Reply With QuoteDid you tell him this shit's like drugs????
The first hit maybe free... but the rest is gonna cost... $$$$$$$$$$$$$
I wish him calm seas and sunny days.
Its not exactly "Hot"....its an 83 Invader....
Someone gave it to him for free. They were moving to Oregon and it wasn't worth the hassle to take it. He has never had a boat so he asked me to go over it with him. After I finished laughing....( :hammerhea ) I hopped in and we went over the important items....
No hole is the hull......well OK just one, but it was connected to a ball valve and an aireator for the bait tank. So we closed the ball valve..
Opened the engine hatch.....hmmm volvo four banger. Oil was clean. Spark plugs were alright, no broken hoses.....battery was full of water, no gas fumes. Gas was probably old, but who knows.
The bellows had a pinhole that only leaks when the drive is up, no water coming in when its down. That old 3 blade prop is a Smithsonian candidate though...sheesh its like an antique.
I had to hookup my jumper box to it, but the darn thing fired right up in his driveway. Putt putt putt putt putt. He was ready to hit the water.....I'm like, OK, but no kids, no wives....just us and some life vest and two big oars.
I took him down to San Diego Bay. He has no tow vehicle... :hammerhea I laughed at the image of my nice truck with the Laveycraft sticker towing the old Invader down the freeway....Oh well. We made it to the ramp...I had checked the bearing buddies and they were all greased up. The tires were newer so I figured we'd make it alright.
The bow eye rope was pretty frayed but we were ready just in case, it failed. Took off the tie downs, put in the plug and backed it down. The plug was all rubber with an expander in it....no threads...OK so it is floating. I let it sit a few minutes on the trailer just to see if it would.
He has zero clue about boats. He is just excited like a kid at Christmas to have one...He asks how his Invader compares to my Lavey...I try to make a polite analogy...and mumbled something about a 74 Pinto compared to a new Corvette...LOL "Dude, its free, its a place to start, you will get a better one soon," I tell him. Just find out if your family likes it first. He is already talking about getting a used custom.....it took me a bit to explain the difference between Ultras, Howards, Laveys and Maxims and Bayliners....
Anyway I back it off the trailer. Donk. Engine dies... LOL I throw a bow line around the trailer light and pull myself closer. "This is why we didn't bring the kids," I explain. I get it started and make a break for the courtesy dock....I secretly have my fingers crossed. He watches excitedly from the ramp...then runs over to help tie it up. I let it idle for a bit. It putts there contentedly. I go and park the truck. I chuckle to myself as I turn my head back to watch as I back the rig into a spot. The trailer is so ghetto. :hammerhea But it was free......
As I trot back down to the dock I see Joe all happy and giggle with his gift. It was so funny. I pop a couple of beers to christen his brown Invader. We restart and head out to the bay.......
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data...ay_003-med.jpg
Did you tell him this shit's like drugs????
The first hit maybe free... but the rest is gonna cost... $$$$$$$$$$$$$
I wish him calm seas and sunny days.
sounds like a fun adventure and a good place to start him on his way to the world boats. at least he doesn't have a big investment in it.. in case his family doesn't like boating.
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data...ay_001-med.jpg
As we clear the breakwater coming out of the launch area, I give it some more stick. The poor old motor is not pleased. No knocks, but no satisfying roar like the V8's I am used to.
We slowly power up as we move along behind a cargo ship going by. I get the thing up to 3500 rpm and it is not happy. Didn't hardly get on plane....I back off as I note the smoke coming from under the rear seat and engine hatch..
We return to an aggressive idle and plow our way slowly across the bay. I give Joe the wheel and head to stern to open the motor hatch. What is all the smoke about......I think it is just all the oily crud burning off the block I tell himThe thing hasn't been used in years he tell me... :hammerhea
Just keep it slow and steady Joe....I examine the rubber lines and keep an eye on everything. Nothing leaking....no knocks, just a cruddy old 4 banger I suppose..
We cruise slowly and eat some Cheez-its and down a couple of Tecates that I had packed. He is jazzed to be on the water. It is an awesome evening. About 5:30, super clear, no traffic since it was Monday night. I longed to have my own boat so we could haul ass across the water and really have some fun.....
Oh well. Another night perhaps. We went over rules of conduct and appropriate behavior...not hogging the ramp, not causing a bothersome wake, the usual stuff we all gripe about. He wants to come to the river with us sometime. Sure I tell him. Maybe next month....
I suggest he heads back to the ramp and not push our luck out here. It hasn't blown up yet.....He has a buddy at the Coronado Yacht Club who does mechanic work there...."Better take it down there" I tell him. You know, get it checked out..
We make it back to the courtesy dock without any real mishaps. (Whew)
yeah, but i bet neither one of you will ever forget that day.
so what happensnext? :rollside:
He will be a good boater. He is concerned about doing the right things and wants to be "River Aware" :chi:
He takes good care of his family and is active in his community. They are in escrow on a new house and will be looking for a used family performance boat in a couple of months. We'll need to show his wife and kids how much fun it is out there.
Once we get back to his house he asks about cleaning it up. I laugh again. What's to clean dude? I explain how I hose off the hull, then hook up to the hose and let it run while I wipe down. He asks about seat cleaning and I tell him about Mr Clean Magic Erasers, but suggest that just a little Simple Green ought to be enough for this vessel....
http://www.hotboatpics.com/pics/data...ay_002-med.jpg
I put it up on the sideyard for him and head home. He is busily wiping down....all happy and shit....
man check out that interior, brings back memories. hey at least the guy wants to do the right thing. sounds like a nice dude. hope he likes it and gets a nice boat soon.
when i bought my boat it was such a piece of sht i just sat in it in the side yard and got drunk with my roommate, at least his ran enough to get it in the water. hey i did have cheez-its though.
yeah! another one bites the dust. he's hooked
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