Boat History:
The Filthy Oar
Started boating in 2001 (i think). My first boat was a fun 1989 Bayliner 2455. I have absolutely no idea why I bought this boat. I was just surfing the web one day and I think i stumbled upon it at iboats.com . It was located in Appleton Wisonconsin of all places. Well, my father and I just happened to be heading up to Iron Mountain Michigan to visit a relative the next month so we swung through Appleton on the way home and next thing we know, we were hauling this boat home as well. It was a fun first boat for me. It had everything a single guy could want on a boat. Enough room to sleep 4, bathroom, small stove and microwave, and a small fridge for beer. It also had a bit of pep to it speedwise. Unfortunately this boat didn’t make it a year before I got the 5 foot itch.
The Filthy Oar II
The Fall following my purchase of the Bayliner, I stumbled upon this boat sitting at the end of the dock I was slipping. A retired gentleman and his wife had owned it for quite a few years. The wife was ready to get out of boating so that pretty much meant he was getting out of it as well and wanted to sell his boat. Well I took a look at it and saw the bigger living quarters and full size fridge for even more beer storage. Two weeks later I had “The Filthy Oar II” , a 1978 43 foot Drifter Steel hull. Yep, that’s right. Steel hull. The boat has a top speed of only about 10 and drives like a 2 ton tank. It can smash into pretty much anything and not damage the boat. Plus, if there is even a chance of rain in the forecast the rusting begins. So far I have had this boat for close to half a decade and I still can’t drive the thing worth a damn. It has sleeping room for 4 but has slept 10. The ability to cook a full meal, take a shower, stand up straight, and fit two 30 packs of beer in the fridge made this boat a must.
The Filthy Oar III
Similar story as the last houseboat. The five foot itch was starting again and I started wandering the local marinas again to see what was available in the bigger houseboats. While wandering Lithia Spring marina my father and I noticed an older gentleman sitting on front of a boat with a For Sale sign on the front. We talked for a bit and he graciously took us on a tour of the boat saying he had just put it up for sale and had to have it gone since he and his wife were moving to Florida in about 3 weeks. After thinking about it over Labor Day weekend we through out an offer and he took it. He took his clothes out and pretty much left everything we could need to enjoy this boat. It almost seems like everytime I am down there I find one more fun little thing that he left behind. The 1995 Lakeview 68′ became my latest boat and by far my favorite. With pretty much everything I could need in a house let alone a houseboat I am now on the boat that I will probably be with a couple decades.
The Dirty Oar
Since I never learned how to drive the Filthy Oar II worth a damn there was alot of weekends when I would get down to the lake and everyone would be out and about already and I just didn’t have the inclination to take the houseboat out by myself. Plus there are only so many weekends when I feel that I can beg my way onto another boat for a ride around the lake. I needed something that was small, quick, and easy for one person (or one person and a dog) to get around on. Enter The Dirty Oar. While surfing Ebay and Craigslist (both of which i recommend just for ease and prices) I stumbled across jetboats. i was originally thinking a Bayliner Capri or a Captiva but didn’t feel like paying another thousand bucks a year for another slip. I found jetboats to be small enough to easily trailer and small enough to park behind my boat when I decide to leave it in the water for a couple weeks. It actually sticks out less than the houseboats on both sides of me. I found the one I have in Ohio and after a nice 6 hour one way drive I was speeding around at lake on the east side of Ohio in a snow storm. Once we hit about 45 or 50 mph I knew I was going home with this boat. The little 14.5 foot 1997 Sea Doo Speedster became my little get up and go boat.
The Dirty Oar II
While the Dirty Oar was fun and a quick way to get around the lake, it was a tad bit too small. If I took it out when there was any other boats the jet boat would beat me to death going over the waves. That is where the Dirty Oar II came into play. The jet boat hit the sales block and I found this little guy up by Champaign and grabbed it that day. It’s a 1989 Tinker 180 with a nice 5.7L engine. This gave me the ability to get where I want