How Does One Get Into Performance Boating?

[pkrrvr619]

Some of the threads about snow birds aging out and how millennials don't understand or care about the performance boating lifestyle got me thinking: how does one even get into performance boating? There are definitely barriers to entry (knowledge, cost, etc) and i think its a miracle this lifestyle exists.

Personally, when i was 18 my dad bought a maxum runabout that we cruised around big river area of parker. When the 08 happened all the fun toys got sold. Fast forward When i turned 27 i bought another Maxum to use at local San Diego lakes and bays/oceans and then ventured back out to parker 8 years ago. It was then i started seeing performance boats and said "I want one of those." Then came the renegade then the daytona.

That all said, how did you get into performance boating? How can we educate and pass this torch on to the next generation that seems to care more about a weekend experience for social media vs owning and maintaining a perfomance boat.

 

[Drew]

$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[satellitemike]

You do know that you can become a millionair in performance boating, if you start as a billionair first!
Bottom line is if one is to "get into" performance boating, its going to cost you $$$$$!

 

[AZLineman]

When i was 15 my buddy and i would sit on milk crates in the back of his older brothers 62 Stevens with a 392 hemi trying like hell not to get burned. That sealed the deal for me.

 

[rivermobster]

I grew up in my dad's 14ft Crestliner, so I knew a little about boats.

In HS, one of my party buds had an 18ft RaysonCraft, so invited myself along on his river trips, and it went from there.

I've been a 1st class boat bitch since birth.

 

[H20 Toie]

i just did it the old fashioned way
bought a 18' flatbottom boat at 18
then few years later got a 21' day cruiser,
after a few more years got a 21' jet boat
Got married had a kid and had that boat for years. California and couple trips to Lake powell but mostly local so cal lakes and parker,
At 47 i Got divorced and went right out and bought a 35' Cigarette
After getting that i was introduced to the whole offshore and performance boat life style.
Sold the Sand rail, quads, motorhome, trailer, Jeep, and started boating year round
now i go boating all over the country

And yeah 08 hurt, had to sell everything but worked hard to get another one ( had a few years being boat less that really sucked )

 

[Ziggy]

Performance boating at age 15-16 has a very different look than you will in your 30s & beyond.

 

[QC22]

Define "performance boating". I am happy my boys are addicted to the River/Havasu etc. Yeah, we all like to go fast, but a decent looking float doesn't necessarily mean it runs over 100, and can be had for around $20k if you put in some elbow grease. I guess my point is that you can enjoy the lifestyle below 100 MPH.

With that said, my fist experience at the river was Willow Valley. Awesome jet bote, 18' Horizon, 455 Olds. Probably ran about 60 even though it felt like 100. We camped. I was 14, that was 1974.... Been boating on the river ever since.

 

[bowtiejunkie]

First off, lets be honest. Buying a new performance boat has probably never been ‘cheap’ for the average person or especially family.

When I was a teen in early 90’s, I considered performance boating to be a 19ft V-drive or jet boat with a big block engine and no hatch. Buy-in used was well under $10k.

Now, performance boating is 28ft+ with two OB’s and used prices substantially more than $10k. Lol.

Too rich for my salary. I’m a bystander now. Maybe it’s priorities. But, I’ve also stuck with if it doesn’t fit in my home garage, I don’t need to own it. A standard 3-car garage with 3 cars doesn’t allow for many toys!

 

[clarence]

Miami Vice

 

[rivermobster]

Define "performance boating". I am happy my boys are addicted to the River/Havasu etc. Yeah, we all like to go fast, but a decent looking float doesn't necessarily mean it runs over 100, and can be had for around $20k if you put in some elbow grease. I guess my point is that you can enjoy the lifestyle below 100 MPH.

With that said, my fist experience at the river was Willow Valley. Awesome jet bote, 18' Horizon, 455 Olds. Probably ran about 60 even though it felt like 100. We camped. I was 14, that was 1974.... Been boating on the river ever since.

Performance Boaters have scars from burns on their calves.

 

[Uncle Dave]

Some of the threads about snow birds aging out and how millennials don't understand or care about the performance boating lifestyle got me thinking: how does one even get into performance boating? There are definitely barriers to entry (knowledge, cost, etc) and i think its a miracle this lifestyle exists.

Personally, when i was 18 my dad bought a maxum runabout that we cruised around big river area of parker. When the 08 happened all the fun toys got sold. Fast forward When i turned 27 i bought another Maxum to use at local San Diego lakes and bays/oceans and then ventured back out to parker 8 years ago. It was then i started seeing performance boats and said "I want one of those." Then came the renegade then the daytona.

That all said, how did you get into performance boating? How can we educate and pass this torch on to the next generation that seems to care more about a weekend experience for social media vs owning and maintaining a perfomance boat.

One needs to make the lifestyle commitment to it, it took me 5 years of savings before I could play in my early 20's - but I was committed to it.

At min to pull it off you need a tow vehicle, storage, boat, and a lot of money to keep it all working insured, usable, and fun.

Most kids have no interest in this level of commitment.

 

[QC22]

Performance Boaters have scars from burns on their calves.

Mine's on my forearm.

 

[rivermobster]

Mine's on my forearm.

You knew exactly what I meant though.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Performance Boaters have scars from burns on their calves.

Not necessarily….

 

[Sharp Shooter]

All it takes to get into boating is money. When you say “Performance” it implies high performance which is defined differently by most of us.

 

[ChrisV]

Dad took us to Parker/all the time when I was little. Waking up in the morning and hearing badass flat bottoms was the norm. Parents got a divorce and stopped going to the river for 20 years.

Couple years ago wife asked me to buy a boat instead of seats for my race car. Bought some 19 California boat with an 125hp outboard and told myself I didn't need a fast boat. Took that shit on the lake for 10mins and said hell nawwwww. Being a drag racer it just escalated from there.

I blame it all on my Pops.

 

[QC22]

You knew exactly what I meant though.

Oh, yeah! Size of a half dollar.

 

[bilz]

Started with a 16 ft high performance tahiti jet bote. Me and a buddy were suckered by it having a rebuilt 350 with corvette fuelie heads. We got it dialed in eventually. Had fun with it, then moved to a Sunesta 210. Life and kids stalled the next upgrade. Parents were never into boating or off roading.

 

[Taboma]

Dad claims mom damn near hatched me in an old Chris Craft. Seems it's in my blood, but I'm not sure my family's two generation boating legacy will continue. My son's more of a fisherman than a boater. Daughter is more of a kayaker and queen of the swimming pool.

What I have noticed and find most unfortunate and frankly sadly disturbing, is how the "Boater" mentality and demographics have changed.

 

[H20 Toie]

Define "performance boating". I am happy my boys are addicted to the River/Havasu etc. Yeah, we all like to go fast, but a decent looking float doesn't necessarily mean it runs over 100, and can be had for around $20k if you put in some elbow grease. I guess my point is that you can enjoy the lifestyle below 100 MPH.

With that said, my fist experience at the river was Willow Valley. Awesome jet bote, 18' Horizon, 455 Olds. Probably ran about 60 even though it felt like 100. We camped. I was 14, that was 1974.... Been boating on the river ever since.

I consider Cigarette boats to be performance boats but very few of them will do 100+

 

[THE WIDGE]

I recall driving or sitting behind my dads steering wheel in the garage dreaming of driving a boat. Trips to Naci, Havasu, or day trips to castic. But really it all came down to Memorial Day 1993. Ohhhh yeah! 19 years old, dad let me take his Skeeter bassboat and camper truck. Loaded up a few buddies, stayed at crazy horse, lived on Taco Bell. Was on the water at 7 am cause it was so dam hot in that camper w no ac. Straight to copper canyon and had a blast. It was really then I was hooked.

 

[QC22]

I consider Cigarette boats to be performance boats but very few of them will do 100+

Agree, was drawing an arbitrary line. 100 is way too high for this, but I'm kinda wondering what the OP intended.

Ultimately the "lifestyle" exists in a decent 50 MPH boat. Heck, wake tractors barely do 45 and many of those boaters qualify as living the lifestyle I guess.

 

[schweeng]

Moved into our new home at 29 and my neighbors who I got to know real well both had boats... one of them had a 21 Lavey XTSki.... and that was it. I went to the lake with him and then to Catalina in it - Hook, line and sinker (if that's the right saying) Since then I've owned 19 boats ranging from 5 Laveys, 3 Cigarettes, 4 Howards and others..... I just love it!
THE best part of this has been that my two kids love it the same... young adults now but want to go with us to Havasu every time we offer it to them. In fact they both live in OKC currently working/school and they both want to fly in for desert storm..... awesome family fun

 

[QC22]

This ^^^^^

 

[Drew]

Watch this whole video. Billy lives around the corner from me. He has a union plumbing shop but he explains how he got into it

 

[rivermobster]

Not necessarily….

Yuppie!

 

[69hondo]

Grandpa raised dad on the parker strip, Dad Had me when he had a Nordic long deck flat. I started going to the river as a baby. Bought my Hondo at 19, Had it on the water every year until we realized 3 girls, wife and dogs were to much for it. Bought the 21ft Eliminator and then eventually the Fundeck. I have now created at least 2 more performance boat Kids. My oldest likes it but is going a different path. The other two are just girl versions of me. I feel sorry for them. The days of getting into a 3-5k starter boat are gone. LOL

 

[pkrrvr619]

Agree, was drawing an arbitrary line. 100 is way too high for this, but I'm kinda wondering what the OP intended.

Ultimately the "lifestyle" exists in a decent 50 MPH boat. Heck, wake tractors barely do 45 and many of those boaters qualify as living the lifestyle I guess.

I supposed I was defining performance boating as what many of us have here. Custom boats that aren’t the common bay liner. Jets outboards etc.

Doesn’t have to be the 100 plus club.

But hell someone mentioned wave tractors, so maybe the conversation should be how does one get into the boating lifestyle and how to pass the torch.

 

[QC22]

maybe the conversation should be how does one get into the boating lifestyle and how to pass the torch.

Yeah, this is how I originally took it despite noting 100. I tell anybody looking to get into boating, of almost any type, that it has to a be a lifestyle or don't do it.

 

[pronstar]

Step 1:
Quit being poor

The rest of the steps are easy

 

[Hoodoo]

My Aunts stories from family reunions got my attention.
Her and my Dad are cousins with Odell Lewis.

 

[yuppie]

I remember being carried out of the house in Rialto at 4AM and loaded into the truck to head to Laughlin. We usually stayed at the Edgewater hotel and would have long days on the water where my step-dad would waterski and just haul ass up and down the river in his Avenger. We later got a sea-doo and I'd rip that thing around. Sometimes we'd have a group of friends and sometimes it'd just be the family and the dog.

Later on, I had friends Dad's who had boats and I'd go to Mead and Powell with them.

I'd say the key to getting more people into the lifestyle is giving them a taste of it. Bring people with you, give them a feel for what it's like and those who appreciate it will have something to aspire to. Sharing is caring!

 

[coolchange]

Dad brought this home when I was about 11

 

[dribble]

I was poor when I bought my Southwind 18’ jet boat for $5500.00. It’s long gone but it was my favorite boat. I ran it ten seasons on the Sac River, Folsom, Oroville and Berryessa. In that ten seasons I changed the oil, plugs and points, cap and, rotor. Threw on a set of Bassett Twisties that I bought off a friend for $200.00 and replaced the forward / reverse cable. I sold for $5000.00.

 

[ahavasu]

My buddy from elementary school's parents divorced and his mom moved to Havasu. I believe it was 1982 or 83 (I was 12-13), and he invited me to the river. My mom let me stay with him and his mom for the entire month. This is when I got hooked. Havasu was sooooooo much different then. His mom lived right off 95 near where the old Dairy Queen used to be. We could literally walk across 95 and go to Dairy Queen and then walk down to the London Bridge.

I learned how to water ski behind a not so old at the time Cambell out of Skiers Island and we often fished for turtles during that month. After that summer, I didn't return to the river until I could afford to do so on my own. When I got a good job (1990), I bought a Ski Nautique as we were into skiing and barefooting. I bought another Ski Nautique and then after I jacked my back up, built a Genesis 23 with a 496HO. That boat was fun.

Eventually, as the lake changed, the need for a bigger boat became a necessity. We got our Magic which had a 525 in it. That boat was my favorite. Unfortunately, life had some lessons for me and I was forced to sell it in 2014. I can't believe I've been without a boat this long, but slowly we are working towards getting another. Although boatless, we do still go to the river at least 3 to 4 times per year and boat with friends or rent something. A lifetime of memories that I have passed on to my children.

 

[GreenEnergy28]

Gramps bought a 1977 Eliminator new. I was born in 76 so we were always on the boat any time my mom could get us out there. 21' mini 460 v-drive. I would sit on his lap and steer while he ran the pedal. Grew up going to Powell and local Socal lakes.
Dad got remarried when I was young, Couldn't afford anything cool but around 87 or so, he talked my stepmom who had never been boating into buying an old Hydroswift 18 footer with a Volvo I/O. A few years later was able to buy a new 20' Baja with a Merc 4.3 I/O. Always did the water sports (skiing, kneeboarding, tubing, and wakeboarding). Dad would take us to Lake Elsinore and Perris but always saved up for the big summer trip to Mohave. Always loved the big blocks firing up at the launch ramps.
When my now wife moved in with me, she was pressing for a ring, but I managed to convince her that we needed a boat instead. Got a 21' Hawaiian with a small block 350 I/O and through transom exhaust. Eventually she got her ring, and we sold the Hawaiian for a 26' Hallett deck with a 502mag. Finally got my big block baby! Last year her business did really well, and the used boat market was insane, so we sold the Hallet and built a new 28' Shockwave deck with the Merc 600sci. Big block and a blower baby!!! Planning to do the stage 3 to pump up them HP numbers just because mo power baby is always the way to go.
Not sure if my float would be considered a "performance boat", but I have always loved boating since I was a fat little blond kid chilling in the ice chest at Powell. I live close to Lake Elsinore so the summer mornings waking up to the boys ripping down the high speed zone is always a good way to start your day.

 

[SBMech]

I was a water baby, could swim before I could walk, grew up water skiing with my Mom's family, they always had a ski boat, uncle always had a flatty or hot rod of some sort.

In my 20's I apprenticed with a guy who owned a 24XS Spectra, that started my love for the brand. He had a friend with a Spectra 20' as well, got me hooked.

In my wander years I ran into a guy that became one of my best friends while I was running the skate shop in Isla Vista, he bought a Bahner 20 bubble deck with a Tunnel Rammed 454 jet, between Naci and Parker we tore it up...

Then I bought my Spectra 20' and here we are....

I would consider myself into the boating life, but Performance Boating? I guess you'd have to define it better, is it a 1000hp V-Drive? Is it a 6000hp Outer Limits?

Is it anything that has been modified heavily to perform better, go faster than something you can buy "off-the-shelf"? Is it custom manufacturers?

It's probably different for every single person you ask.

 

[Taboma]

I supposed I was defining performance boating as what many of us have here. Custom boats that aren’t the common bay liner. Jets outboards etc.

Doesn’t have to be the 100 plus club.

But hell someone mentioned wave tractors, so maybe the conversation should be how does one get into the boating lifestyle and how to pass the torch.

Well OK, was wondering if those of us who grew up boating during an era when performance enthusiasts were racing planked hull Chris Crafts and often winning ski races being pulled by one, could qualify for admittance to this thread.
Some times we customized them by replacing the stock engine with a HP car engine, or bleaching a stripe in the mahogany deck and of course, a catchy name, like Taboma as one example.

In those days it wasn't uncommon to see them plucking an early flatty v-drive from the lake with all the fiberglass that was intended to cover the plywood bottoms peeling off and hanging down in sheets. Dad always enjoy point that out to me, his way of justifying us not having one.
Lake Arrowhead's afternoon wind chop could be brutal, but eventually they got it right and the old Chris's gave way to the new breed of performance racing craft.
Then came the era of 60 mph flats and jets, and those speeds soared quickly into the 100's.

The manufacturers then decided the real money would be made by going bigger, knowing if they built a 25', somebody would want a 28', then a 30' and soon.
For those of us who actually enjoyed smaller boats for river and lake boating, little did we realize that we'd eventually be competing for lake space with 42' deep vee ocean boats and having our pulse elevated by the thrill of cruising at a 50mph and being passed a boat length away by some hot-shot driving a new "Cat" passing you traveling at 140 mph so he can hurry to the next on the water bar and down a brew.
If it's your lucky day, you might notice a reassuring wave and wink that sez,"No worries, nothing can go wrong and don't you wish you were us?".

 

[scottchbrite]

For me, it was cars that led to boating. I didn’t grow up going to the river. My parents didn’t own a boat, ever. I had some river trips post high school but never considered a boat. It wasnt Until I got roped into the Hot Boat forum days of racing in Blythe that I really ever got into boating- performance boating. We all had real jobs so we couldn’t street race anymore. Drag racing got really expensive, limited tracks, and too time consuming. And smog laws made cars a headache. So we started into fast boats. Also, girls in bikinis are a huge plus.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

I didn't know anyone with performance boats. I bought a used Hondo with an outboard from a neighbor for like $1500. Then went to the boat show and bought a new Baja 20 Outlaw. Found Hot Boat forum and OSO and met new friends. It progressed from there.

So newbies can start out with cheap used boats that may not be fast in our world but to a newb, 50 or 60 MPH in a small boat will feel very fast and most importantly, be a lot of fun. They can move up as budget allows.

That said, maybe I'm just a crusty old fart but I don't really care if young people get into performance boating or not. I will continue to have fun even if I'm the last guy on the water with a performance boat.

 

[RIVERBORN]

Well considering most of these answers “why” and not “how”
Why…. Dad moved to bullhead during the Laughlin boom, so we were always at the river, uncle raced blown alcohol flat bottom and had a place in Parker. Other family had place in the beachcomber in early 90’s. I actually have lake havasu on my birth certificate,”river born”. So that’s the why. Always been hooked.
How…. Lots of side jobs I bought my first boat, it was a 22’ velocity w/ truck 454. Pulled the motor to go through, waterfall later I was down at Teague asking for a motor package that I assembled myself. Sold it now have the 29 magic. Would love to upgrade one day, but boat works for the family well. 100+ would be fun but comes with responsibility.

 

[Nanu/Nanu]

Always loved the sound of a big block roaring or small block yelling or an outboard 2 stroke screaming or a 4stroke humming, seeing boats rip or coming around the bend between last chance and rock creek to almost always perfectly smooth water on the main channel trimming up throttle mashed and the sheer weightless feeling of the bow just floating. This feeling can be had in other motorsports too which i do enjoy. But for me, the best thrill is when im in my boat.

Guess thats the why heres the how.

I bought my first boat a 97 crownline with my tax return then after 2 seasons prices went up sold that crownline and with my tax return and money i moved up into my 25' eagle.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Step 1:
Quit being poor

The rest of the steps are easy

I'm still on step one....

Performance boating is a stretch for what I call boating. My fastest boat does high 60's, and will beat the tar out of you, but sounds good doing it. Some day I'll move up to a deck boat...I really like some of the smaller ones now. I just don't like the price

The major step is done though. Have a place at the river with garages, and enough room to build a shop building. Had jets, I/O's and various lake lice...someday I may even get an outboard.

It's not a cheap hobby, but can be done on the lower ends of the spectrum. It's a priority for us, and a means of maintaining some semblance of sanity!

 

[Backlash]

Started off with our family's 16' aluminum StarCraft with a 115 hp Mercury "Tower of Power." Generations of our family learned to ski behind that boat in Central Florida. My Uncle sold the Starcraft and upgraded to a brand new16.5' Ebbtide Dyna-Trak with a 115 Merc. The boat would do 55mph and we put some serious hours on it on the St. John's River. I grew up mesmerized by the big offshore boats coming out of North 188th Street in Miami. In the early 90's, we moved to California. I got a job at a local SoCal boat shop and that sealed the deal for me. My parents and I have been going to Parker ever since. We have four generations now that have been enjoying the Parker Strip, and I don't see any of us letting up anytime soon.

 

[ChrisV]

If you’re modifying it to go faster. It’s performance imo.

 

[lakemadness]

When I arrived in the world my family was already boating. Mainly family style ski boats and a couple of sea-doos. As a young kid I would always pick up a copy of Hot Rod Magazine at the store. Then, in my early teens I found Hot Boat Magazine and was hooked. At the time a good friends dad had a super nice Rogers jet boat, I always checked it out whenever I was over at their place, it was tits! But I learned rather quickly a jet boat was just a glorified ditch pump...
By 15 I convinced my parents to allow me to get a Nordic flat with a healthy big block- the one in my avatar. Once we got it in the water and fired it they didn't want any part of it really. I was the only one to run it. Complete crash course running a flat at 15, had never been in one, never even seen one in the water. Learned a lot to say the least... Sold it around the age of 21 or 22. Ended up finding a 20' Centurion tunnel with a 200 merc in my mid 20's. I completely restored the boat and ran it a few times. Some fun but learned that whackers just didn't do it for me. In my late 20's I wound up getting in to larger cabin cruisers and exploring the great lakes, I've never strayed since. Family and friends love hangin on the boat for long weekends and I do too. Maybe one day down the road I'll get another flat, but they're just not popular around here, it wouldn't get much use really.

 

[humvkev]

For me it was waking up in Parker to the flat bottoms running in the morning, I can still hear them now. We had a simple ski boat growing up but I always looked forward to the "fast boats" running in the morning. Now that I have the means, I bought a boat and I am taking my family and friends to the river. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the boating from my parents. I think it is rather easy to get hooked when you spend summers around them.

 

[warpt71]

How? If your not born into it Id say that you have to be shown by someone else. Ive taken several friends boating for a weekend over the years. None of them have really became boaters but they all had a good time.

I was born into it. October of 83, Parker was flooded so my parents went to Havasu. My mom was 8 months pregnant with me riding in my dads Sanger. Other than not going for a few years after my parents divorced, Ive always gone boating, and we always took that same Sanger. I bought my own flat at probably at 21 and its been boating just about monthly from there on out. Buying a river house 10 years ago and then moving to Havasu 7 years ago made all that easier

 

[pixrthis]

Buy or build a boat like this, when you can drive it well you can drive anything, then you’re a very proficient “performance boater”.