What is the oldest fishing boat here?

[DaubsNU1]

Picked up my 1960 Richline 14' aluminum v-hull, 1974 Mercury "Thunderbolt" 20hp outboard, with trailer for $650 in 2000. It leaked pretty bad, but I was able to repair and patch with epoxy...minimal leaks now.  

 

Installed casting platform seat & foot controlled 40lb Minn Kota up front, rod holders, seat in the back, and a bilge pump. The old Merc runs great. The old Hummingbird Fish'in Buddy II still works as depth / fish finder. Fishes two just fine. 

 

The old boat is great for the places I fish here in Nebraska...small lakes and reservoirs, some with standing timber. I can bang around in the timber and don't have to worry about scratching things.  

 

Who is fishing something older than 1960?  What modifications have you made? 

 

[Biglittle8]

Looks like you win!?

[Bluebasser86]

My johnboat doesn't have an ID plate on it to figure out when it was built. I haven't done any research on Monarch boats to try and get an idea on when it might be from, but if I remember correctly, they started requiring the ID plates on them in the early 70's. The state had to assign me a VIN number for my boat to register it.

[Catt]

Scott Atwater 1950s 5 hp ?

 

 

[Way2slow]

My 17' Grumman aluminum canoe was bought used in 1959 for $40, so not sure just how old it is figure it's from some time in the early 50s.  Still have a 2hp Johnson bought used in 1960 to go on it.

[TnRiver46]

I fish out of my papaw’s 1957 Cherokee . My mom used to “wake surf” behind it on a sheet of plywood when she was little 

[slonezp]

Recently gave my son a 1970 Lund and a mid 60s Evinrude

[Lead Head]

@TnRiver46 I still giggle to myself every time a picture of your boat with that "hot seat" up front shows up. I bet sitting in that thing while motoring can get interesting.

[TnRiver46]

9 hours ago, Lead Head said:

@TnRiver46 I still giggle to myself every time a picture of your boat with that "hot seat" up front shows up. I bet sitting in that thing while motoring can get interesting.

Hahah! Let’s go for a ride! Well, legally your rear end is supposed to be below the gunnels while motoring so we try to avoid that. It also tops out around 12-13 mph so it’s not too terrifying 

[Lead Head]

I'm too old for nonsense like that, but a few years and a couple of drinks ago...

[wvsmallie]

1966 Grumman Sport Boat powered  by a 5 hp or a trolling motor.  I'm using it less and less, as car topping it isn't getting any easier.  Probably time to swallow my pride and get a trailer.

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, wvsmallie said:

1966 Grumman Sport Boat powered  by a 5 hp or a trolling motor.  I'm using it less and less, as car topping it isn't getting any easier.  Probably time to swallow my pride and get a trailer.

Dang. You strong 

[Dogface]

7 hours ago, wvsmallie said:

1966 Grumman Sport Boat powered  by a 5 hp or a trolling motor.  I'm using it less and less, as car topping it isn't getting any easier.  Probably time to swallow my pride and get a trailer.

 

Yep! ?

[wvsmallie]

On 1/27/2023 at 5:43 PM, TnRiver46 said:

Dang. You strong 

Not as strong as I used to be that's for dang sure.  And I had a couple of spectacular fails the first couple of times I tried to load it.  Spectacular.

[Captain Phil]

Around 1965 I bought an old aluminum Jon boat from a pawn shop in Miami.  It was my first real boat as I had previously built a boat from a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood and some planks. I carried the aluminum boat on the roof of my 1960 Ford.  The Jon boat came with a white 10 HP mercury outboard. Anyone here remember white Mercs?

[Skunkmaster-k]

I got a 67 StarCraft 14 ‘ Sea Scamp with a 2.5 hp 4 stroke merc. I’m not trying to brag , but I can get 5.7 mph with a tail wind. It’s even got cushioned seats and a fish finder. 

[WRB]

On 1/29/2023 at 10:16 AM, Skunkmaster-k said:

I got a 67 StarCraft 14 ‘ Sea Scamp with a 2.5 hp 4 stroke merc. I’m not trying to brag , but I can get 5.7 mph with a tail wind. It’s even got cushioned seats and a fish finder. 

4 stroke Mercury ? 1st I know If is 1995. 

Tom

My 1st boat wasn’t Fishing boat it was a Pumpkin Seed powered 10 hp Merc Hurrican In 1955.

Family fishing boat was wooden boat built in the 40’s powered by oars and a 5 hp Elgin, later a 7 1/2 hp Martin.

Family racing / runabout/water skiing/ fishing boat was a 1955 wooden 14’ Yellow Jacket powered by 2 Mark 55’s, later a Mark 75 racing engine.

Tom 

[Skunkmaster-k]

53 minutes ago, WRB said:

4 stroke Mercury ? 1st I know If is 1995. 

Tom

My 1st boat wasn’t Fishing boat it was a Pumpkin Seed powered 10 hp Merc Hurrican In 1955.

Family fishing boat was wooden boat built in the 40’s powered by oats and a 5 hp Elgin, later a 7 1/2 hp Martin.

Family racing / runabout/water skiing/ fishing boat was a 1955 wooden 14’ Yellow Jacket powered by 2 Mark 55’s, later a Mark 75 racing engine.

Tom 

I got the motor last year when I fixed the old boat up.  It came with a 9.9 hp that needs some work. I’m kinda diggin just puttering around for now. 

[gim]

My former supervisor that retired 3 years ago this coming April has one for this thread.

 

He bought some of his neighbors land, and on the property was a barn.  The seller said "keep whatever you want" in the barn.  So he went in there and found this beauty in there lol.

 

He called it The Green Machine.  Before he retired, he said he was going to refurbish it, test the outboard, and make it seaworthy.  I intend to ask him if this thing has seen water or if its still in the barn next time I communicate with him.

[Big Hands]

On 1/29/2023 at 9:09 AM, Captain Phil said:

Anyone here remember white Mercs?

I still have my dad's white 1961 Merc 700 FGS sitting in my garage waiting for me to either find a lower unit of may end up selling it. He bought it when it was 6 months old. He made his own 12v electric hydraulic "jack" as we used to call it. Today it is known as power trim. 

[airshot]

About 15 years back a neighbor down the road needed some gelp cleaning out an old barn that was ready to fall down. No one had used the barn in over 30 years he said, was becomming an eyesore so time to clean it out and tear it down. After digging thru weeds and junk we found an old 12' jon boat turned upside down inside. I noticed the ribs stamped into the bottom were worn thru from dragging it, bottom was all gouged/ scraped up.  He was going to scrap it but I thought I might use it for my pond if I could fix the leaks.  Brought it home, and yep it leaked like a seive !!  Made some temporary repairs and used it for years.  Have no idea what brand, no hull number, no stamped anything on the hull.  No stickers or branding of any sort. From what was left of the paint it was brown, but no idea if that were original or not.  About 5-6 years back I went thru and repaired the leaks properly, replaced the transom wood, no foam in the boat anywhere, repainted the ole gal and it looks like new !!  A few dings and bangs but doesnt leak a drop!

Have no idea the age but do know it had been sitting for over 30 years and I have owned it for 17 years, how old before....who knows !?

[Dwayne E]

1968 Chrysler 12 ft jon boat. Came with 12 volt silvertrol electric foot control motor. Electric motor gone years ago.