Pics of your first boat!

[Andy]

I thought as craig is getting lots of exposure in his zapcat, I would show you what I started with from about 8yrs of age up to 17yrs (in fact I still have this boat @ 39). The zapcat equivalent of the time ... in fact there where no ribs about then either!! The 25HP engine was a large outboard at the time. This was 29 years ago.

I am the lad in the yellow t-shirt with my dad and bro. And then in the orange top in the other pics.

Come on lets see some other peoples first boats!! Especially if they where many years ago.

[Scott2]

what is it? Looks like a old old RNLI D-Class...








me wants!

[Andy]

It is a C-Craft .... that's all I know. Wooden floor boards, inflatable keel. The boards would pop if you slammed badly.

[RJH]

We had one of these when I was a kid. My Father bought it from a dealer in Bristol in around 1969/70 with a 20hp Johnson. It introduced me to the joys of being out in a rubber boat getting soaking wet. We used to lug it around in the boot of our Morris 1800 and pump it up on the beach in places like Chideok. You're right Andy, the boards did pop. We took ours to Spain on holiday one year and managed to break one of the side stiffeners, a triangular piece of wood about 2" thick. Great boat though and very seaworthy.

The first rib we had was a Flatacraft Force 4 in around 1973/4 (I think) c/w a 50hp Mercury. Pretty revolutionary at the time with the Searider being the only other similar craft. Again only have good memories of this boat. I might try to find a photo of it one day although it may depress me as to how youthful I looked then compared to now!

[Andy]

Well I have been educated, I thought RIBs were more recent than early 70s. I was in primary school!! Hopefully more people will post early boat pics. It's amazing how much choice we have to today and how made the sport has taken off even over the past 3 years. Is this a UK thing or is it world wide.

[codprawn]

Seems bigger in the UK than most places althought Europe catching up fast. Yanks lagging behind a lot but could change suddenly - then they will think they invented them and start trying to tell us how it's done!!!

To get an idea of how few ribs there are in the states do a search for them on ebay - not many come up!!!

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by codprawn

To get an idea of how few ribs there are in the states do a search for them on ebay - not many come up!!!

Most of the RIB's here are used by divers. Mostly smaller RIB's, too: usually don't see many over about 18'. Most are 16' or less.

LimeyDal and other displaced Brits are groundbreakers, I think.

jky

[craigdavis]

Wow that looks fun. My zapcat is like a newer version of it. Its got wooden floor boards and inflatable keel. I remeber havin a go in an old zodiac infaltable was great fun.

[Arctic RIB]

This is my first boat ever and I love it. I explore Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island which has the second largest tide fluctuations in the world.

[craig_c]

Heres sum pics of my first boat!! Nice little avon sportsboat with an evinrude 6. I was first let loose in it when i was about 8 and i still love it. engine packed up a few years ago but i saw one exactly the same on ebay for £100!!!