Topic: Boat ownership

Participant

Let’s hear how long people have owned their boats.

I’ve owned a BassCat every year since 1990. Bought a Caracal 11 in 1990 and owned it until 1997. Sold it to a female friend and bought a 1997 25th Anniversary Edition Sabre. Boat has all original equipment other than the BP 101 dash. Still running the original Merc 150 EFI(new powerhead about 5 years ago.) Boat has some gelcoat crazing on the top of the bow(gelcoat does not like the cold Maine winters.) Seats have some minor separation at the seams. Trailer is in excellent condition other than one blown wheel bearing about 10 years ago.

26 years and still going strong. Testament to the strength of the BassCat build.

Tim Trimpop

Will Hesch

Participant

well…my first boat was a Sears & Roebuck 12′ aluminum with some kind of outboard, got it for $600.

second was a 13′ Gregor aluminum which I decked with plywood, put a foot control trolling motor (name escapes me) and a 35 horse Johnson.

third was a new 15′ Gregor ready-made bass boat with livewells, an Evinrude trolling motor and a 35 horse power Ive-been-rude.

fourth was a new ’82 Ranger 350 (certificate boat so I got to pick the colors) I bought from the winner of a Western Bass tournament for $500. Put a Motorguide thruster and a 150 Black Max Merc on the back and all in was $10,500

fifth was an ’86 Ranger 390 (the 3rd one here in Cali) with a Merc Thruster and a 200 Merc I was on Ranger pro staff so the boat was $20 all in

sixth was a Crestliner 17′ with a Motorguide Tour Edition (the new version of the Merc Thruster) and a 90 HP Evinrude

seventh was a certificate boat, a Sabre which we paid $25K for, had a (imagine this: MG Tour Edition) and 150 Merc

eighth (I’m spelling the numbers since I’m almost old and senile and trying to exercise my feeble brain) was another certificate boat which I really did steal! Paid $26K for a 20′ X-boat with a 225 Optimax and guess the trolling motor…(starts with an M) Got to pick it up at the factory, had Earl Bentz sign his book-The Bass Boat Bible and spent a half-hour in his office talking bass boats before enjoying a tour of the factory in Ashland.

numero nueve is our current boat, a 2023 Caracal which we paid 3 times what we paid for our last boat and 7 times what I paid for our first Ranger. It has an Ultrex 24 volt up front and a 225 Merc 4 stroke on the back. This is truly the last boat for us. Maybe I’ll be buried in it ala-Elvis?