Pics of your first boat!

Andy · 01 April 2005, 22:03

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 · 01 April 2005, 23:13

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

me wants!

Andy · 02 April 2005, 05:57

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

RJH · 03 April 2005, 18:25

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 · 05 April 2005, 23:12

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 · 06 April 2005, 00:32

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 · 03 May 2005, 20:24

Quote:

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 · 03 May 2005, 22:01

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 · 10 May 2005, 19:49

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 · 10 May 2005, 20:39

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!!!

codprawn · 10 May 2005, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

Thought you would have been better off with an icebreaker around there!!!

Officially the 2nd largest tides in the world are in the Severn Estuary along the South Wales coast - 16m or 47ft but in practice I think they ARE actually the highest on a REGULAR basis.

Makes boating around here a pain in the arse but at least we have a nice sandy bottom - the Channel Islands get some big tides but loads or really nasty rocks!!!

Tim M · 10 May 2005, 21:07

My first boat: bought it my self by selling arcade machines from a friends arcade! It was a Quicksilver 270 air deck complete with a Johnson Sailmaster 6hp longshaft (totally unsuitable but would plane with two up). Had great fun with that:

DJL · 10 May 2005, 22:44

My first boat was a 1982 Flatacraft Force 4 GT with 50HP Suzuki. It was the demo boat used at the Southampton boat show that year.

Had loads of fun in it over the years, and a few scary moments. Going any distance in it used to be such hard work. Swanage seemed such a long way, further than Weymouth does in my current boat.

slimtim · 11 May 2005, 14:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

bought it my self by selling arcade machines from a friends arcade!

Did you ask him first!!?