I've Gone Aquatic

[terrawombat]

Figured since the Chesapeake Bay is approximately 800 feet from my house and the town I live in allows me to use their boat launch for free I might as well get something that floats.  Don't have the skill or deep pockets for a boat so I started small...ish:

 

 

 

2002 Yamaha FX140.  Bought it from an elderly couple who were the original owners - only has 63.7 hours on it.

 

This model was the first 4-stroke personal watercraft produced by Yamaha.  Fuel injected, 1000cc, 140HP and supposed to be one of the better skis on fuel consumption.  The engine was taken from their R1 sportbike and adapted for marine use.  From what I've read it's a rock solid platform that will provide several hundred hours of use.

 

Only issues I have found with it so far are the bilge pump seems to be bad and the original cover will need to be replaced soon.

 

Anyone else have any floating toys?

[Bmoore2]

Sure do.... I have a 1989 Regal Seabring boat, a 1997 Seadoo, and an Old town Tripper 172 canoe.   I live about 10 minutes from Smith Mountain Lake in Va. And about 45 from the James River.  Actually going out on the lake tomorrow to soak up some sun. Ill be floating the James River in the canoe on Sunday. :thumbsup:

 

Wife and kid in boat this spring.

 

Smallmouth bass caught on a recent float trip.

[CommaComanche]

Welcome to the wonderful world of floating toys! I live a stones throw from Lake St. Clar and have all my life. The water runs through my blood. I have learned the best kind of boat is someone else's  boat. 

 

I do have one of my own though. Recently got a spitfire 8 kayak and modified the heck out of it to make it a fishing kayak. Added a cooler with a rod/net holding rack, out riggers (so I can stand and cast), a skeg to keep the rig straight and an anchor trolley to keep my facing the way I want to in a current. Maybe sometime soon I will post the pictures of the build process in the other projects thread. But in the mean time here is the inspiration for mine.

 

Zoffinger poor mans fishing kayak - 

 

Zoffinger out riggers - 

[87Warrior]

Used to have one. It was fast and fun!

 

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[mpace6a]

Family has 5

Got a bombardier fish n ski, a older black master craft fish n ski, an even older ski-bee project for a fast toy, an 14ft aluminum fishing boat, and a canoe. Pics maybe later if i can find any

[terrawombat]

Those kayak videos have got me thinking.  I have the 10' version of his kayak that I don't use very often.  Or maybe I can do this:

 

[Dirteatr717]

All my friends and family own boats and my dads too busy to rebuild our 22' grady white overnighter so we just use everyone elses :yes: I live 5 minutes from the Great south bay and 10 mins from the Atlantic ocean and 15 mins from the long island sound. I prefer the bay and ocean 8)

[JeepcoMJ]

only way nice boats are worthwhile (to me) is if you live on a lake.

 

Paying for docking is a waste, loading and unloading everytime gets old, lake patrol "cops" hate jetskis. It doesn't fail that every time I go out on my jetski, I get hassled for parking it, engine off, next to a friend's boat or jetski. "can't be within 100 feet of another boat"....fine print says with engine running, but they do not care.

 

take lake "cops" out of it though and I guess I wouldn't really be complaining lol.

[ParadiseMJ]

I have always rented jetskis when I wanted to ride.  Tahoe banned 2 strokes so several guys around here either had to upgrade or just use it on other nearby lakes.  Lake cops on Lake Oroville DO hate jet skis.

 

I've rented them on the Columbia River, Tahoe, and other lakes...I don't have payments, don't have to store it, don't have to maintain it or tow it.

 

Here are my lake AND river rides.  Great on gas.

 

[terrawombat]

Don't have to deal with lake cops.  The Maryland DNR doesn't seem to be too bad although my GF's stepmom used to be one and she was a total b-tch.  Even other DNR cops hear her name and shake their heads.  She would often tell me stories about incidents and for the most part it sounded like she took the situations entirely too seriously and handed out some unnecessary tickets.

[knever3]

Cops dislike jetskis because of the normal idiots that are riding them.  Complete lack of care for others on the lake and their space requirements.  They normally have never heard of boaters safety and don't know the rules of the water.  Just think of high powered scooters were allowed to ride on the street and they didn't follow the rules of the road.  Weaving in and out of each lane, cutting you off, passing you on the right etc.

 

This translates into riding to close to shore (at 60mph!) passing boats in a channel on the right side, riding anywhere they want to including cutting the sailboat off under sail.  They are highly powered and manuverable machines akin to motorcycles and snowmobiles, they are to be respected and used properly or else things go South very fast!!

 

That said I love every one of them including boats so this is my observation and my opinion so I'm not up for a debate in case anyone takes offense to these words.

[terrawombat]

Just got back in from a little joyride out in the bay.  Only lasted about 45 minutes as it was extremely choppy and I was getting pretty beat up.

 

I must be in the jetski minority as I have taken a boater safety class and have done about 20 hours behind the wheel of my GFs mom's boat getting instructions from a licensed charter boat captain.  Still feel like a newbie out on the water so I'm being a pretty big sissy and taking it easy.  Supposedly this ski can do up to 55MPH, but I haven't had it much over 40 yet.