad on our Albacore. I had a Fireball in the late 80's, but an unreliable crew, and he wasn't really into racing.. I crewed to a BC Fireball provincial 2nd place in the late 90's. And then nothing, really, after that..

Do I miss sailing? yeah, I guess so, but other interests & commitments.

Boating now is a rental kayak for fishing. Or a canoe if needed.. I do have my eye on a fishing kayak.. one day..

 

[mhanna]

I just traded a 21' Larson runabout in for a new Pontoon boat. As the sales person said, "You're getting older". Easier to keep the grand kids under control on a pontoon boat. (I hope)