How Did It All Start??/ What's Your MC Story... [Archive]

east tx skier

07-05-2007, 03:47 PM

In 1984, I went to Camp Longhorn (Ranch Branch) in Burnet, TX. A friend of mine who was at camp with me was going to a friend's lakehouse (I knew the guy, too) for the week after camp. When my parents picked me up, it turned out that we had been invited up to the friend's lakehouse, too. It became an annual tradition for several years after that. They had a Deck Boat center console I/O built by "Deckboat" in Gatesville, TX (I would later own a "Ski Deck" built by the same company as my first boat. The house was on Lake LBJ in "Blue Lake Estates." Great deck at that place.

Anyway, the friend's dad would pull us around on zip sleds for hours on end. Later, he taught us to ski tandem, then later slalom.

He (the dad) passed away a few years ago. I owe him a debt of gratitude for the patience he showed getting me up on slalom. Very time consuming process.

Here's the boat.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j262/dnortonames/DeckBoatWaterPicearly1980s.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j262/dnortonames/BKpullingZipSleddersearly1980sLBJ.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j262/dnortonames/ZipSledsnohandsearly1980sLBJ.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j262/dnortonames/Dougon2skis.jpg

Ric

07-05-2007, 03:48 PM

Didnt start skiing til 12 or so behind Dad's hotrod bass boat. First inboard I ever skiid was a MC at Ski Texas in the late 80's and I was HOOKED (spoiled - ruined - whatever you wanna call it)! I've skiid pretty much all ski boats imagineable and settled on MC!
Owned and skiied various inboards for the past 12 years and lovin my world record towboat!

Upper Michigan Prostar190

07-05-2007, 03:48 PM

I got hit in the head by a fast moving boat while swimming when I was a child, and I have loved them ever since.

Prostar in Michigain

07-05-2007, 03:49 PM

My moms parents have a place where my mom has been goin for 25 yrs on a lake they started out with just a pontoon boat they used to bring me on that to fall asleep when i was a tot. Then my mom married my dad and my dad grew up with a MC and told them to look outside and there was a brand new mc sitting there in the front yard

Maristar210

07-05-2007, 03:52 PM

When I was 14 I took my dad's deck boat he had just purchased out on Gun Lake which is about 4 feet deep everywhere. I achored out in the middle and we swam with some girls all day. When It was time to leave we were going to race the girls back to the Marina and I jumped in the boat, fired it up and hammer down. Lest I forget to pull in the anchor which is extended five feet or so off the end of a cleat when I hear loud WHAM!!.

I stop the boat, I go to the rear and I see a rope sticking out of a hole in the hull the size of, you guessed it, the anchor. I had a hard time explaining that one to my dad.

Somehow he did not kill me and I have been loving the water ever since.

True Story....

Roonie's

07-05-2007, 03:52 PM

We had a family lake cabin that my grandfather built on Hayden Lake, ID. We would spend all summers out there every summer as it was close to our house (35 min). We always had a boat. I learned to ski behind our original fiberform I/O from the 70's at age 8. We upgraded to a new Sea Ray 4 cyl 165 I/O in '87 (14 at the time) even though tried to convince parents at that time to buy Mastercraft as my brother and I were heavy into slalom skiing going everyday all summer long, sometimes twice a day. We had it down to were we would not even get wet, dock start and finish by sitting back down on dock. My parents also skied, and between brothers and sisters was always a competition to see who could do the best dock starts etc. Been skiing ever since (although took a long break in college and several years after that) and recently started wakeboarding and bought my first boat recently. I guess you can say it has always been a part of my life.

Sodar

07-05-2007, 03:53 PM

My granddad owned a couple shipyards and My dad was a naval architect/engineer so, to say I have been on boats my entire life is a literal statement!! When I was 6, my parents bought a house on a lake and a 1986 Commander with a 225hp Outboard. Funny thing was, I was probably the only kid that HATED to go to the lake... I always liked the ocean way more. When I was about 10yrs old, I learned to ski.... I was in love immediately!!

RexDog1

07-05-2007, 03:57 PM

I was 7 or 8 and mom skied when she was young, so my dad bought a
Glasspar Outboard,:headbang: LOL
and I learned in your stomping grounds Sodar…. “Marine Stadium”
I think that is why I love to take my boat out with my kids, the good times I had with my mom and dad :D

JKTX21

07-05-2007, 04:04 PM

I've been around water as long as I can remember, but mostly as a fisherman and skier second.

The real obsession started in college when my roommate brought home a beat up '87 Prostar 190.... He provided me with the information that MC is the real deal and the rest is history!

dougl

07-05-2007, 04:05 PM

Went camping with a friend that had a 10ft aluminum fishing boat. I was able to talk my girlfriend (now wife) into selling her honda and buying a Jeep Cherokee, moving from a house we were renting to a townhouse (less rent to pay for boat) and bought our 1st boat, 84 Seaswirl I/O. Great runabout, had a 150hp v6 but was still able to pull a 225lb buddy of mine on a single ski. Pretty good ski wake for an I/O.

6ballsisall

07-05-2007, 04:10 PM

Grew up taking an annual camping trip for 1-2 weeks to Lake Mcaunahay (sp??) in Nebraska. My family had been going there since before I was born. I was a kneeboard fanatic until I was about 5 when I learned to ski on two skis behind a "gulp" PWC. The first boat that I remember our family having was a late 60's Glastron w/ a 115hp Johnson outboard.

east tx skier

07-05-2007, 04:47 PM

This is easily my favorite thread started this year. Nice work, Sodar!

/BUMP

Prostar in Michigain

07-05-2007, 05:04 PM

ya its my favorite to

pilot02

07-05-2007, 05:12 PM

We used to rent a cabin on Deep Creek Lake in Maryland every year for the last week in August. Dad always rented a boat while we were there to fish and ski. My sister learned there and I tried the last summer we went (I was 9) but didn't get up. The next year my dad was transferred to Louisiana and he vowed to buy a boat which turned out to be a 21' Galaxy I/O 170 hp. I learned that summer to ski on 2. Saw someone barefoot and then proceeded to teach myself. Learned to Slalom and a neighbor had a 78 or 79 S&S that had been a promo boat and he took me to ski on the same lake that BrianM currently ski's on. Loved the boat, started skiing more and more and buying his wifes slalom's every other year.. skied with the ski team in college and the rest is history!

pq2

07-05-2007, 05:18 PM

My parents had boats before I born. My father just to have a woden Chris Craft in a lake near Mexico City. When they came to cancun to live they bought a Cuddy Nautique and my brother and sister learn to ski in that one, I remember that they also just to pull all of us on a windsurfing board. At 7 some friends teach me how to ski in slalom and tricks in a ski suprime. Then in 88 my father bought a barefoot nautique 2001. On february of 2006 my brother bought the PS197. My parents just to race sailboats since they were young and also my brothers and I so we have being in boats all our life. Living in cancun its easy.

M-Funf

07-05-2007, 05:31 PM

I was born into a boating family, too. I've been around boats all my life. We would go to Lake Almanor in Northern CA every year for a month. My parents started going about 5 years before I was born. I would spend all my time on or in the water. I started skiing at age 4 behind a small (read=5hp) aluminum fishing boat. I was too skeered to ski behind the "big" boat, but overcame that quick...Started driving the boat at around 7 with supervision, 9 or 10 without. Pulling skiers started at 12 with supervision, and without at around 14 or 15. Of course, by "supervision", I mean that one of the older kids (probably 16 or 17) was in the boat with us...or skiing behind it :rolleyes:

We skied behind the "big" boat until just 5 years ago:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid191/p52c2499976b7b6e0e893015f7f658aea/f1ce78b6.jpg

It's still in the family, and my cousin's kids are learning to ski behind her now up in the Northwest...

I sorta wish I had kept that old boat, but I really couldn't justify keeping it after I bought the MC.

I bought the S&S because the wake is about like the wake behind the old Tahiti. I also bought it because I love the classic style...:cool:

RexDog1

07-05-2007, 05:34 PM

This is easily my favorite thread started this year. Nice work, Sodar!

/BUMP

I 3rd this :toast:

Thank you Sodar! :D :D

sanjuan23

07-05-2007, 05:35 PM

Grew up on Sailboats that my dad had for as long as I could remember. One year there was a ski show in the Marina so we went to check it out. First time I had ever seen an inboard ski boat. 1984 MasterCraft Stars and Stripes and wanted one ever since then. We had various other boats in the family, but the 92 is the first one I can officially call "mine"

Sodar

07-05-2007, 05:51 PM

First time I had ever seen an inboard ski boat. 1984 MasterCraft Stars and Stripes and wanted one ever since then. We had various other boats in the family, but the 92 is the first one I can officially call "mine"

I know that feeling!! Our neighbors got the first MC on our lake... it was a 1995 PS 190 with a black hull and turquoise accent (they still have it). I remember them coming over and asking me if I would observe for them (I was in 8th grade, they were just out of college and married). I was sooooooo stoked, so I jumped from our dock onto the swimstep of their boat... ended up falling straight on my arse and embarrassing myself in front of the hottie of a wife!! From that day on, the 1995-1997 PS 190's were the essence of an MC for me. After working for 3 summers as a deckhand on the ferry, I saved up enough money to buy a reposessed 1996 PS 190 Corvette!! I will never forget the first day I put my new MC on the lake and drove by my next door neighbor's house and waved!!! :D :D :D

bobbyB

07-05-2007, 06:26 PM

My fam didn't have a boat, but I was able to acheive addiction non the less....here's how.

1st exp. on a boat= 6 people in a 12' aluminum and my 300lbs uncle was driving in the back. We only had a couple of inchs of freeboard at the transome, so everytime we slowed down water came in:confused: As an 8 yr old, I figured we were going down.....needless to say, I destinctly remember knowing exactly how far from shore we were that whole trip.

2nd exp= 13 and D & M payed a guy to take me skiing. Popped right up on the first try and made the quick transition from "every man for himself, she's goin' down" to "can't wait to do that again!" Hook was set.

3+ exp= Rode with and drove on a few friends boats till I was 28 and could afford to buy my own. 18' Mirage runabout. Good boat, but we were going to kill it with what we were doing to it.

Three years ago finally bought the MC and got into hydrofoiling at the same time. Haven't looked back since. Now my 17 yr old drives boat about as well as me:( I did say "about"!;)

Harvey

07-05-2007, 06:38 PM

I learned to ski behind a I/O bayliner that a friend of mine had. I popped up on my second try double skiing at age 13. I was hooked on the lake and spent time with my buddy skiing. I actually learned to wakeboard on what looked like two skis stuck together with a pair of sandle bindings behind a jet ski.

My dad bought the family our first real boat in 94. It was a 1989 Ski Challenger we bought for $5K without an interior. The boat turned out to be a lemon who the previous owner had neglected. It had a cracked block just below the intake manifold which produced a milky mix. So after a fixed block and a new interior we discovered that the upper hull was coming lose from the bottom hull and thus I learned how to rivet like a madman. After a summer of fun and hell we sold it. (Irony here is the friend we sold it to still has it and I see it on a local lake on occasion.)

I learned the ways of the world with a 1996 PS205 that we bought in 2000. I bought that boat and aside from upgrades that boat was awesome. I actually sold it and made money. Since then I have had two more Mastercrafts and I plan on keeping the one I have and raising my kids on the water.

wtrjock

07-05-2007, 07:02 PM

Moved to Oregon when I was 4 years old in 1977. Dad bought a cheap 1990s Seaswirl with a cracked block. He put a Renault 4 banger in it. The old Seaswirl, we called Little Red, had a hand crank up I/O.

In 1985 my sister and I convinced my Parents to quit smoking. They took the $150/month they were spending on cigarettes to the Boat Show and bought a 1985 Seaswirl 18foot I/O. I adopted the boat about 4 years ago as my parents didn't use it much anymore.

In 2005 we traded in the 20 years old Seaswirl for our 2005 X10. It was a sad day, but also a happy day. It was the end of an era and a start of a new era. I grew up in that Seaswirl. I learned every watersport there was, and even started wakeboarding behind the I/O!

André

07-06-2007, 08:20 AM

Parents were not boaters.At 12 ,we visited an aunt that was renting a cottage on a lake.The boat had a 40 hp Johnson wich seems like a monster at that time.Got up on my third try ,made around the lake and never skied again until i was 25 behind a friend's cuddy with a 4.3 liters.
Got hooked on skiing,bought a copy of a Glastron SS150 with a Merc 85 hp.Then upgrade to a bigger outboard with a Johnson V4 140.Did a complete restoration of that boat,blew engine twice,change for a Mercury 115, and blew the Merc too!
And finally,left life in the city for living fulltime on a lake.Best decision of my life!!!
Bought my MC in 02 after 12 years of drooling over the backcover of Waterski Mag .
Not much of a boater anymore,much more a skier!:)

kdr

07-06-2007, 08:57 AM

My parents have had a lake house at Rough River in Ky since before I was born. I was on the boat when I was two weeks old and been loving it ever since. I learned to kneeboard behind a 17' glastron with a 75 hp johnson outboard. I tried two skies for two summers and could never keep my legs together. Got up on the slalom on my second try and loved it. I got an HO comp SL and had a great time behind the deck boat that replaced the glastron. I learned to wakeboard on a yellow skurfer behind my neighbors boat. I bought a connelly blade runner that winter and never used the ski again. I bought my neighbors 94 205 (first comp boat I had ever been on) two years ago when they decided to sell everything lake related. I then sold it in a year when I came across a great deal on a 99205V. Right after I bought the 205V, I got real lucky and came across a lakefront home for sale that was actually in my price range and the size I wanted. I've been living 80 feet from the water's edge for year now and I can't imagine living any other way now.

h2oskifreak

07-06-2007, 09:10 AM

Hey Soder, Did you ever spend time at any of the lakes in Newberry Springs, CA? I skied there in the early 80's in a Western Regional. Your name sounds very familar.

beatle78

07-06-2007, 09:11 AM

Parents had/have aq summer cottage on a lake. They couldn't afford a ski boat, so all I had was a row boat, canoe, and Sunfish.

My uncle bought a 18' Regal when I was 11 or 12 and tought me how to ski. I also had friends from church teaching me to ski around the same time. LEarned to Slalom ski a few years later. Tried wakeboarding in 1999/2000 and was hooked. Barely ski'd since.

Bought my first boat in Fall of 2004 - 2001 BU Response. Bought our house on a lake 2 months later (to go with the boat of course)
Sold the BU 2 years later and got the wakeboarding boat I've always wanted, my 2001 MC 205V SWEET!!!!

jwchapman

07-06-2007, 09:14 AM

I skied a couple of times in high school with friends but my parents weren't boaters so it wasn't much. Then in college (Georgia Tech) I stayed and went to school the summer of my 2nd year. I was sitting around the frat house one afternoon and one of my fraternity brothers who was president of the ski team said "Hey - want to go to the lake this afternoon?" Sounded good - I was instantly hooked. Started skiing with them 4 or 5 days a week. I could run the course, ride out a jump and ski a (very) small trick run by the end of the summer and started competing on the team that fall and for the next 3 years. It was great fun - the tournaments are about half skiing and half either hanging out at the lake or partying on Saturday night (at least it was like that in the 80s). Made for some rough Sunday morning jumps but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Now I have an old Mastercraft, cabin at the lake and a great family to enjoy it with - I'm unbelievably grateful for our time on the water.

tex

07-06-2007, 09:25 AM

I'm waiting for the person who fesses up and admits that his Daddy bought him a fully loaded X-star because his buddy had one and they had never even seen someone wakeboard/ski in person.

RexDog1

07-06-2007, 09:46 AM

I'm waiting for the person who fesses up and admits that his Daddy bought him a fully loaded X-star because his buddy had one and they had never even seen someone wakeboard/ski in person.

Tex the sad part is there are kids out there…. but they only used it one or two times
And now it sits in the garage with the Dirt Bikes, Sea Doo and Sports Car :(

Jkelly

07-06-2007, 10:25 AM

My dad bought our first boat when I was 3. It was a tri-hull with an 75Hp Johnson, do not remember what brand it was. I learned to ski when I was 6. The boat died when I was 14, floor rotted out, motor blew up. We could not afford to replace it so I thought my skiing days were over. At 17 my uncle became a game warden over a lake in our home town, he introduced my to a guy who had a brand new 1990 Prostar 190. I ski with them the that summer and fell in love with MC.
I joined the Air Force that fall and did not ski again until 2004. I met another guy who had a 04 Sport Nautique, they introduce me to wake boarding and I remember how much I loved water, after a summer of skiing with them I told my wife that fall to hang on, we were getting a boat. I just did not realize how expensive they had gotten, so I spent the next couple of months looking at MC (new) and actually thought about buying a moomba due to price, but I knew I would not be happy unless I found a way to get back into my first love. In February of 05 I stumbled across Bennett's Ski school web site which is also a MC dealer. They use their boat for the school the sell them the next spring. And there it was a 04 197 with a tower, only 300 Hrs, perfect pass,full factory warranty and it was blue to match my truck. I contacted them and was told to come to the boat show that weekend and we could talk. It was my wife's birthday so the last thing she wanted to do was go to a boat show. But she agreed so we went and bought the boat. Now that was not here idea of a birthday present, but now after two summers of family fun and getting to see the smiles on our kids faces when they get up for the first time see says it was the best birthday present she has ever agreed to.

Sodar

07-06-2007, 10:28 AM

Hey Soder, Did you ever spend time at any of the lakes in Newberry Springs, CA? I skied there in the early 80's in a Western Regional. Your name sounds very familar.

Yeah, we have a house out there. You probably skiied on Wet Set or Sundown for the Regionals... we are not on a tournament lake, just a private lake out there. We did not get out there until 1989 though, so I think you were a little before my family's time.

h2oskifreak

07-06-2007, 11:35 AM

Sodar

07-06-2007, 11:55 AM

Practiced on Wet Set and skied the Regionals on Sundown. Also, skied a lake that had been lined w/ chicken poo (does Barton's sound right?).
Great little community. When I was there three wheelers and four wheelers were everywhere and you could "high jack" on and visit other lakes. Do they still have that, or was that just for the Regionals?

Barton= Horton... Dr. Horton's lake has really cleaned up and is a nice facility now, plus he offers medical services out of the operating room in his house!! He has stitched me up more than a few times!!

Yeah, the community is still pretty cool. Dirtbikes and stuff are still around to cruise the different lakes during tournaments. However, I am getting tired of doing circles and find myself driving out to the Colorado River more than I go to Newberry. Our lakehouse is currently for sale and we are looking for property to start a new lakehouse on the river... but growing up in Newberry was really an awesome experience. I cannot believe the stuff we got away with out in the middle of the desert!!

pkskier

07-06-2007, 12:04 PM

Growing up my parents had a houseboat that was floated on 55 gal drums (eventually sunk) and then bought a mobile home at PK. Learned to ski at 6 behind a heavy fiberglass 18' boat pushed by a 50 horse Mercury outboard. Been around PK since I was born see no reason to leave.

h2oskifreak

07-06-2007, 12:09 PM

Glad to hear the Horton lake has gotten better. Every time I drive by on the hwy. I have fond memories of that site. Some serious "top dogs" of the day flew in for that Regionals. I do remember the heat, 115-117 the whole week. Maybe that's why you were so crazy in the desert.

peason

07-06-2007, 06:51 PM

Went to the river with neighbors when I was 11 or 12, had a blast but don't think I ever did get up on ski's -it was pretty rough out. Several years later, in highschool went out with some friends and skied some on the river. My wife's best friend married a die hard skier from Wisconsin, that came from a water skiing family. After going to bachelor parties and weekends with thier family, learning to barefoot -I was thoroughly hooked. Found a used 1984 Ski Nautique 2001 sitting at a car dealer ship in Illinois and bought it, had the boat for 10 years along with 4 kids. Moved to Minnesota and used the lake every weekend - needed a larger boat to accomodate all the gear and friends and bought a brand new 2001 - 209. Now we live on a lake and thank God every day that we are fortunate enough to being living our dream.

Kaser

07-06-2007, 07:15 PM

My mom was barefooting while pregnet with me... we have pictures...

the rest is all history. ;)

pilot02

07-06-2007, 07:34 PM

TMCNo1

07-06-2007, 08:30 PM

We started boating and skiing in 1955, when my father and uncle bought a old racing inboard and rebuilt it, the my father bought a inboard built at Drexel furninure in 1958 from Chris Craft plans thatr had a 1957 Chevrolet Power Pack 265 in it. In 1978 Lynn and I bought our first boat and our 18 year old ProStar is our 2nd inboard.

clevan

07-06-2007, 09:46 PM

I cannot remember a time when we didn't have a boat. My dad was a dedicated sailor, was not on a powerboat until I was 16. Went out to a friends lake house and got up on a ski the first time, been hooked ever since. I bought my first boat in 1978, it was an I/O and owned I/O's until last summer when I bought an '88 PS 190. My only regret is that I didn't have the sense to buy one 20 years ago!

Jet

07-07-2007, 12:02 AM

Great thread idea !

My parents bought a house on a lake after I was born, so water was part of my life for about 20 years after which I moved out. I had a Sunfish (sailboat), did some catamaran, went boating a thousand times on the ocean and Lake Champlain on my uncle's boat ( a 58 footer Chris Craft).

Buying a boat has been a dream of mine for the last 20 years, and I was able to convince the family last fall. This is our first boat, and it is an amazing experience for everyone in the family. We are hooked and we had never tried wakeboarding before...

Prostar in Michigain

07-07-2007, 12:04 AM

Hey jet i love the avatar great movie

redmike

07-07-2007, 02:07 AM

Every summer family would camp at Bass lake in Ca, friends had an old 55 plywood boat with a 35 merc, learned to double on that. In high school, bought a basket case Tahiti 21' jet with a froze motor for $700 and ran that until I went into the navy. Got the bug again, decided to get the boat I had always wanted before I got too old to use it, so bought the mastercraft....

pilot02

07-07-2007, 06:01 AM

I'm waiting for the person who fesses up and admits that his Daddy bought him a fully loaded X-star because his buddy had one and they had never even seen someone wakeboard/ski in person.

Tex, we thought that was YOU!!

Sorry, couldn't resist... lol

Jkelly

07-07-2007, 09:40 AM

That is just absolutely frickin awesome!! I may be biased, but this post absolutely embodies the whole point of skiing, and although I do love the mc family etc., as I see it, the whole point is the enjoyment and the experiences with the kids....

Thank you!
On a sidenote, Jay and his wife have a great school etc. and I just saw that the INT Nationals are going to be there this year. Several of the people I skied with in college actually worked there in the summers....

They are good people too, we are thinking of letting the kids go there for a week next year.
We still go by time to time and watch a few tournaments.

RexDog1

10-30-2007, 12:40 PM

With all the new people on TT

BUMP,,,,,,,,,:D

ttu

10-30-2007, 12:52 PM

starting skiing in 75 (age 9) behind a 1975 glastron carlson 16. very patient aunt at table rock lake in missouri.

dad bought a 76 baja with a 90hp merc followed by a 79 mc.

wife (now ex) didn't like the lake but prefered the country club. as soon as the divorce was done bought my first inboard for the kids and myself to enjoy.

ShamrockIV

10-30-2007, 01:21 PM

We got our first housebot in 1980!! I have been to Center Hill Lake just about every weekend when i was not in another country since then!! Now i really enjoy the fact that my kids and wife love to go to the lake!!! I hope they grow to love the water as much as i do!! as soon as i can get them to ski it will be even better!!

If anyone is visiting Middle TN or lives here PM me!!

uawaterskier

10-30-2007, 01:39 PM

My dad skiied all through college and before then. My grandfather always had a boat. I first started skiing when I was 3 or 4. Although there are pictures of me as a toddler standing on the top of the skies that dad was on. We had that "other" ski boat as I grew up. Got into wakeboarding for a little while. Then we sold it and just bought our a MB Sports.

edit:All of this was on lake guntersville

Willski

10-30-2007, 01:50 PM

Kind of interesting for me. I think my dad was kind of a boat person growing up along the river. When I was growing up, we didn't have a boat, but some of my parent's friends did. I learned to ski at age 6 with full size skis! My parents bought their first boat when I was about 11. 1978 Four Winns. Moved up to a 1986 Celebrity, then a 2001 Mariah. They sold it this summer. They are done boating, but I'm not! I bought my first boat in 1997 at age 25. 1984 MC. Still have it!!

Mikey

10-30-2007, 01:54 PM

I have been boating with my dad since before I can remember. He has always had big fishing boats on Lake Superior. I remember my first time on skis was when I was 8, skiing behind a 26' 1988 Bayliner Trophy. I was so hooked on skiing that I would ski on the way to the fishing spot then when we were done fishing I would ski all the way back to the marina. Before the summer was over I was getting up on one ski behind that big old boat. Not exactly a world class ski wake though. When I moved away from home after high school the first thing I did was buy my own boat. It was a 17 foot bass boat. I found out that I didnt have the patience for bass fishing and all I was doing was ski/wakeboarding so I sold it after a few years and bought the MC. Thats my story.

lanier92prostar

10-30-2007, 02:21 PM

I learned to pair ski on Lanier when I was 7 behind a 14 foot 50 hp outboard. I learned to slalom when I was 12 by dropping a ski. The first time I got up on a slalom, my dad dumped me because he thought I couldn't. My first and current MC got me out of college by motivating me to make grades so I could buy it. My second year of teaching I bought it in 1992 and it still sits in my garage.

Slinkyredfoot

10-30-2007, 02:40 PM

My dad was pretty much a true laker...always rented a house on Lake Wawasee for years until my parents finally bought a place. I learned to ski at age 6 behind a 16' Lone Star with a 40hp Evinrude outboard. and full size Hedlund skis Still have slide pictures of first time I learned to ski that we get out and reminese about each Christmas..good old memories

Muttley

10-30-2007, 02:53 PM

My dad loved to fish. I spent the better part of my youth first on an 8' fiberglass cartopper with a 6 hp Evinrude, then a 12' Alum. Springbock with that same motor. Although I like being on the water, my father ruined fishing for me as I'd have to get up at 4 am and be totally bored until we came back at 11. Then he made me clean all the fish he caught. :mad: The only saving grace was once in a while being allowed to go out and buzz around Drew Harbour on my own.

Then, as most of us do, I grew up, got married had kids... domestic bliss, yada, yada... but I was always looking for an excuse to get out on the water. The problem was this mentality I grew up with. What's the point of a boat if you don't fish??

Then I bought my second house. My neighbour had an '89 Malibu Euro F3. Well, we got to know each other and the two couples started vacationing together at a ski mecca near Kelowna, BC. I eventually had to learn to drive, then ski, kneeboard, wakeboard, etc., if I wanted to be in his cool boat. I got all my own gear and we started even going with him on week nights in the summer. I even started to get pretty good, at a recreational level anyway.

Then the unthinkable happend. He sold his boat and bought a Harley! At the same time, I was starting up my own business and I knew I was going to need an escape. I bought a '79 17 1/2' Swiftsure for $8500, which I taught my kids to ski on. Our vacations centred around where we could use the boat.

15 years later, it was getting hard to find people to go with. The kids were growing up and the boat was getting old so I sold last May for $7000. $100 a year was pretty good I thought.

Then the wife says "You're getting another boat, right?"

I said, "Why? We are down to using it for 2 weeks and 2 weekends out of the year! It's hardley worth it." Mind you, in my mind I was thinking for those 2 weeks, it's damn near indispensible. ...And I do like my toys and I did miss skiing.

Then my 18 year old daughter pipes up. "Ooh! Now we can get a bow rider!" and joins her mother in jumping all over me to get another boat.

Women. :rolleyes:

I figured if they're going to make me buy another boat, I'm going to get the dream. A top end tournament ski boat, like my buddys. My wife had started getting chummy with a co-worker of hers that had a Malibu Iride, who convinced her that was the way to go. Bonus!

It took me 3 1/2 months to find the perfect boat. Just last month I bought a mint condition Black '92 Prostar 205 with 400 hours. I even managed to get it out twice, once last Saturday, before I have to winterize it.

My interest is renewed and I'm looking forward to next year. :D

Plymouth Family Guy

10-30-2007, 03:48 PM

Growing up in central Minnesota, I was surrounded by lakes. The first boat my parents had after my sister and I were born was a 16' 1970 Starcraft with a 75 hp Evinrude. If I remember correctly, this boat had push button shifting on the throttle mechanism. I learned to tandem ski behind this boat when I was four. In 1975 or 1976, my parents bought a 16' 1972 Glastron with a 115 hp Johnson. A few years after that, my dad replaced the Johnson with a 115hp Evinrude. I was slaloming at age 6 and barefooting at age 8 behind this boat. The Glastron workhorse served our family until 1992 when my parents bought a brand new Sea Ray Ski Ray with a 175 hp Mercury outboard which they still have. Now that my dad is retired, he rebuilds antique/classic boats. I have helped him on a 1941 Chis Craft, 1953 Century, 1936 Chris Craft and his current project, a 1947 Century Sea Maid.

I bought my first boat, a 2002 Mastercraft Maristar 210, this past spring. As my wife says, it is the boat that took 11 years to purchase. We were in no rush since we could use my parent's Ski Ray when we wanted to go boating. Also, we wanted to wait until our kids were old enough to enjoy it. We are extremely happy with our Mastercraft. My three daughters, ages 6, 4, and 1 enjoy spending time on the lake. The six year old has been up on two skis. My two older daughters actually kissed the bow of the boat "goodnight" when we put it in storage for the winter three weeks ago.

Mikey

10-30-2007, 03:53 PM

Now that my dad is retired, he rebuilds antique/classic boats. I have helped him on a 1941 Chis Craft, 1953 Century, 1936 Chris Craft and his current project, a 1947 Century Sea Maid.
.

:cool: Do you have any pics of these boats that you would like to share?

Plymouth Family Guy

10-30-2007, 04:45 PM

I'll try to find some pictures of the woodies. Give me a day or two to see what I can find.

AirJunky

10-30-2007, 05:52 PM

Had sailboats as a kid. Bought my first one for $100 when I was 13.

Then bought my first motor boat at 23 when my younger brother started working for what was then called HO Skis. We played with various toys including the old HO Mach I, the original Hyperlite board & in 1993, the original Air Chair.

Met Murphy shortly after that & it was all downhill from there.

76S&S

10-30-2007, 06:20 PM

Learned to ski at age 8 behing a 14' Glastron fishing boat. Two years later my parents moved us to the river (had something to do with my sister sneaking out at night). The river place came with an OLD Hydrodyne I/O. I learned to slalom behind that boat and we used it until I was about 15. Then in 79' they purchased a 76 S&S (which dad passed on to me). I learned to barefoot, run the course, jump and trick behind that one.........fast forward to a few years ago and my twin boys learned to ski behind the S&S and last year the whole family (at that time) learned to wakeboard.

This summer I bought a 02' X Star and we added another member to the family..............times are goood!!!!!!!!!

rwoznock

10-30-2007, 07:56 PM

My dad bought his first boat back in 1968, I was 7. He didn't have a lot of money so he bought this old wooden thing with a 33 hp Scottatwater motor. It had the bottom coated with fiberglass sheets that someone had hand layed on and painted over. He taught me how to ski that same year. I can remember one time where I was skiing behind it and the fiberglass sheets started peeling off the bottom! I had to get out of the way so I didn't hit them. LOL! From there I was hooked! He died just 9 years later and left me his 16' Alpex which I quickly upgraded. After owning a Alpex, 2 Dixie's, a Century and now a Mastercraft. I think I've finally found the one I like best!

87MCProstar

10-30-2007, 08:17 PM

my father grew up on the lake i still ski today...my grandfather had a place there until i graduated high school...so basically i learned to ski when i was 2...had a severe accident and with my dad and stoped for a long time...learned how to ski behind 16' Glastron with a 150 Merc, learned how to one ski behind an 85 stars and stripes when i was 12...barefoot at 13...bought my own MC at 25...

Michael Epp

10-30-2007, 08:30 PM

First experience boating was in the early 1960's. My father loved to be on the water. We had a cabin at a nearby lake and also trailered our boat to Kelowna, BC (only Canadian stop on the MC Pro Wakeboarding Tour). The last boat he owned was a 1962 Glaspar with a 100 hp Merc (first production year). My father died unexpectedly in 1965...I was 10. But the boating memories remained strong. Bought my first boat in 1996 (Glastron 170)...to relive my childhood memories with my own children. The first trip down the lake was an emotional experience. Still making memories for my wife and our 5 children. Can't think of a better family memory making experience than boating. Just bought a lake property this past summer (Shuswap Lake, BC). On my 5th boat in 11 years...just can't get enough...the relentless pursuit of perfection. Our 07 X-15 is the perfect boat for our family. We also loved our 04 X-10 and the previous O/B; I/O; and Malibu direct drive. I have a "passion" for the boating lifestyle that I owe to my father. Someday I'm going to tell him all about it!!

cbryan70

10-30-2007, 08:58 PM

Well my dad owned a boat "pre me" got out of it but his brother just happend to be in the mastercraft boat sales buisness, has a 89 mastercraft from day one. Started skiing the same place i still ski today on the river. Learned to knee board and ski when i was around 5 or 6 did that till i was about 9 or 10 then took a long break with only the rare outing due to alot of sports. Eventually got back into it alot my jr and sr year in highschool when i "switched friends" best friend has a centurion, started skiing and messing around on two skis eventually just dropped a ski and actually stayed up on it for the first time since i was about 8 or 9. After that the addiction started. Two summers of skiing and learning to wakeboard behind that boat and my sophmore year in college i decided i HAD to have a boat...of course my uncle had me hooked on mastercraft because i was brought up around it as well as the other top two due to the ski club he was in. Bought the 1978 skier that my uncle owned and had at his soon to be retirment property basically unseen. Made the trip down to "look at the boat" then made the long road trip back to illinois with it. The funny thing is when i ski on the river i still get the comments "oh YOUR the one that got your uncles boat". There was about a half a dozen people in line before me that wanted it if he ever sold it but family comes first! Owned it for 2.5 summers now and probably have put more hours on it in those summers tehn my uncle did in the 4 or 5 years he owned it. Thats my story...sorry for the chopped up writing just so much excitment and ideas flowing through my head thinking about it!

jlf

10-31-2007, 11:09 AM

I have to say I've enjoyed reading everyone's stories....here's mine....

My Mom's family was always into the boating life. I couldn't tell you what they actually had but I do know it was something like a Sea Ray. All my aunts and uncles skiied, they basically lived on the river all summer. When my Mom and Dad met they always had fishing boats. I've seen pictures of me in the boat still in my car seat so I've been raised on the water pretty much. When I was a child it was always fishing boats for our family, we started with flat bottoms, then moved to fiberglass fishing boats. We never really skied though, tubed a lot. I've sunk a boat, my Dad's fishing boat, on Lake Onalaska in WI. My Mom and Dad got divorced shortly after that so then it was life without a boat for a few years. Then my Mother met my step-father and they bought a 14 foot v-bottom aluminum boat with a 30hp johnson on it. I finally decided I wanted to learn to ski, Mom threw me out the skies she learned on, some old wooden things. I got up on my first try, I must have been somewhere between 15-16 years old. Honestly I thought skiing was sort of boring I made it out of the wakes right away and I don't know how many laps around the lake I made on that first try. Finally I let go of the rope, told Mom to take one of the skies, I wanted to learn to slalom. Mom doesn't know how, only my uncle slalomed. We tried for hours that night. Deep water starts with that old wooden ski behind a 30hp 14' v-bottom boat. I did finally make it up slalom and I loved it. I kept trying all summer until I got pretty consistant at getting up. Then I met my husband at age 21, he was not into the watersports life at all, he grew up on a farm, no where near the water. We took him out with our family, toobing mostly. He liked the water. Then one summer one of his high school friends invited my husband and I out for a weekend of camping. His friend had a 190 MC with a fly high and some fat sacs. They wakeboarded. My husband and I tried wakeboarding. My husband was hooked from that moment on. I spent the rest of that summer just trying to get up on the wakeboard. I only made it up once or twice that summer. The next summer my husband wanted his own boat so him and I bought a brand new '03 18ft Sea Ray, which I kept telling my husband this boat is too small, but he said "It's all we can afford!That summer we also got all our own gear, life jackets and wakeboards, plus I love to ski so I made my husband by me a set of combo skies. Finally!! This is where the pocket book starts to feel the pinch of the love for the water. That boat lasted one summer, at the end of the summer it turns out I was right the boat was too small for wakeboarding, so we traded it back in to the Sea Ray dealer for a brand new '04 20' Sea Ray with a tower on it. This boat did all right for wakeboarding. It too only lasted one summer though. In the mean time I met a friend who was a MC freak and really into slalom and footing. He helped me get into a nice slalom set up and was helping me learn to slalom better. Even got me into a tournament. All he talked about was MC, they are the best...so on and so on. My husband and I got really sick of filling fat sacs all summer on that Sea Ray and we were sort of worried about the abuse the drive was taking with the extra weight from the fat sacs so once again we are on the hunt for a new boat. This time we knew we were going for a V-Drive. With the friend who was very bias towards MC and our friend with his 190 MC, my husband and I make trips to boat shows to find our next boat and we checked out all of them. Malibu, Nautique, Moomba, MC, Tige you name it, we looked at them all. In the end we bought a 2005 MC X-10. We really liked our choice, it has fit us well. We did have some problems with our '05 MC to the point where MC bought our '05 back and built us a new boat. So we currently own a 2006 MC X-10. We love it. I have a descent boat to ski behind and it wakeboards well also. Then in 2006 Lance and I made our first trip down to MM2 and I learned to barefoot and I've been hooked since. Lance tried out the air chair and was hooked. He's been looking at picking up an used one. I finally got my own barefoot gear this summer and I was hoping to learn to foot better at MM3 this year. In the course of life I am now expecting our first child so the footing lessons had to be put on hold this year. We are now going to raise our child on the water. I am looking forward to teaching her to ski, foot, wakeboard and learn to love life on the water just as we do!!! I don't know what we'd do all summer if we didn't have our boat!!

captain planet

10-31-2007, 12:53 PM

There is no way to paraphrase this so here goes.

I have been around the water my whole life. My parents have been members at our boat club on Berlin Res. for 33+ years. My Dad was more of a fisherman than skiier, however when he got out on the slalom ski he could ski pretty well. One memory of my Dad that I will never forget was one day he took our dog and a folding chair out onto "the disk". "The disk" was basically a 4-foot round sheet of plywood that they used to ride in the old days. Anyway, he took the dog out on the disk and sat in the folding chair while going down the lake on the disk at around 15 mph with the dog sitting beside him. Oh yea, he had on his fishing hat and was smoking his pipe at the same time. Priceless. Got some funny looks as you could imagine.

Another memory that I will never forget is my Dad telling me to go over to the Millers and ask Larry what I can get for $20. Larry handed me their old Zip Sled. I can remember walking back to our trailer with that Zip Sled like it was the Lombardi Trophy. I think I was about 5 or 6 years old. To my knowledge, we still have it. I saved money from working at my parents greenhouse and bought myself a HydroSlide so I could keep up with what the other kids were getting up at the club. That was around 1985, I think,

I learned to ski, kneeboard, and slalom behind a 1968 AeroCraft equipped with a 90 hp I/O. Yea, learning to slalom behind that was a bit tough, talk about dragging to get up. That boat, and the boat of my buddy casx2 (oddly enough a 1973 AeroCraft, then 1986 Wellcraft) was/were my tow boats for a number of years. We would take two kneeboards out and jump one another. We also occasionally took out a third without a kneeboard and would make a 3-person pyramid while riding the kneeboard. I skiied behind those boat until sometime around 1987 when I got my own fishing boat. That haulted the skiing for a few years.

Then these new guys started coming out to the club with my brother in the early 90's. Two of the guys were involved with Bubby's Ski Show here in Ohio. Occasionally they would bring out the Malibu from the show and I got back into kneeboarding. Eventually those guys joined the club and one of them (Scott) bought a 1987 MC.

Poor Scott, the FIRST guy in the club with a comp boat. We skiied the arse off that boat. I learned to barefoot beside that boat in 1991 and thought, this footin stuff aint for me. My arse hurts!!!!! Back to the kneeboard where Scott taught me to do a barrelroll.:cool:

Somewhere along the line I got back on a slalom ski after literally 7 years or so of riding a kneeboard and then a wakeboard. Funny thing was, I couldn't remember which foot I put forward.:rolleyes: I'm right footed, so I put if forward. It didn't matter, I hadn't been up on a slalom for so long I had to learn all over again.

I graduated college in 1998 and a year later I bought my 30th Anniversary 190. I got a boom a year later and tried footin again, and was hooked. Now, if I could just get my feet toughened up a bit......

loeweb

10-31-2007, 01:49 PM

My family was in on a 1978 Mark Twain with my Grandparents, and Aunt and Uncle. Boat was a 17 1/2 foot v hull with a 165 I/O Merc. The boat itself made countless trips to Canada for fishing and Missouri for skiing. Brothers and I all learned to ski, kneeboard, and barefoot behind that thing, and it was sad to see it go, but as always onto (not always bigger and) better things. Now proudly own a 1988 190 and cannot wait to teach my kids how to ski and all the fun things that go with boat ownership.

Tourney Team 197

10-31-2007, 02:17 PM

I started when I was 5 behind a 1965 Larson All-American. We called her "Big Blue". It had a 60 HP Merc on it with a two-bladed prop. The best part is, it is still parked in the garage right next to the 197!

Gonzo

03-18-2008, 09:37 AM

How did u fall in love with these boats... Ill start

I have skiied behind other peoples MCs since I was 12 yrs old. We had an inboard outboard that we would wally during the busy hours with, but in the AM or late afternoon it was all stars and stripes. When I got to college I hooked up with the ECU ski team and the pres had an 89 (?) we used. At the tournaments I got funny looks because I was barely skiing into 15off @ 36 in practice and I was still making them change boats at the starting dock if one of those others came up in rotation. after college I would ski when I could with friends but never with regularity. Its been about 12 yrs since college and I just got my own.

TMCNo1

03-18-2008, 09:57 AM

Grew up and learned to ski behind a wooden inboard my parents owned on the Catawba River, Lake Rodehis and Lake James. Got our first boat I/O in 1978, then an inboard of our own in 1985 and the bought the '89 MC after our daughter Traci started competeting in 1988.

wakeX2wake

03-18-2008, 10:01 AM

good one...

growing up we always had i/os and got to be best friends w/ a buddy from church... found out we had something in common outside of church... LAKE... they still have the '93 PS 205... awesome boat!!! fell in love w/ mastercraft then and there... three of us would go out and all take a couple sets on the slalom course that was close to his lake house then literally at the end of the course put the ski up and put on a wakeboard hook the line up to the top of the pole and then wakeboard a couple of sets... finally talked my folks into the iboard game... dad found a '93 maristar 225 and we've had it for about 5+ yrs now... ran across the x2 for sale near here (wasn't looking for a boat at the time)... went to JUST LOOK at it... returned the next weekend w/ a check and a payment... the rest is history

east tx skier

03-18-2008, 10:01 AM

Gonzo, this is one of my favorite topics. Check out this thread (http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=17549).

Sodar

03-18-2008, 10:40 AM

Gonzo, this is one of my favorite topics. Check out this thread (http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=17549).

I just merged them... ;)

jbfootin

03-18-2008, 12:14 PM

Grew up going to my grand parents cabin on a small lake in northern WI. Learned how to ski behind an old out board around 6 yrs old. Loved skiing and kept pushing myself to improve.

My parents built a cottage on the same lake and bought a 16' baja when I was 16. Tried to learn how to foot for the next couple of years and finally got it when I was 18 (parents had to upgrade from 75 hp to 115hp:) ).

Met a friend in college that had a BF Nautique. (Awsome boat) Fell in love with inboards and being able to ski on a boom! Joined a ski team that ran all MCs.

After I got married we lived near lakes and rivers. I was in a figure 8 tourney and getting my butt kicked when my wife said " we should get a boat". I got an "88 PS190 a week and a half later, and have had MCs ever since:D

stuartmcnair

03-18-2008, 12:33 PM

My next door neighbor had a Prostar 190 when I was in high school. Black and white (he still has it). I loved the sound that boat made. I had to have one. Took me 18 years to get one.

Muttley

03-18-2008, 12:42 PM

Wow! All these great stories.

My dad was a sport fisherman and I practically grew up in his 12' aluminum Springbok with the 6hp Evinrude. The problem was I did like the water, but I hated fishing. The only thing that made it worth while was in the afternoon, he'd let me take off in the boat by myself. I loved that part!

When we bought our second house, the neighbour we shared a back fence with had an '89 Malibu Euro f3. He was always looking for a spotter. He was a pretty serious skier and liked to do the slalom course. Next thing a know we're going out twice a week. Suddenly I have all the gear, but no boat. I was getting pretty good and really enjoying it. However there was a serious problem. He didn't like doing the family thing and tubing or kneeboarding the kids. I like that part a lot. The final straw was my bud goes on vacation without me. That's okay, I thought, but deep down I was a little choked. How DARE he!

About a month later, our families go an a weeks vacation together. One drizzley Saturday we decide to go look at boats. I fell in love with this '79 17 1/2', 185 hp Swiftsure, but was too chicken to buy it. That was August of '92. Finally, the Saturday afternoon before Halloween, we were all sitting around having a beer in my kitchen. I was moping and whining how I should have bought the Swiftsure. My bud pipes up and says "Well, call him up! I bet they still have it."

"Nah." I said. "That boat was waayy too cool to still be there". After a little prodding I called. They still had it. The next weekend we did the four hour drive to Kelowna to try it out. That boat lasted 15 years.

I'm looking forward to getting out and putting some hours on my new-to-me dream boat. I just got it last September and I've only had it out twice.

wakeX2wake

03-18-2008, 12:52 PM

boat ownership history... not exactly stellar list but i'm sure there's some out there that will blow this away both ways... interresting to see

---parents---
born('83)-'94 --- '76 Renken skier 21' w/ Mercury I/O<-- learned to ski behind it when i was 4 and have been at it ever since
'94-'97 --- '92 Caravelle 21' w/ Volvo Penta (POS)
'98-'99 --- '88 Monterey 21' (good boat but not still an i/o)
'99-current --- '93 Maristar 225VRS (the flag ship of my parent's boat ownership resume... it's a beast at 22.5 ft long but runs great)

---me---
08/07 --- '07 x2 blue and silver flake w/ switch graphics 350hp MTX w/ all JL audio speakers and amps teak platform (<--my favorite part) bimini top and soon to have transom remote and iPod interface

SkiDog

03-18-2008, 01:03 PM

I started skiing at about 14 yrs old. Took FOREVER to get me up on 2 skis. Did that once or twice. Then went with some guys that literly threw me out the boat with one ski, and told me to get up the first time or swim home! lotta incentive there! I did it! Got up first time. After that, started with another group of guys that are still friends today. Had to have the best ski known to man @ the time, a Cypress Gardens, El Diablo! then move on to the CG, 'Lil Monster'. Thought those were the best, till I heard about O'briens! Had to have one. Ordered a 62", and man was it something! from there I went on to tournament skiing, ski schools, the whole nine yards. Skied so much, I lost intrest. Then about 10 years later, I bought my first of 4 MC's. An 87 Prostar. Kept it for a year, then had to have the 20th anniversary boat known as the 'Platinum Prostar'. Kept that one for about 9 years, won a bunch of awards at Boat owners Reunions in Cypress Gardens, and met some of the GREATEST people you can imagine! Lost intrest again around 1998, and sold the boat for less than $5000.00 of what I paid for it 9 years earlier. Talk about resale value! Bought a 03-X30 back in 05, kept it 2 years, sold it for 2000 less than I paid for it and bought my new X2. My story in a nutshell.

Upper Michigan Prostar190

03-18-2008, 01:10 PM

as uncoordinated as you are, I can see where you couldnt even get up on 2 skis.

Workin' 4 Toys

03-18-2008, 01:13 PM

Great grand parents lived on a lake, a few years later the boat was invented and some folks decided they needed a boat that had more than oars.
Then Grand parents bought there too an bought one of them there motor powered boats, then shortly after, the waterskate sticks were invented.
Then parents bought a few boats and also a few of them there waterskate sticks to put on yur feet.
After that......:D

Somewhere along those lines someone figured out we could take an inner tube from an old tractor wheel, blow it up without the tire, tie a rope around it and drag an unsuspecting fellow around behind the boat. That concept never did take off..:rolleyes:

Gonzo

03-18-2008, 01:22 PM

Took FOREVER to get me up on 2 skis. Did that once or twice. Then went with some guys that literly threw me out the boat with one ski, and told me to get up the first time or swim home!

So Similar, I got up on combos one day and slalomed the next. I was 9, and had started trying to ski when I was 7. Same thing with Footin, tried and tried, then my brother did it and it was just he kick in the pants I needed, I got off the board the next attempt and went further then he did, lol, I wasnt going to let him be known as the skier in the family :D

flipper

03-18-2008, 01:40 PM

Grandpa dragging me around on doubles in the delta when I was about 6 or 7. Been hooked ever since.

LKNMC

03-18-2008, 02:02 PM

back in '96 dad piled us all in the minivan and next thing I know we are out on the lake in a new Sea Ray 210 loved boats ever since then couple boats and a few wakeboarding lessons from the church pastor and we are signing papers on a brand new X-15

jkski

03-18-2008, 04:01 PM

I was extremely fortunate to have parents who were big into family activities and they always had a boat. Growing-up I actually disliked skiing, up until about the age of 14-15 when something just snapped in my head (probably about the time I figured out that I would never be a pro baseball or basketball player) and all of the sudden skiing became so much fun. We had a bunch of different boats growing up the last of which was a 21' EBKO I/O on which I learned to do deepwater footin' starts (hold your breath and hold on).
About 2 months after graduating from college I bought my first inboard, as 1985 (other brand that goes by the initials CC), followed up a few years later by my second, a 1996 CC. Then came the EPIPHANY.... my wife and I attended the Cleveland Boat Show, she sat in the seat of the 2002 MC PS197 and the rest was history as we are on our 3rd MC now!!!
Looking back, I fully realize and thank my parents for having a boat and at times forcing us to go out as a family. It was "forced" family time and can often remember my father saying..."Want to leave, go ahead, swim back!", but we always had a great time and I am certainly thankful for it.
Now, we just try to introduce as many people as possible each year to this great sport and community of boaters.

6ballsisall

03-18-2008, 04:57 PM

I"ve been around boating since I was born. Strangely enough, until i was 5 I was deathly afraid of water. I learned to ski when I was 5 or 6 (cant remember) and ever since have been active in the watersports. We ski'd a ton in private water since I was about 10 and now you can't get me away from the sport!

Slinkyredfoot

03-18-2008, 05:12 PM

I pretty much grew up around water because my dad was a water dog. Our first boat was a 16' Lone Star with a 40hp Evinrude. Had a place on Lake Wawasee in norhten Indiana for years, sold that and bougt a place on Lake Tippecanoe which we still own.

Since the Lone star we owned numerous boats, a Hydrodyne, Glastron, a couple of pontoons, numerous fishing boats, and I personally owned three MC's. a 92 190, 98 205, and a 79 SS.
The only one I still own is the 79 I bought brand new.

I started skiing at age 6, was pretty much a crazy man on skis during my high school and college years, would try anything once and have had many injuries along the way, jumping and barefooting really took its toll.

I guess I have been lucky and blessed to have be brought up on the lake and experience all the fun and good times that go along with this.

I still have the passion for water and hope that my children will keep this spirit alive and pass this tradition along in our family.

I think you will all agree, there are lots of memories and good times on the lake.....

ridesdirt

03-18-2008, 08:49 PM

I have bad mouthed boat owners my whole life. You know the two best days of a boat owners life story, the whole in the water story, etc.

My wife and son had been on me for a couple years to buy a boat. Since our back yard is a septic drain field and we can't install an inground pool, I finally gave in.

I have a buddy who owns a motorcycle shop and he sells watercraft, he hooked me up with a jet boat for a nice price. We used it about 4 weeks. In that time I had completely fallen in love with the lake and boating. So I figured I should get a "real" boat. I did a little research on the internet and talked to a few people I know who own boats. My question was; Who makes the best boat? The unanimous answer was Mastercraft. After a week looking for the right one. I bought an X-Star.

Here is the best part, it was last summer.

Goal is to land a 360 this summer.

03 35th Anniversary

03-18-2008, 09:05 PM

Parents were lake people learned how to get up skiing behind a starcraft and a VIP. Dad's favorite thing to do was play try and kill the smart a$$ 12 yr. olds. My dad would put me and one of my friends on the toob at the end of the day after listening to are mouths all day and just go to town. At times I could here my mom yelling at him to slow down he was going to kill us. Also had a friend that I went to High School with that was into skiing, his parents had a 91 PS 205. Skied behind that a couple of times and I have been hooked on MasterCraft every since.

Lennyp04

03-18-2008, 09:24 PM

wow where to start....

Doug G purchased his X30 in April of 2006. We rode behind that all summer and absolutley loved every moment of it. I had my dad come out with us sometimes just to chill and hang out with us and i was like Dad isnt this such a nice boat...we should get one. Well that lasted all summer and winter and in spring of 07 we dropped our 1986 Wellcraft 180 American into the water in May. Well we used that for about a month and then thats where stuff started going weird. The boat wouldnt start so that was my dads biggest problem....because he has been stranded on the lake and had to swim to shore.

So we took that boat down to Sterling Marina and while we were there my dad says....we should look at the showroom. Well my eyes lit up! Ryan the tri-owner of sterling knew that I was trying to get my dad into an MC but knew it would take alot. So he was up in his office and looked down and saw us and came down. We were crawling around the X-1 and my dad got paper work on it. A week goes by and were gonna go up to the lake again. My dad goes to the bank and takes out a check whcih I didnt know about. Well we get to the lake and my dads like we need to run for groceries so me my friend and my brother go to the marina on the golf cart. The next people I see walk in are my parents. And then the rest is History!

Took an entire year of convincing but it happened. My dad was in love with the X-9, then the X-14 because he didnt like how big the sunpad was in all of the V-drives but my mom conviced him on the X-1!

JohnE

03-18-2008, 09:28 PM

Started skiing in my early teens behind a 50 hp outboard. It was like a dream when my pops bought a 90 hp thundercraft ob when I was 16. from 16 -24 we beat the he// out of that boat. Didn't ski much for the next 10 or so years. In '93 I became friends with a guy with an '88 CC. It was the first inboard I'd ski'd behind. I was looking for a CC in '03 when we ended up "settling" for an '89 prostar.:D Three years later switched to an '88 tristar and a year later went for the 197.

bucky

03-18-2008, 11:32 PM

I was 10 when I first got on a zip sled, then moved to skis at my Aunt Kay's cabin on D'Arbonne in La. Even then, though I didn't have any experience to compare it to, I hated drowning for a couple hundred feet before her bass boat full of my cousins got on plane.
About 2 years later, I was on the lake back in Missouri. My neighbor's boyfriend brought his boat and buddies to the lake, and we all piled on. It was terrible. Only seats for 4, this big hump in the middle, and rode rougher than a cob.
Well, when we got to the middle of the lake, everybody threw out lines and jumped in! Turns out they needed me as an observer while they practiced their 5-man pyramid. Later they let me ski, and it was awesome!
I'd looked for one like it ever since, but just couldn't find the right older Nautique.

So I got a MasterCraft.

tr6coug

03-19-2008, 03:17 AM

All I had to do was get my wife hooked on wake surfing and the I/O was history. Been riding behind MCs for a few years, but even so I checked out a few other brands like BUs and T---s. Those boats just confirmed what I already knew. MC X2.

SunCoast 83

03-19-2008, 08:15 PM

I steppped on to my first pair of Cypress Gardens trainer skis at age 4. I had to learn on the Intercoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale, so I got tough quick. The first inboard boad was my parent's friends 1981 Ski Tique. It was on that boat, equipped with a boom, that I slid off a Hydro Slide and barefooted for the first time at age 6. Barefoot fever grabbed our whole family.

My parents bought their first inboard, a 1985 Master Craft S&S and I entered Barefootind Tournements from 1985 thru 1991. I had the opportunity to grow in skiing, tour most of the country, and meet some great people (Ron Scorpa, Chip Alleger, Zane Schwenk, and others.) With my increasing competition, my parents upgraded at a 1987 ProStar 190 w/ a 454 that we had for many years. In high school, my friends and I had many fond memories, lake parties, & 6am ski runs with the boat my entire high school knew affectionetly as the "Disaster Raft" I dont know why, despite 2 engines and a million hours, the boat was kept in very good condition.

In college I continued to barefoot, including learn to wakeboard on my buddies 85 Nautique. My parents would upgrade MC's two more times with a '99 Sammy Duvall, and more recently a 2006 X-9. I made a promise and worked hard, and in Nov. 2004 my lifelong dream came true as I purchased my very own Master Craft. I have spend much time and money in restoring my 1983 S&S to almost prisitne condition. I'll never part ways with it (maybe I'll buy a second one too :) ) SOmeday I'll have a family of my own, I kept those CG Trainers too. My wife and I be able to pass along our family tradition to our kids growing up behind a Master Craft!!

Jim@BAWS

03-19-2008, 08:21 PM

Well...first came the dinosaurs. Then they died and turned into oil. Then the arabs found the oil and all bought Mercedes Benzs. Then in 1988 I bought a MasterCraft made out of fiberglass and vinyl which are petroleum based products...the rest is history

2RLAKE

03-19-2008, 08:31 PM

I was 18 when I got on skiis behine a Ski Nautique, then bought an I/O my senior year of college. First inboard was an '89 Supra, then another '98 Supra ... met Scott Crutchfield from MC barefooting one day down at the lake (OK you know it wasn't Scott footin) and he kept telling me to get a MC .... well I bought an '02 TT 197 from one of the skiers and got hooked on MC ... one my third one now and found the perfect one ... X14. Interesting how many people we've gotten into skiing over the years and how many into MC ... cleaning up the lake one Malibu at a time is my motto!

SunCoast 83

03-19-2008, 08:45 PM

jipster43

10-11-2009, 10:56 PM

My folks bought a cabin on a lake in the Olympic Mountains in 1975. Having no boat was torture as we watched all the skiing going on, so I suppose the collective howl of five little groms worked its magic on my dad, 'cause he soon showed up with an old Glaspar w/an Evinrude outboard. That boat was awesome! We knew there were other cooler boats on the lake, but that boat rescued us from the sidelines and we loved it. Started skiing that summer on a pair of cut & jumps (full size). I was eight years old and probably weighed no more that 40lbs. I'd yell "hit it!" and would pop up as soon as my dad put the boat in gear! My feet barely stayed in the bindings, so I eventually learned to slalom when one of the skis inadvertantly popped off. Yahoo!

As we got older my folks replaced that boat with a Seaswirl that we called the "Skisquirrel" which was a really good little boat. I loved that boat until I skiied behind a friend's Ski Supreme. I was totally ruined after that. More and more folks started showing up with Nautiques and Mastercrafts and all the knock-offs and the poor Skisquirrel got relegated to "skurfing" duty.

By the time I was in high school my best friends were competitive skiiers, so every day we'd get up at the crack of dawn and charge. It was spectacular. Once we took my friend Gwen's grandpa skiing on his 71st birthday. He flowed through the course at 15' off and smiled the whole time. Not a glimpse of strain crossed his face. It was a pivotal moment in my life. I knew immediately that my goal was to ski at least 15' off through the course when I was 71.

Now I am married and have a three year old daughter, and I'm looking forward to creating similar magical memories for her childhood. There's nothing like boating. It's the ultimate in liesure!

JP :)

Kevin 89MC

10-12-2009, 02:48 PM

I learned to ski at my grandparent's cabin in central MN, behind a 50 hp pontoon. Plenty good for us in the 70's. I learned how to get up on one ski behind a 10 hp fishing boat. I got really good well at holding on and dragging forever, but finally got up! Then an uncle got a Larson with a 115, we thought that was the best!
Didn't ski much after I was about ~16, then one day my sister joins a ski club, and says, do you want to buy a boat together? I was about 27. The ski club used MC's, so we ended up getting one. We were so excited when we got our 1989 PS 190! I learned how to barefoot, wakeboard, trick ski, and finally learned how to really cut on a slalom. We skied a ton those first few years. Finally went through the course at age 29, been hooked on that ever sense. Got my wife back into skiing, and now we have our 8 and 6 year old girls up on skis. Our girls kiss the MC goodnight when we put it away in the fall also. Skiing & boating is the best!
Kevin

tlcrichardson

10-12-2009, 04:44 PM

I was 6 when my parents built a camp on a small pond. My mother was and still is affraid of the water, but wanted us kids to grow up on the water. So dad found an old fibreglass boat with a johnson 40 on it. We wore that thing out as he towed us on a piece of plywood. Then we took a big family trip to Florida and saw a ski show. We were hooked talked dad into buying a 1972 tri hull Glastron with a 90 on it. Wow we were the talk of the pond. Then we got a pair of Cypress Garden wooden skis. We were styling. Then in 1996 my parents sold the camp on the pond and bought a summer home on a larger lake and they purchased a new Glastron with a 305 and we loved it. Loved it when 5 years ago my daughter asked to ski. Now at 13 she lives at the lake with her grandparents for the summer and skies or boards about everyday. Then this past Labor Day Weekend my wife and I brought home a MC Maristar with a tower so all the kids on the lake would have a wakeboard boat. Now next summer will be the REST OF THE STORY? Was a dream come true when I dropped that baby on MY trailer hitch and headed home. Thanks Mastercraft for making dreams come true.

kbob

10-12-2009, 05:18 PM

My grandparents bought a lake house on lake brownwood and had a 1992 15' Glastron with an outboard 1969 115 HP Evindrude. Learned to kneeboard, ski, ride on a tire tube with a rope wrapped around it and ride on pretty much anything that floated haha. My parents eventually boat a 1989 22' Hurricane with a 175hp outboard, which I nicknamed "the tank". We sold it when I was in high school and so for the last 10 years i've been able to go to the lake once or twice a season. When I was in high school, my uncle bought one of the early wakeboards from academy, that had straps to stick your feet in instead of bindings. I had never even seen anyone ride on a wakeboard, but I jumped in the water and turned the board horizontal because I heard that was how to do it. Figured it out after a few tries haha. Been hooked ever since. My last semester in college I had a classmate that had a wakeboarding boat and so we would skip class and hit up the lake. After I graduated I bought my first wakeboard in hopes of finding someone to ride with but my new board sat in my room from august to this april. That new board with dust collecting on it ate at me until I got fed up and boat a truck and a '94 prostar 205. I can't tell you how excited I am to be a part of the MC family now. Its been such a blessing for my family and friends. God has been good!

btriantos

10-12-2009, 05:19 PM

When I was seven, my aunt had a boat (can't remember to save my life what kind it was) and they took us skiing on the Delta. I got my first time on double skiis and was hooked. It would be a long time before I went again, but ended up giong on a couple houseboat trips with my cousin in my late teens/early 20's. We had a blast on Jet Ski's, a thing called a Jet Mate, a couple of ski boats, and tried single skiing....rehooked again. It wasn't until 2000 when I bought my first boat. It was a Reinell open bow 201L. I had three little ones, and liked the flexibility of the boat and the safety of the high gunwhales. We had that for four years, and really got good at slalom skiing...My cousin and I tried wakeboarding one summer (2003), and I have not been back on my single ski since. I had to sell the Reinell because of my divorce, and was boat less for a couple years. My cousin bought a beautiful Malibu 23XTI, and I knew I wanted a dedicated wakeboarding boat. other friends had talked to me about Mastercraft...thier quality and resale value, but alway thought it was a bit out of reach. Well, I am engaged now, and my fiance and I went and looked at Mastercraft and Malibu... The total experience was a no brainer for us, as the MC dealer, here in the Bay Area, did an excellent job setting us up and getting a really good deal on our X-30. We are so hooked, and now all of the kids are wakeboarding and surfing. It has brough us some really good family times...on top of it, my cousin bought a houseboat, and now we are totally spoiled!

Double D

10-12-2009, 05:45 PM

Good thread. Come back to life. Here is my short story:

Parents owned a.........dont know.......60's something wood Sportcraft?? maybe, with a 50 hp Evenrude. We would camp and boat up at Berlin Res. from the time I was born (around 1967) to when I was about, I dont know, 8 or 10, which is about 1977. My older brother and sister were always dressed in our orange, around the neck, life preservers, and both my parents would ski with their round-the-waste flotation devices, and were pretty good. Dad would slalom on his old wooden ski and pull that boat everywhere. We had no swim platform or deck so they would have to climb over the side of the boat to get in. That used to scare the crap out of us kids since we thought the boat was going to tip over. I only tried to ski once behind that boat but couldn't keep the ski on due to an injury. Well, after that my dad sold the boat to someone on Lake Cable in Jackson Township and I was never again on the water or near a boat until 1991 when my brother returned from 8 years in the Marine's.

While he was in the service he met up with a guy, Steve Wise, who used to comp ski and also did shows for Sea World. Steve owned an 86 CC, and his friend owned an 88 MC (or vise versa since I wasn't there) and they invited him to ski one day. Well he got hooked and ended up buying himself a 79 Ski Tique. He enjoyed himself in the Jacksonville, FL area for many years until he came back to Ohio in 1991, bringing his boat with him and introducing me to the comp world of waterskiing.

Being beginners, we would travel to Portage Lakes and drop ski's at 9 AM and just two ski and slalom. We would then try out Springfield Lake in Akron but got a ticket for speeding after 7 PM. We gradually worked our way back to Berlin and started kneeboarding as well as skiing. He owned the boat until 1999 when he sold it to someone on Berlin so he could build a deck. During that time we Ski'd, Slalomed, Kneeboarded, and barefooted and learned the best areas of Berlin to partake in all this fun. The boat is still on Berlin, sometimes.

From 1999 until 2001 I was forced to ski behind my sisters boat which was a 1988 WellCraft 210. It had enough power but not as much torque and when I ski'd I would pull the back of that boat all over the place. I could never find a good wakeboard wake, and barefooting was out of the question.

Then in 2001 I was looking for my own boat. I told the wife I wouldn't be happy with anything but a comp boat, and that I would seach for an open bowel model. I mainly searched for Correct Craft Sport Nautiques because I my experience on the Tique but Chris at Ron's Marine said he had a MC that I should see. So that July of 2001 we traveled up to Ron's Marine and looked at my 1994 PS205 that was Blue, Gray and Rasberry (Not Pink) and took it for a test drive. Bought it the next day and picked it up a few days later.

Since then I refurbished the trailer, bought a wakboard, a barefoot boom, started wakeboarding so I added the Monster Tower and then the Perfect Pass, wrecked the back corner during a storm, broke my ankle wakeboarding, and built the boat a new home. I dont plan on quitting anytime soon and my son is into wakeboarding so that will keep us out there.

My brother got his a$$ back into it in 2002 and bought his current 1999 Ski Nautique. You'll see either of these boats at Berlin as much as possible.

ahhudgins

10-12-2009, 09:38 PM

I didn't get on a pair of skies until I was 17. It was fun but my buddy had an old Glastron tri-hull that would drag you around for an hour before getting on plane. About a year later my girl friend (now ex-girl friend) introduced me to a guy with a 78 S&S. All it took was one pull behind that boat and I was hooked. All I could afford at the time was 15ft "Dixie" with a 85HP Mercury. All it had was a speedo and a steering wheel and seating for 4!! Worked my way up to a 79 S&S, then a 87 Pro Star, now with a bigger family I have the 95 Maristar 200. My ex-girl friend couldn't believe that I continued to go to the lake and ski with "her friends" but I told her that they didn't mind if she didn't come ha ha. That's been 25 years, 4 boats, a marriage and 2 kids ago. I plan to keep skiing until they put me in the ground.

DooSPX

10-12-2009, 09:55 PM

well, this is the story of why my MC is SO important to me...
My dad was more a water person than my mom, so he would take me out fishing on his 84 RINKER 15' open bow w/ a 74 Johnson 85hp outboard or his pontoon boat. never really skied till 1991 when a new neighbor moved in with his New 1991 MasterCraft PS190 Power Slot. He was a coach at a ski school in MD on occasion. He told me that he would teach me to ski if I would mow his yard. "OKAY"!!!!
well, That boat is now my boat. I bought it from him 4 years ago. Its the boat that I learned to ski behind (or should I say beside on the boom :rolleyes:)

Kyle

03-03-2010, 05:48 AM

Here is my story. I was 7 when I learned to ski but started trying when I was 4 or 5. Please don't laught but my family was kind of on the wally side big time, knowing what I know now.

I was tought with the skis that were tied together so you dont do the splits. The problem was that the other end of the rope was tied to the boat. No trick release or someone holding the other end.

My grandfather bought a 1975 Envader tri hull in 75 with a Johnson 115 outboard. He is the origional owner and the boat still lives in his garage today. After 2 years of watching with very little coaching I decided to scrap the skis that had a rope on them that kept drowning me. At 7 I got up on a pair of adult combo's that were supositly impossible to get up on cause I was a kid, and dad was saying they are too big and not going to work. After a big back and fourth banter he said just try them I am tired of arguing. What do you know they worked.

I skied on a como for 2 years. We only went to the lake 2 or 3 times a month just during the summer months so getting good was out of the picture. In 5th grade so I guess I was 11 I learned to slalom. In high school I begged to ski a ski couse. Ran the thing the first day of trying the course at 30mph at 15 off. After high school I started skiing with a guy that cut my hair that skied at a "Ski Club". I joined the club and met a bunch of cool peeps. I still to this day have never had a ski instruction lesson or any coaching. I have run 38 off @ 34 mph and deep 35's @ 36mph. I was so addicted to skiing after high school that I saved every penny I could. I bought my 190 in 05 and love it.

What the on going joke in my family is....My sister was the captin of the cheerleading squad and she would always run around in her cheer costume and make fun of the lake and skiing. She hardly ever went to the lake and bashed it right and left. It was like she hated it. Now she is married to a great guy that owns a BU and a Toon. His parents have a lake house and they spend every weekend up there. I asked her how she was adjusting to the LAKE lifestyle and her response was. This is so cool and I missed out on so much fun...

I have tons of memories and have always kept all of my old equipment as keep sake. My skis that I went to regionals or nationals, life vests, swim suits, ski gloves, handles, ropes, etc. Its amazing you can tell what my favorite equipment was cause it is so worn out.

norris_ps205

03-03-2010, 09:31 AM

I learned to ski in Michigan when I was about 12...behind my brother's Bayliner. Started going to Tennessee when I was dating my wife. Her sister and brother-in-law had a Malibu, and we would ski with them on Norris Lake.

I ended up with my first MasterCraft through pure luck. In 2003, I was shopping for an IO (because I didn't think I could afford a Direct Drive), and had found a CrownLine I liked. Prior to buying it, I was looking for a storage facility. The owner of one of the facilities told me he had a boat for sale that I might be interested in. He took me back to his private, heated storage unit, and showed me his '93 MasterCraft ProStar 205. It was 10 years old, but only had 75 hours on it. He told me his price and I just about fell over....about $5K less than the Crownline I was looking at! I called my wife on the spot and told her to get over there and bring the checkbook with her!

We had that boat for 5 years and upgraded to our current '07 X9 for the added room. Still love that first ProStar though!

Thrall

03-03-2010, 09:59 AM

Never had a boat as a kid, other than the alum fishing boat at the cabin.
Started going up to Lake Delton, WI with a buddy and his parents in hi school.
Learned to ski, kneeboard, etc bahind their old Glastron outboard.
Their cabin was right across from the Tommy Bartlett waterski show.
Those old S&S's were jsut sweet! Told myself I would have a ski boat some day. Correction, not just a ski boat, but a MC, period, no questions asked, didn't even look at other mfrs when we bought the 190.
Fast forward 2003, got xferred to AZ and about died the first summer from the heat, no pool in the backyard. Next spring decided to get a pool or a boat. Boat won, since all the neighbors had pools and beer is cheap!
Found a bad@ss PS 190, LT-1 and stayed at the lake on weekends rather than sweating in my backyard.
Put a tower on it in 05.
Bought the X2 last summer and sold the 190, only because I don't have enough room for both in the garage....but damn it looked sweet with the 190 parked next to the X2!

Jorski

03-03-2010, 12:02 PM

We had rented a cottage for a number of years where neighbours were always water skiing, and I remember always wishing that I could try it! I was about 5 years old at the time.

Then one summer when I was about 7 years old, my parents had bought a property and were building a cottage. It was supposed to be ready in time for summer, but of course the construction took longer than planned. As a result we wound up renting a different cottage at the last minute.

Luckily for me, there was a neighbour there who was into waterskiing. One day while swimming, he yelled over and asked if I wanted to try skiing, he had some guests that he had just been teaching. I can remember being so excited and running over to his dock as fast as I could. Got up on a pair of little red wooden kids skis...with the very '70s white rubber bindings on them. we went behind a 12' aluminum with a 7.5 HP engine.

After that day, you couldn't keep me off of the water, I absolutely loved water skiing. Graduated from the 7.5HP, to 15 fibreglass boat with an 85 HP Merc outboard, then later to a series of I/Os that my dad had.

Once I was a teenager, I began skiing with a guy down the lake who had what I thought was a "real ski boat". A blue and silver metal flake Sidewinder with a 115 HP Merc outboard.

Finally, many years later I had decide to get rid of a Hydrostream speed boat (that actually skied quite well) and get an inboard.

Found a great deal on a Mastercraft in Ohio - I live in Toronto, Canada. Long story short, I wound up with my first MC a 1993 190, with an LT-1 that Still have. Our family loves this boat. My kids now both learned to ski and now slalom behind this boat and it has been fantastic!

Roelaux

03-03-2010, 08:18 PM

Me and my late wife purchased a house on Lake Seminole in Ga in 2001. We purchased a fishing boat that was a 1968 endocraft. Funny thing about it is that it was built by a company in Smackover, Arkansas. Yes it is a town on the map. I have been going there for years to my family reunion on my fathers side of the family. Then or neighbor had a Bayliner Capri 1750 runabout we bought. Tried like hell to ski and knee board behind it. After that some other nieghbors here had ski boats. So I walked down on day and talked to them. When i got to the dock I couldn't believe who I was talking to. My father was in the military, thiers was also. Turns out that we both grow up running the same nieghborhood at Fort Rucker Alabama for three years together. They were then stationed in Germany and we went to Hawaii. We had not seen each other for almost 20 years. Anyway one sunday my friend wanted to ski and didn't have anyone to pull him. I had never pulled anyone skiing before this day. Scare the mess out of me. He had a ProStar 190 1987. I was hooked and started looking for a power boat. I finally found one on ebay. I sent my other friend from the lake pictures of MC boats asking "What do you think about this one." Actually went and looked at on locally, He would say good and bad then I would ask would you buy it. Then I found a ProTour 190 1994 and sent him the link asking what he thought. He said wow that is a really nice to bad someone bought it. I replied I bought it. He said if you bought it I will go to Oxford, Ct with you to get it. Needless to say he drove half the trip what a blast we had just going to get the boat. I learned how to ski and wake board last season and can't wait for it to get warmer to start again this year.

YTW

03-03-2010, 08:58 PM

Purchased a 14 foot closed bow fiberglass V-hull boat with a 1969 33 horsepower Evinrude pull crank outboard engine for $300. At the time I only had a motorcycle for transportation so I would take my mom to work, use her stationwagon to pull the boat to the lake, stay at the lake all day, and then return to pick her up when her shift ended. Can't tell you how many of those metal 6 gallon gas tanks of 2 cycle fuel we mixed up that summer, but I remember buying 2 extra tanks at a yardsale so we would not have to stop in the middle of the day and make another fuel run. At age 18 I remember standing at the launching ramp when a guy pulled up with a Mastercraft. When I saw that boat take off and watched how easy the skier popped up on top of the water, it was right then that I said to myself I would buy a new Mastercraft one day. Well 30 years later I bought a used 1993 Maristar 225. Took another 4 years to get the new X-14 and I'm looking forward to another summer of skiing down the same lake. This year my goal is to introduce 50 new young people to watersking or wakeboarding.

mccobmd

03-03-2010, 10:04 PM

Started skiing at age 7, when I was 11 we went to florida and watched the show at cypress gardens. our boat was a trisonic with 165hp I/O. Saw the boats at the show pulling all those skier's and told myself someday I'd have one. Bought my X1 three years ago and haven't found a boat I'd trade it for. Would like to have a prostar to ski and mine to wakeboard but haven't figured out how to pull them both at the same time.

cbryan70

03-03-2010, 10:12 PM

TX.X-30 fan

03-06-2010, 12:02 PM

More pictures of the women please :D

I'm not sure we need that, I see a nice set of 36c's in the observers seat. :D

turbosdad

03-07-2010, 11:09 PM

When we were kids, Dad loved to fish. He bought a chris craft when I was 5. prior to that he owned an outboard and rented aluminum V bottoms to use in the Galveston Bay system. As we grew up we spent a couple of weeks fishing from far south padre island. By the way my Dad never could swim....so we didnt get out of the boat.
Friend took me to the San Jac river north of Houston and pulled and pulled and pulled. He had the old "ski boat" with a big Chevy engine....real chick mobile:) Learned to slalom, then bought an 18 foot Glastron with 115 hp Merc, with my brother. We skiied the prop off that thing. Traded it in on a 20 foot Wellcraft with a 150 Merc, nice boat at the time. Met my wife to be and her parents were water nuts, so it was a match made in heaven. For some reason her dad loved to see me wipe out HARD. We did Conroe, Livingston, Houston, San Jac River, Lake Austin........then I met the love of my life, Lake Travis. We sold the boat, started a business, raised two kids, time got away before I realized ***...I'm missing out on the best part. 2008 bought a X-2 and have never looked back. In the last two years I have learned to wakeboard, rode a wake skate, surfed behind the boat, tore a meniscus riding a damn kneeboard, and had the time of my life while pulling a truckload of kids for hours on tubes. We boat mainly on the San Bernard River, Lake Conroe for tubing, but when I really need to "get back to basics of life", we go to Lake Travis. God willing, I will NEVER be without another boat again. Skimmin across the water at sunset in the hill country IS heaven.