Yes, well, that's true. Keep in mind that I grew up around boats, developing an appreciation for all manner of vessels, power, sail, work boats, fishing, commercial haulers, and on and on. My Dad bought a cabin cruiser when I was about 5 years old, I'm 52 this year. So it has been a lifetime. I love trawler yachts too, they're on my shortlist for a cruiser one day as well. The boating here in CA is VERY different from the NW. The San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands are some of the finest cruising grounds in the world. And it's mostly all protected waters. In CA, it's just the pacific ocean, it's windy and rough, and there's really no place to go. So a trailerable runabout serves to get you out on the water in very efficient way.
I went through a long phase of enthusiasm for wooden boats, building and restoring. At one time my dream was to build an ocean sailer and sail around the world. I have a book case full of books on design, building, maintenance, etc. When I left my ex-wife that desire to sail off into the sunset left me as well. I was just happy to be away from her. :wink:
When I was 19 mom and dad sold their motoryacht, they had couple of Chris Crafts at the end, a 36' tri-cabin, and a 42' sportfisher, and sold the house and moved to Arizona. After a year or so I realized how much fun we had all those years boating, and wanted to get my own. I couldn't afford gas to run one, and I had always been intrigued with sail power, so I bought my first sailboat. That was about 1979. First a 22', then a new 25, then bought my first wooden boat, the 26, built a couple of boats, an 8' pram, then the 16' sailing skiff, then owned the big Alden Yawl. My wife's brother had a pirate ship, a 56' LOD Baltic Ketch that was built in Sweden in 1896. Did a lot of work on that boat too. She had telephone pole masts, and a GMC 671 aux with a 36' prop. That was a BIG wooden boat! 26' beam, and 65 tons.
Anyway, when we left Seattle I stayed away from the marinas down here so I wouldn't get the boat-bug, and I couldn't afford one anyway. After 15 years, and being able to visit mom and dad once in a while for a spin on Lake Havasu on their speedboat, I decided I wanted to get a boat to putt around the harbors here with. So we bought a 15' RIB with a 75 outboard. We had fun but wifey quickly decided we needed something bigger. After pouring over all the various brands of runabouts it was obvious Grady White was way out ahead. That speaks well for the brand - here's a guy with a lifetime of experience with boats of all types, and he chooses it over everything else that's out there.
We love our little boat. Got one as big as I could tow behind our motorhome. We've put almost 300 hours on 'er in 3 years. We have the itch for a bigger one, but need to wait out this recession. By the time we can afford to get the bigger one, they'll be priced out of our reach.
I have a very bad back and cannot work like I used to on laborious projects. So the Grady is perfect for getting out for some fresh air, dragging a lure, and drinking some beer. :mrgreen:
EDIT: Sorry folks, we really got off track here...
Oh well, it's my thread! :twisted: