csuggs
03-24-2009, 09:26 AM
Thoughts of spring and boating brings about all the memories of growing up on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Such as learing to ski at Conowingo Dam in the upper Chesapeake behind our 15-foot open runabout with a 35hp outboard on long, flat-bottom wooden skis. Then in 1981 dad bought a new 22-foot Grady White with 150hp outboard and we really thought we had something special. It was a lot of fun. We upgraded our skis, and got our first kneeboard. In 1984 my older brother got serious about skiing and purchased a one-year old American Skier from Bud Raley, who got a new boat every year and sold one of his old boats to my brother David. I was fortunate enough to spend part of the summer of 85 with my older brother at the Carpenter's Point Ski CLub. There we skied the slalom course (my brother making turns around the front of the boat), they jumped for distance and then we skied on either one or two tricks - sometimes doing "toe tricks". Those are such fond memories. . . .
After I got married in 87, my wife and I hooked up with some friends who lived on Seneca Creek near Baltimore (Chesapeake Bay area) and we skied with them behind their old Glastron with cable steering and a new 70hp Johnson motor. They had a private dock and ramp right on the river. No wake allowed their on weekends so we did most of our skiing on weeknights -staying out there until dark 2 or 3 nights a week before coming in for a generous helping of Maryland steamed crabs. Mmmmmm - I sure miss eating crabs. Soon, our friends on the river purchased a brand new Mastercraft 190 Prostar and we continued our traditional evening ski episodes as long as we could - even after the kids came along. More great memories . . . . .
Then my wife and I moved to Parkersburg, WV on the Ohio River. It's not the Chesapeake, but there's a certain amount of potential here. Once again, we became friends with a couple on the river and began teaching our 3 sons to ski. My middle son was barely 3 years-old when he learned to kneeboard - by himself! My wife would get in the water with him and help him to balance himself on the board, already in a kneeling position (not strapped down). Then, after the boat starting pulling him, I would pick her up on the jetski and we would follow the boat alongside my son until he either let go or wiped out. All three boys would eventually learn to ski, knee board and wake board during summers on the Ohio River or at nearby Sutton Lake. Memories . . . . .
Finally, I purchased my first boat at the end of last summer! Of coarse it's a Supra (1986 Sunsport Skier). What took me so long to make the purchase? Why haven't I kept our family enjoying boating except on someone else's boat? Could it be that I watched my buddies put their heart and soul (not to mention their paychecks) into their boats over the years and I was unwilling to make the sacrifice? I'm really not sure, but I do know this - When I became a boat owner I realized that it doesn't really matter what I have to do or how much I have to spend to fix it up or improve or even just keep it running. Although I've only had the boat for less than a year, it's like an old friend to me, because of all those memories - and now I can never go back . . . . .
Clint
After I got married in 87, my wife and I hooked up with some friends who lived on Seneca Creek near Baltimore (Chesapeake Bay area) and we skied with them behind their old Glastron with cable steering and a new 70hp Johnson motor. They had a private dock and ramp right on the river. No wake allowed their on weekends so we did most of our skiing on weeknights -staying out there until dark 2 or 3 nights a week before coming in for a generous helping of Maryland steamed crabs. Mmmmmm - I sure miss eating crabs. Soon, our friends on the river purchased a brand new Mastercraft 190 Prostar and we continued our traditional evening ski episodes as long as we could - even after the kids came along. More great memories . . . . .
Then my wife and I moved to Parkersburg, WV on the Ohio River. It's not the Chesapeake, but there's a certain amount of potential here. Once again, we became friends with a couple on the river and began teaching our 3 sons to ski. My middle son was barely 3 years-old when he learned to kneeboard - by himself! My wife would get in the water with him and help him to balance himself on the board, already in a kneeling position (not strapped down). Then, after the boat starting pulling him, I would pick her up on the jetski and we would follow the boat alongside my son until he either let go or wiped out. All three boys would eventually learn to ski, knee board and wake board during summers on the Ohio River or at nearby Sutton Lake. Memories . . . . .
Finally, I purchased my first boat at the end of last summer! Of coarse it's a Supra (1986 Sunsport Skier). What took me so long to make the purchase? Why haven't I kept our family enjoying boating except on someone else's boat? Could it be that I watched my buddies put their heart and soul (not to mention their paychecks) into their boats over the years and I was unwilling to make the sacrifice? I'm really not sure, but I do know this - When I became a boat owner I realized that it doesn't really matter what I have to do or how much I have to spend to fix it up or improve or even just keep it running. Although I've only had the boat for less than a year, it's like an old friend to me, because of all those memories - and now I can never go back . . . . .
Clint