My sons new first boat...

[pwerwagn]

My oldest son (8yrs) is a lot different from his brothers. While they're playing with toys, he is designing houses on graph paper, learning about towers and devising ways to make sure they never fall, and reading about every detail of the titanic. He is absolutely obsessed with boats (amongst other thing...tornados, earthquakes, etc)but mostly how he can make them so that nobody ever gets hurt.

Anyways, he's been asking for a paddle boat. But a few people in our lake group have them and he wanted a different one. 2 tunnels, bigger paddle, 4 sets of pedals, etc.

We were walking down the street one day and he saw this boat in the back yard of a neighbors house that caught his fancy. More of a tri-hull, but to him it's a small tunnel. He never spends his money, so when the neighbor told him 100$ and he would throw in a 12v trolling motor, I let him buy it.

He has big plans for it but this weekend I'm making him take it out as is and see what he likes and doesn't like. We filled it with water and found some leaks so I made him remove some caulking/glass repair with the DA sander. I'm gonna teach him how to fiberglass, paint, etc. should be a cool little project that he can kinda run wild with and not cost me too much money. I hope it starts to instill pride of ownership in him, and helps him understand the value of a dollar.

Anyhow, here's a pic or two of him sanding on it. Today will be his first time using it.
Jeff

 

[Spudsbud]

superb Dad!
Take lotsa pictures with you and him in the shot.
20 yrs from now he will show his kids!!

 

[sirbob]

Great project - that should keep him busy and teach him all sorts of things !!!

 

[RIVERDAZE]

Great job Dad! sweet little project for you both!:thumbsup

 

[Stainless]

:thumbsup

I remember doing very much the same with my first boat as a kid.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

That is awesome!!

 

[charlyox]

That kid is amazing

 

[Advantage 1]

That is cool 👍

 

[bocco]

That obsession with boats could lead to real problems later in life. Like empty bank accounts and a lot time spent on boat forums.

Seriously, it's great to see a kid with real tools and a sense of pride and accomplishment. I'm looking forward to the thread where he builds his first big block.

 

[pwerwagn]

Thanks guys! He is an awesome kid. All 3 of them are.

He is super excited today knowing he gets to use it today.

My parents went and bought him a battery for the trolling motor, ice chest, and a bunch of little do dads for the boat.

I'm super stoked to watch him take off in it for the first time!

 

[Kailuaboy89]

Great way to learn!

 

[cole_skier]

Great times you two will have on this project. He will never forget how he and his dad worked on his first boat

 

[C-2]

Awesome :thumbsup

 

[rush1]

Great job Dad, what's with the Dodge 4x4 in the garage?

 

[RiverDiva]

Awesome!!!

 

[traquer]

Badass, I was the same way! Nerd, but loved hands-on stuff.

To kids that age, that thing seems big like a 24' boat to us. Be as excited about it as he is and he'll be one happy kid.

 

[Dirtbag]

Such a awesome dad. Just gave me so much more to do with my lil guy hes 5. Hes kinda into different things than i was similar to your son. But i was an athlete and didnt have time for this stuff....man please keep us up to date on his progress need to find something for me and my boy! Inspiring!!!!'

 

[OldSchoolBoats]

Awesome!!!

 

[Wadernation]

this is great! i really wish my dad and I had more projects like this growing up. Im sure your son will really appreciate it when he is older and looks back on the memories.

 

[pwerwagn]

Great job Dad, what's with the Dodge 4x4 in the garage?

It's a 1979 poptop ramcharger I've been building. I took a 93 1 ton and shortened the frame 43". Put a 14 bolt in the rear with 4.56's and a Detroit, 60 up front, 64" leaves out back. It has a 12v Cummins/auto/205.

 

[pwerwagn]

Such a awesome dad. Just gave me so much more to do with my lil guy hes 5. Hes kinda into different things than i was similar to your son. But i was an athlete and didnt have time for this stuff....man please keep us up to date on his progress need to find something for me and my boy! Inspiring!!!!'

I definitely will! My dad and I did stuff like this all the time. I had restored my first truck by the age of 16. I feel like you learn things differently when you are young. Him teaching me all he did, taught me that I can do anything. If someone else can do it...I can figure it out most likely.

Thanks guys for all the positive comments!

 

[wsuwrhr]

I definitely will! My dad and I did stuff like this all the time. I had restored my first truck by the age of 16. I feel like you learn things differently when you are young. Him teaching me all he did, taught me that I can do anything. If someone else can do it...I can figure it out most likely.
Thanks guys for all the positive comments!

I still attack projects the same way.

 

[RiverDave]

sounds like an amazing kid!

 

[rush1]

It's a 1979 poptop ramcharger I've been building. I took a 93 1 ton and shortened the frame 43". Put a 14 bolt in the rear with 4.56's and a Detroit, 60 up front, 64" leaves out back. It has a 12v Cummins/auto/205.

Killer project post some pics

 

[pwerwagn]

So far so good...he's given about 96 rides to all his cousins and anyone who will ride with him.

 

[boatdoc55]

Couple more years he'll be shoeing a fueler!!!

 

[stephenkatsea]

Congrats to all. Doesn't get any better.

 

[Wavemaker]

Good job dad! Your son will remember for a lifetime buying his first boat and your guidance, direction and help with refurbishing it together. Look at his smile while he is driving his boat in the pic you posted. Priceless.

 

[2Driver]

Thats an awesome story.

 

[Riverbound]

Awesome. Get him a boat and he will have no time or moment to ever get into trouble. [emoji6][emoji106]

 

[pwerwagn]

Long overdue for an update. He used the shit out of the little boat over the past year. He was very responsible and even put some of his own money into the little boat. A friend of mine hooked him up with a cool little fish finder.

Really early in the mornings early in the spring when the lake was dead, I would let him take it to the marina and tie it up. Bought him some little fenders n stuff. He made sure he tied it up before bed every night. He knew it wasn't a "toy" and kept all the other kids from treating it that way too. I bet he caught 30-40 fish in it this past year.

Anyhow, long story short we struggled to keep that thing in one piece. It was a great learning experience for him. I bet we went through 2-3 gallons of resin and a bunch of mat to keep it together. It was super low freeboard and I was always afraid it would get swamped. I always strapped life jackets to the battery and trolling motor just in case. The last trip out I had to wrap it in ratchet straps because I was afraid it was going to buckle and sink. But he didn't care, he'd cruise around close to shore until the battery was low, with a bail bucket, a fishing pole and a smile from ear to ear.

My grandpa had a little plastic boat that he used to fish smaller lakes that his Skeeter wasn't practical for. He had given to a good family friend before he passed away a few years back. We happened to see those friends the other day and Ryan was telling them about how he had a boat but it leaked a lot but he learned how to fix it.

This past Friday was his 10th birthday, and to all of our surprise, our friends showed up with my grandpas old boat in their truck and gave it to him for his bday from my grandpa.

Made for a pretty happy little 10yr old! When my grandma showed up she recognized the boat and was in tears. Got a cool little picture with them together in it. This one should be more conducive to us being able to put some time into it to make it what he wants, vs spending time keeping it afloat.

 

[TBI]

View attachment 586065

Great thread, great Kid, great Dad!

He needs a triple axle trailer :thumbsup

 

[TomD]

That's so cool!!!:thumbsup Bet something happens to your boat and he will be right there along side you to help. No stopping him now.:thumbsup

 

[That Guy]

That was an awesome story! Congrats to both of you...!

 

[Old Texan]

That's a great ongoing story.....:thumbsup

Won't be long before he's grown into a fullsize power boat of some sort.

My first boat was an old wood "row boat" that came with a small 3-4HP outboard. Heavy as hell and rotten boards finally made it impossible to keep repaired. Ended up in my Grandpa's feed lot full of hay.:skull

Kept the motor but it was too small to begin with and ended up as a wall hanger in a lake cabin

 

[Xring01]

I truly enjoyed that, Thank you.

 

[Gelcoater]

This is probably the best thread I've read here in a long time.:thumbsup

 

[pwerwagn]

Thanks guys!

His first project is helping me figure out how to haul it. I'm making him think thru all of the pros and cons. So far he is thinking a simple top deck on the jet ski trailer, so he's off to a good start idea-wise. All we have are stand up's so it should be simple. He knows how to mig somewhat, so I'll probably make him take all the measurements, draw it on graph paper, help cut and at least tack stuff into place.

Hopefully this next year I'll have some updates to post, vs last years fixing.

He already wants another trolling motor so he can have twins. ;-)

 

[spectra3279]

My oldest son (8yrs) is a lot different from his brothers. While they're playing with toys, he is designing houses on graph paper, learning about towers and devising ways to make sure they never fall, and reading about every detail of the titanic. He is absolutely obsessed with boats (amongst other thing...tornados, earthquakes, etc)but mostly how he can make them so that nobody ever gets hurt.

Anyways, he's been asking for a paddle boat. But a few people in our lake group have them and he wanted a different one. 2 tunnels, bigger paddle, 4 sets of pedals, etc.

We were walking down the street one day and he saw this boat in the back yard of a neighbors house that caught his fancy. More of a tri-hull, but to him it's a small tunnel. He never spends his money, so when the neighbor told him 100$ and he would throw in a 12v trolling motor, I let him buy it.

He has big plans for it but this weekend I'm making him take it out as is and see what he likes and doesn't like. We filled it with water and found some leaks so I made him remove some caulking/glass repair with the DA sander. I'm gonna teach him how to fiberglass, paint, etc. should be a cool little project that he can kinda run wild with and not cost me too much money. I hope it starts to instill pride of ownership in him, and helps him understand the value of a dollar.

Anyhow, here's a pic or two of him sanding on it. Today will be his first time using it.
Jeff

View attachment 509044
View attachment 509045
View attachment 509046

So you gonna put a 200 hp outboard on that racer for him[emoji106]

 

[Gelcoater]

Thanks guys!

His first project is helping me figure out how to haul it. I'm making him think thru all of the pros and cons. So far he is thinking a simple top deck on the jet ski trailer, so he's off to a good start idea-wise. All we have are stand up's so it should be simple. He knows how to mig somewhat, so I'll probably make him take all the measurements, draw it on graph paper, help cut and at least tack stuff into place.

Hopefully this next year I'll have some updates to post, vs last years fixing.

He already wants another trolling motor so he can have twins. ;-)

Twins makes sense and is logical.:thumbsup

If he suggests triples...

 

[Xring01]

I hope for his sake that his school has a Robotics program. If so, get him involved, if not, start campaigning your school to start one. He will have a blast.

I can go on for hours on the positive impacts it had on my son. My son is one of the most naturally gifted Engineers I have ever met. I work with Engineers every day of my life. I recognized his abilitys when he was in diapers. He is 19 now. He built the engine in my wifes 65 mustang when he was 12. Replaced a water heater pretty much buy himself at 12. Ceiling Fan's ,repaired everything on the boats, cars, motorcycles.. Ohh he was known as a KTM mechanic at 14 years old.. With full grown men ringing my door bell, asking if my son can fix his bike... Some weeks there would be 3 strange bikes in the garage.

Alot of kids that are hands one, problem solving, thinkers, do not have the best people skills. I am speaking from experience. My son wanted to quit high school and get a GED to get started on College when he was 16. The only thing that kept in High School was Robotics...

Not trying to create drama on your end, your son may have the greatest people skills, but that makes him even a better Engineer.

If any of this sounds familiar to any of you, just PM me...

I highly recommend Robotics for kids like this. Strange part, you will meet kids of all races, backgrounds, that are 90% carbon copy's of your kid. Cracked me up.

 

[pwerwagn]

Twins makes sense and is logical.:thumbsup

If he suggests triples...

Of course! haha.

I hope for his sake that his school has a Robotics program. If so, get him involved, if not, start campaigning your school to start one. He will have a blast.

I can go on for hours on the positive impacts it had on my son. My son is one of the most naturally gifted Engineers I have ever met. I work with Engineers every day of my life. I recognized his abilitys when he was in diapers. He is 19 now. He built the engine in my wifes 65 mustang when he was 12. Replaced a water heater pretty much buy himself at 12. Ceiling Fan's ,repaired everything on the boats, cars, motorcycles.. Ohh he was known as a KTM mechanic at 14 years old.. With full grown men ringing my door bell, asking if my son can fix his bike... Some weeks there would be 3 strange bikes in the garage.

Alot of kids that are hands one, problem solving, thinkers, do not have the best people skills. I am speaking from experience. My son wanted to quit high school and get a GED to get started on College when he was 16. The only thing that kept in High School was Robotics...

Not trying to create drama on your end, your son may have the greatest people skills, but that makes him even a better Engineer.

If any of this sounds familiar to any of you, just PM me...

I highly recommend Robotics for kids like this. Strange part, you will meet kids of all races, backgrounds, that are 90% carbon copy's of your kid. Cracked me up.

That's awesome! I had skills like that at a young age as well, and I'm trying to push those skills on to my 3 boys. I still feel like what you learn at a young age, you learn with an entire different portion of your brain than when you are older. Its like things "click" for you, vs struggling to learn later. Maybe I'll get in touch with you for some advice, because he doesnt have the best people skills. He is shy, and gets anxious if he knows he has to be in front of a large group of people or will be the center of attention whatsoever.

Our school district has a robotics program of sorts, its an after school kinda thing. I actually worked in the robotics R&D area about a decade ago and we got a small program setup at some schools. It was simple stuff mostly. He watches battle bots and stuff like that and gets into it. My biggest focus on him is to push him to be more mechanically inclined, which a robotics program would be great for. His 2 younger brothers are more like me, Id rather be out tinkering and tearing stuff apart/putting stuff together. Those 2 will lay under a truck with me all day and play with bolts, roll tires around, etc. My oldest has an issue with focus. Hes smart, but his interests change by the day wildly. Keeping him focused long enough to teach him something can be a chore. He loves to learn, but loves to learn what he wants to learn. Some days that's dragons. Other days its boats. The next day it will be Drones. I need to figure out how to harness that focus/obsession and direct it towards something that he can learn new hands-on skills with, hence the boat.

 

[Xring01]

The average Engineer I work with would admit to be a Introvert vs an Extrovert.

When teens get into High School, the Introverts are the ones that typically feel they dont fit in. (Ask me how I know/My Son), they stick to themselves, some get bullied or harassed. Making matters even worse. To the point they dont trust other teens. Truly become loners.

The Robotics program, normally has the most brightest, smartest, great kids in the programs, all looking for people like themselves for friends. Most tend to be Engineer Minded and Introverts. The best thing about Robotics, its teachs them the skills to work with other Robot Teams in the competition. Which is teaching them Communications Skills, Team Work Skills, Problem Solving, Mechanical Designs, Electrical Designs, Computer Programming, Autocad, Sales.. Yes you have to be good at sales, you must be able to sell your teams robot to the other teams when you get into the finals.

What company will hire you with out Communication Skills, Team Work Skills, or Problems Solving. Without those skillsets, a degree in anything is worthless..

Obviously I am an advocate of School Robotic Programs. Google VEX Robotics, hopefully your school is into that program, if not there are non school clubs that he might be able to join. Biggest thing is find the nearest VEX competition to you and take him to see it. Its free, will not cost you a thing, other than a soda and snack at the school snack bar. Its a great place for kids who love building things.

If any of you want more info, just pm me.

 

[Old Texan]

I to deal with engineers on a daily basis. A big issue I see, is many do not have mechanical aptitude and got their degree just for the fact they are great/good at math.

I'm a sales guy that has mechanical aptitude and can visualize solutions. A trait I far too often have to use to explain to engineers that work on theory. Granted many are not of the mechanical strain of engineers, but too often it's evident they have shortcomings.

 

[Red_Star]

Oh, great pics! His boat looks really cool! :rolleyes

 

[pwerwagn]

Got his boat all up and going, brought him to the lake for thanksgiving. He's already caught 4 fish in it. It's much more stable than his old one, so he finally got to take both his brothers out. ;-)
Happy thanksgiving!

 

[pwerwagn]

Wouldn't let me post more than one pic, here's 2 more.

 

[fmo24]

That pic of the three boys is what life is all about. I have 3 brothers and though we fought like cats and dogs there were way more times like your pic. Out on the lake with no cares at all.