How did you get into boating ?............( Long Read Ahead )

[Skyskier]

And what was your 1st boat ? My Pop & a couple of his buddies bought a "kit" from Glenn L boats about 1954. They laid up the entire thing, plywood construction, I don't know if it had a V drive, mighta been a straight drive type deal, Jess Hughes was a mechanic and put a big lincoln V-8 in it ALL of us kids had a turn or two sanding that big sob, we'd go out to Elsinore from Paramount, no 91 fwy back then. There were no "ski shops" our dad's built our skis until somebody popped for a "VELMAR" production ski from Sears & Roebuck. Jess's Dad had a little 10 ft or so outboard fihing boat with a evinrude 15 hp on it, us kids could get up behind it while the grownups took the big boat. The trips to Elsinore were like a special outing back then, took lots of planning & preperation, we spent most weekends at Marine Stadium. Launching there meant unhooking the trailer and pushing it into the water, then pulling the trailer out with a big ol rope, had to get EVERYBODY on the back of the tow vehicle jumping up & down trying to get some traction. Pop ended up buying his 1st boat, a glasspar ( P17?) outboard, kept it for about a year, decided he wanted a new "Inboard" bought a 16 ft Raysoncraft. We were at Marine Stadium one weekend, a guy walked up to my Pop and told him, him & his boy were getting ready to go to someplace in Arizona the following weekend to a "waterski race " Parker was the place , anyway, he told my Pop his boat was down and his boy had a "new" racing ski he wanted to try out and would my Dad pull him a lap or two? After 2 laps, "Flat Out" behind that 16 ft Raysoncraft with the small block buick, my 'ol man was H O O K E D We went to Parker the next weekend, Pop signed us up in the 13 to 15 boys class. We had a hard time staying up with the start boat just to get lined up to go racin We came home Sunday night, Pop sold the Raysoncraft on Tuesday, bought a 18 footer from Ralph Muirhead, Unlimited Marine in Lynwood on Wednesday and that "guy" from the Marine stadium helped him "build" a ski racing rig. My Pop won the 1965 or 66 High Point Driver of the year in the old Pacific Coast Speedboat & Waterski Racing Association. I know he never set out to "win" the big trophy, he just showed up EVERY race because he wanted to "race". He'd pull ANYBODY that needed a ride for whatever reason, he just wanted to race. That "guy" my Pop met at marine stadium, 45 years ago, ended up being one of his lifelong buddies, that "guy's" boy is my good friend, David Lester, some of you "kids" probably saw David many times doing the ski show at Sports Valley, with Mike Mack & Mike Murphy.

 

[mrs. bordsmnj]

I usually get into the boat via the trailer fender or if in the water, the swimstep.

 

[hawkes24]

i got into boating from my stepdad i think i was about 7 years old when him and my mom got together and that was probably the best thing she coulda done.for me that is. he had a 89 21 hallett and we started going to havasu. this was back before flat billers were invented and i thought it was just amazing at the time it was. it was an open bow and i remember i used to sit on my knees in the very front of the boat and would love it when wed hit a wake or some big chop and id get airborne. the first time i ever went sking we were in front of the intake tower @ the south part of havasu and he threw me in the water and expected me to want to ski.i threw a fit and started crying said id rather die than learn how to water ski. oh how wrong i was. love it now. I just bought a 79 o/b 20 schiada w/235 johnson thats the same age as i am and still runs like a champ origianl interior and everything. it dosent like the wind up in mead though when it starts to get choppy

 

[BadBlown572]

Got into boating while still in the tummy. Grandparents owned a house on the water in Parker. Our family and friends spent a ton of time at either Parker or at Water Wheel. I was out there at 3-4 monts old in the jacuzzi on my grandparent's dock. Started water skiing at 4. Got My first boat at 5 (Bumper Boat with 1.5h.p. outboard motor). Parents had a 1975 Crusader with a blown 468 and a jet. Been going to the river ever since.

Mom has pictures of me sub 1 year old floating in the water on Parker. She also has a picture of me @ about 4 years old sitting on Greg Shoemaker's lap while driving a blown gas jet.

Guess I was a crack baby & my crack is the river & boats.

 

[lebel409]

Not sure how far back my boating genes go...

Grandpa had a big fishing boat to go out on the ocean, Newport, Dana Point, Catalina,...16' I think. When they found out about waterskiing they found a plank and a rope and went at it. All my uncles are good skiers. My dad was interested in boats also. After high school an the navy he started going out with my mom. I think he stayed because of the boat. Eventually he started racing enduro outboards for Stylecraft boats with my youngest uncle as observer and movable ballast.

I still remember going to the river as a toddler, staying in a "hotel" (since when is a 8 x8 room made of cinder blocks a hotel?) with no air, waiting for everyone to return from racing. My bribe was an ice cream bar.

Soon after my sister was born, dad quit racing, too many friends and accidents. He bought a LP Rayson 16' with a 115 merc. It would turn on a dime, dropped my other grandpa out out once and my aunt twice. A friend at the river had a 16 rayson also with a 392 1 to 1 Casale and a Velvet drive. It wasn't fast but it would pull stumps. When the owner got tired of pulling a skier he'd throw it into reverse, spin and come straight at you. Dad figured this out and actually rode one of these spins out...major whiplash.

Anyway all my uncles have been into boats, my dad's always had a boat, my father in law has always been into boats, and I'm finally building one... major reduction in bumming rides:beer I hope.

 

[Tamalewagon]

First boat ride was when I was 2 weeks old at Clearlake back in 1969. Went back to Clearlake every year after that and stayed at Willow Point (when it existed before the El Nino floods). After that my Pop bought a boat and we had a house at Lake Camanche which we vacationed at until I was about 15. I bought my first boat (a 1971 Tahita outboard) when I graduated from college and started going to Parker. I've had 3 boats in between now and then and have had our "family" California Performance for 6 years now. We mostly stay at Buckskin in Parker and Lake Martinez on the lower river. :beer

 

[YoPengo]

My older brother took me to Parker when I was 13. We camped at Buckskin for a week. He had a very quick 78 Southwind. He would race that thing all day long. He later sold that boat to me. We had many great trips to the river over the years and many different boats….about seven years ago our friend’s started going to Havasu more. We sold the river boat for a larger lake boat and now a tri-toon. We spend most of our time in Havasu.... bought a house there about a year and a half ago. My roots will always be Parker. I do miss the place and I am sure we will make a couple of trips down this summer. :beer