Beater boat adventure

[dspracing]

So a contractor we work with decides to get a boat. Which turned into use the boat whenever which turned into please store the boat and use it.

Well, we are somewhat boatless right now and love the water, live in Havasu and used to boat once a week at minimum when we had a boat. So we decided to give this thing a go. It’s a late 90’s I think Hurricane deckboat with a 175 OB on it. A boat I would have NEVER bought.

So we go out with the contractor last Wednesday night to give it a shake down and it runs great. He fixed some things on it since he bought it like lights, stereo, switches etc. Overall not a bad boat.

Now the wheels start turning. There are things I can do on this boat that I would NEVER do on most of the boats I’ve owned like invite more than a few people, dogs, dock at foxes, drag an anchor rope across the rub rail, etc.

So we make plans to head out on Sunday with some friends and immediately it’s oh we need to bring our dog is that ok? Yeah sure bring her!

Oh and we have a lily pad, can we bring it. I reply yes but please understand, I will not touch, roll, strap, load, assist or look at the damn thing. You can bring it but it’s your responsibility!

We haven’t hosted them before so I would normally be a nervous wreck come launch time, laying down the rules without being a dick about it, not to mention I don’t even take my own dogs, lily pads or totes full of shit on my boat.

But, this boat is a whole other story. Tons of storage bring your shit, bring your dogs, whatever let’s go have some fun. And fun we had! Launched from Riviera, headed to steamboat where we bbq’ed (another heck no on my boat) then wrangled up the kids where we hit just about every rock you can jump off of from there down to and including the big one south of the springs.

We pulled into outer harbor for a cocktail for the wife’s and enjoyed a nice cruise back to riviera while hitting one more jump spot on the way back!

Turned out to be one of the funnest days any of us have had on the water and certainly had me rethinking my ideas around the right boat. Looking forward to many more adventures on this boat. I hear the evening striper bite is really good. Guess we are going fishing after work one night this week!

 

[monkeyswrench]

Beater boats kick ass! As long as it floats, runs and has room for family and friends, it works perfect!

 

[SoCalDave]

Hell yeah, good on you!
Late 90's we were boatless and I ran across a 1985 Bayliner with a I/O 4 cyl 460 in it for sale from original owner in HB. Made him an offer and we drug it home. Took that boat out of Davy's Landing and HB Harbor almost every weekend and had a blast. Reliable as fuck and didn't care if everyone ate cheetos and spilled wine all day. Miss that boat and memories we had with family.

 

[poncho]

Beater boats rock, paid $850.00 for it 15 years ago. Our lake turns the bottoms brown unless you pull and scrub every week, something I have zero interest in doing.
Stereo, interior on the super cheap, thing has paid us back in hundreds of fish caught, nightly booze cruises etc.
Going to be lost when I have to replace it.

Hit the key every y

 

[pixrthis]

I’ve never had a beater boat but hearing your stories and seeing your pictures make me want long before a $400,000 metal surf boat. They sound like a great time.

 

[lbhsbz]

Beaters are great. Same level of fun with none of the stress.

 

[Yoshiro]

Back when I used to race stand up jet skis, we'd take our retired hulls and spare parts and build beaters. We'd use them to go up small rivers/streams we'd never dream of taking our racecraft. Jumping logs etc. It was great fun.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Dockbanger!

 

[GreenEnergy28]

My nephew has the same boat. Hurricane deck boat with a weed whacker that he bought off his grandfather. His gramps bought it as the "fun" boat to go along with the Magic. While on the magic, no splashing, eating, drinking, farting, or even breathing if you just ate...LOL! Big polished blower on top of the 540 that wasn't to get any water spots on either! I got in trouble for jumping off the back and splashing it once. OOPS. Now, the Hurricane, fried chicken, Kool-Aid, sun tan lotion, flip flops, F- it lets have some fun.
My nephew does take really good care of it, as he should, but that boat is a FUN boat for sure.

 

[old rigger]

Dockbanger!

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What make is that thing? Kids look happy!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

What make is that thing? Kids look happy!

Sugar Sand it is a 17 foot Tango.

@Wheeler sold it to me. Great little boat and fun to rip around.

 

[old rigger]

Sugar Sand. @Wheeler sold it to me. Great little boat and fun to rip around.

Booger Ray's my neighbor, never told me about it!
I saw the name on the trailer but never thought that someone would name a boat with the word sand in it, especially a little jet.
Looks like fun, might have to hunt one down when the grandkids are older. Does that drive use the OB powerhead that bolts on top of the pump?

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Booger Ray's my neighbor, never told me about it!
I saw the name on the trailer but never thought that someone would name a boat with the word sand in it, especially a little jet.
Looks like fun, might have to hunt one down when the grandkids are older. Does that drive use the OB powerhead that bolts on top of the pump?

The boat needed a little love but was in good mechanical shape.

Yes, it’s a 175 2 stroke merc on a pump. They make a 210 and a 240 HP model as well.

There is a Place diverter kit specifically for this boat. If I ever see one come up used for sale I’ll buy it. I just don’t want to spend $900 on a new kit for a beater boat.

It tows the kids great though. We will grab a pizza or some fried chicken and head to the local lake, have dinner and a couple drinks, swim until dark then head home.

 

[DRYHEAT]

There is life on the other side of OCD.

 

[Shlbyntro]

Only thing I ever regretted selling was my 17ft MonArk center console with a 110 Johnson on the back. I near trippled my money on it but damn that thing was fun. Jump up on deck with muddy shoes, fish guts, whatever, it didn't matter; just pull the plugs and hose her off!

 

[gqchris]

You have joined me on the dark side Sir! Deck Boats are a blast!

 

[poncho]

There is life on the other side of OCD.

That is hilarious and so true.

 

[poncho]

Only thing I ever regretted selling was my 17ft MonArk center console with a 110 Johnson on the back. I near trippled my money on it but damn that thing was fun. Jump up on deck with muddy shoes, fish guts, whatever, it didn't matter; just pull the plugs and hose her off!

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Thats what i envision when the beater dies, my cat is 16 and the beater is 15, I dread losing either one, seriously.

 

[Bugginout]

My kids grew up in a 234 edge open bow that I got from my buddies tow yard. The gel was faded out put an interior in it and built a 454 in the garage and we ran it for years. Never had to worry about wiping it down everyday and it probably had gummy bears and goldfish crackers in every nook and cranny. End of the trip wipe it down and vacuum it out. My wife and I miss that boat! Hull rode amazing always started. Sometimes at the river now the wife and I won't put the boat in the water on Sunday because we just don't want to clean the damn thing again we are currently painting that eliminator and repowering for my buddies first family boat. Miss the beater boat!

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Only thing I ever regretted selling was my 17ft MonArk center console with a 110 Johnson on the back. I near trippled my money on it but damn that thing was fun. Jump up on deck with muddy shoes, fish guts, whatever, it didn't matter; just pull the plugs and hose her off!

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[Mr. C]

With help from RDP and its members I consider my almost 50 year old beater boat a blessing to be cruising any water way. As some have said. If it floats and gets you on the water. It’s good times.

 

[Kct11]

I feel the same way. The F26 sits alot these days. Stress free boating and gets a lot of attention at the sand bar

 

[DaytonaBabe]

The Slow Disaster

I love our beater boat!! We have the best time on this thing! No cleaning, no worries!

 

[rrrr]

Beater boats rock, paid $850.00 for it 15 years ago. Our lake turns the bottoms brown unless you pull and scrub every week, something I have zero interest in doing.
Stereo, interior on the super cheap, thing has paid us back in hundreds of fish caught, nightly booze cruises etc.
Going to be lost when I have to replace it.
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Hit the key every y View attachment 1279631 View attachment 1279632 View attachment 1279633 View attachment 1279634 View attachment 1279635 View attachment 1279636 View attachment 1279637 View attachment 1279638 View attachment 1279639 View attachment 1279640 View attachment 1279641 View attachment 1279642 View attachment 1279643 View attachment 1279633 View attachment 1279637 View attachment 1279645

You've done a great job of performing updates and maintaining the boat. It's really a nice ride. Your kids are going to remember those good times for the rest of their lives.

This is the epitome of what boating should be. It's large enough for the family, admirably performs tasks like skiing, tubing, and fishing, starts every time with the twist of the key, easy to trailer, and is cheap to operate. It's perfect for the rookie first timer. The controls aren't complex and easy to understand, it's easy to trailer, and if it whacks the gas dock a little harder than what was expected, it's no big deal.

Even though I owned a two year old 454 powered Barefoot Nautique at the time and other really nice rides since then, one of the most fun boats I've owned was a 17' Galaxie tri-hull, powered by the indestructible Merc 140 four banger and Alpha outdrive. I was overseeing the construction of a jet engine test cell at NAS Kingsville in South Texas, and a boat ramp at the head of Baffin Bay was less than 30 minutes from my rental house. I lived in Kingsville during the week and made the 250 mile drive home to Houston every weekend.

Baffin Bay is among the best saltwater fishing spots along the Texas Gulf Coast. At least once a week, and sometimes three, I loaded the boat, bought some live shrimp at a bait stand, and fished for sheepshead, speckled trout, and redfish. Many times my companions were the ROICC (@Taboma knows this acronym ) and his teenage son. I knew who buttered my bread.

The bay had dozens of hot spots, and many times I headed back to the ramp with a full cooler and running the nav lights because the sun had gone down earlier while we were boating a good catch. The Galaxie never hiccuped, it was dead solid reliable.

 

[GreenEnergy28]

I feel the same way. The F26 sits alot these days. Stress free boating and gets a lot of attention at the sand bar


View attachment 1279931

Wife has been wanting something like this for a bay cruiser. Sweet float!

 

[HNL2LHC]

Wife has been wanting something like this for a bay cruiser. Sweet float!

Right!?!??!!? I’d so rock that on a busy holiday weekend!!!! I think that my wife would say “oh, hells no!!!!” LOL

 

[GreenEnergy28]

Right!?!??!!? I’d so rock that on a busy holiday weekend!!!! I think that my wife would say “oh, hells no!!!!” LOL

Shit, mine sends them to me every time one shows up on marketplace.... "Can we?"

 

[Mr. C]

Another small plus to having a beater boat. Lol

 

[C_J_J_C]

I miss every boat I have ever sold as each boat has had their time and place but the only boat I regret selling and would want back is the beater.

1989 Welcraft Scarab 21 with a SBC 350.

Dogs walked all over it, kids bumped it into docks learning to drive, we beached it on every beach without checking, and only washed it once a year. Other than adding a bimini and a few annual services never had to touch it.

Always started, sipped fuel, and ZERO stress. Everyone should have a beater boat.

 

[Badchoices03]

I miss every boat I have ever sold as each boat has had their time and place but the only boat I regret selling and would want back is the beater.

View attachment 1282153
1989 Welcraft Scarab 21 with a SBC 350.

Dogs walked all over it, kids bumped it into docks learning to drive, we beached it on every beach without checking, and only washed it once a year. Other than adding a bimini and a few annual services never had to touch it.

Always started, sipped fuel, and ZERO stress. Everyone should have a beater boat.

dogs on my boat - check
kid is learning to drive it - check
beach it - check
let the family eat and drink what they want - check
Besides the regular washing and maintenance, I guess my boat is a beater....lol