Goodbye to all!

[skylar18]

Well I sold the boat today. A lot of tears in my house last night when we realized this was really going to happen. Having a boat for 10 years and my Sunsport for the last six has been a big part of our lives.

We have an electronic picture frame that scrolls through about a thousand pictures and it seems like 75% of them are with us on the lake. Seeing how little our kids were when they were learning to ski, wakeboard and surf and now as my younger one just got her drivers license and my older son going off to college makes my wife and I pretty emotional.

My wife and I figured out how much money we spent on our 2 boats, marina storage, gas, food, maintenance, every upgrade imaginable (Man a good sound system is expensive), wakeboards, wakesurf boards, ropes, etc and our per month cost was astronomical.

Was it worth it? Absolutly! The family time and memories have been priceless. Both my kids were in select soccer and volleyball, and I am glad that we balanced our time so our only memories of our kids were from the sidelines of a sporting event watching them play something. That was also rewarding but I can remember very few moments from all of those games. However, I think I remember every outing out on the lake, and we were out there a ton.

Though I haven't been too active lately I still come on here every day to read what is going on. Thanks to all of have provided advice and friendship over the years.

Good luck to all and Good Bye!

[chawk610]

Are you keeping the Sunsport? No reason to sign off forever!!!

[mmandley]

Thats exciting and sad man, Exciting all the memories you have and sad that your leaving boating behind right now.

I think you will return in time, when life relaxes and expenses allow.

Take it easy man.

[skylar18]

Yep the Sunsport is sold.

Son is off to college in August, and my daughter just doesn't have the interest in it anymore. She actually started wakeboarding at 5 or 6 and has gotten a bit burned out by it.

With them not as interested or able, my wife and I are in the process of putting in a complete outdoor living area in our backyard with pool, kitchen area, and fire pit. We are calling it our first step to getting old and getting ready for retirement.

By the way, building a pool is more stressful daily than the absolute most stressful incident out on the lake. It has been a complete debacle!

[motosno963]

i say if you sold both then pick up some jetskis..but best of luck buddy

[jpetty3023]

that almost made me cry skylar! much as I wanna hit a fast fwd button sometimes and get my kids out the house as soon as I picture the empt nest I smack the rewind button. sounds like you provided a great childhood for your kids and memories that will last forever.

sounds like you and the wife are preparing for the next phase in life called grandparents!!


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[wolfeman131]

that almost made me cry skylar! much as I wanna hit a fast fwd button sometimes and get my kids out the house as soon as I picture the empt nest I smack the rewind button. sounds like you provided a great childhood for your kids and memories that will last forever.


Agree with this 100% and what skyler posted about the memories. we all need to try and relax and enjoy the moments we have with our children.

[rdlangston13]

Whats funny about all this is everyone I talk to at work who does not share a boating lifestyle hassles me about how I will have to sell the boat once Heidi and I decided to have kids. They just don't get it, boating is a GREAT family activity, a way for the whole family to get together and everyone have fun, if anything, when you have kids is the time you should be buying a boat. Not selling.

[mmandley]

Whats funny about all this is everyone I talk to at work who does not share a boating lifestyle hassles me about how I will have to sell the boat once Heidi and I decided to have kids. They just don't get it, boating is a GREAT family activity, a way for the whole family to get together and everyone have fun, if anything, when you have kids is the time you should be buying a boat. Not selling.

Exactly but then a lot of people think boating is all about single people and partying. Not family time. LOL

[kaneboats]

It's for the young, the old and everyone in between. I wanted lots of kids. By the time the youngest one is gone I'll need the boat for the grand-kids. And I'll still be surfing!!!!! Hope I have that 360 by then though. (Berg too.)

[rdlangston13]

Exactly but then a lot of people think boating is all about single people and partying. Not family time. LOL

it can be used for both...just depends what stage of life you are in lol

[tnbrooks01]

I've been raised in a family that has always had a lakehouse, boats, jetskis, etc... However, in 2011 my wife and decided to get our own boat because my son had started wakeboarding the summer before. He had always done competitive soccer and baseball but found he really enjoyed doing it on his own and has since quit the team sports to focus solely on wakeboarding. Since we got the boat, we are on the water most everyday practicing and learning together. We eat sandwiches for dinner on the boat, many times we have breakfast on the boat too. We just recently purchased a lot on the lake and will be building our "retirement" house soon. While my wife and I miss the baseball/soccer tournaments and chatting with parents etc but I would let trade what we are doing now for anything. My son will only be at home for 5-6 more years and we are going to make the most of it while we can.


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[newty]

it can be used for both...just depends what stage of life you are in lol

Exactly! Adult getaway or a straight family time... either way.

Good luck on the pool and stay in touch.

Sent from my iPhone 5... ya right!

[bergermaister]

It's for the young, the old and everyone in between. I wanted lots of kids. By the time the youngest one is gone I'll need the boat for the grand-kids. And I'll still be surfing!!!!! Hope I have that 360 by then though. (Berg too.)

Amen brother. Sometimes I catch myself wishing they would be on their way. Then I realize they are my life.

My kids will be borrowing the boat from Dad in the next 10 years or less - count on it - until they get their own. Then grandpa (me) will be out there showing the hotshot punks a thing or two cutting up the waves and later hearing them tell my kids how cool their dad is for an old guy...

This is what it was like for me growing up - only it was snow skiing. My dad didn't even start until he was in his forties and then we went dozens of times every winter. My buddies were always blown away how cool my dad was when we went to the mountain so the stage has been set.

[kaneboats]

Well, I'm way cooler than my Dad ever was but he did have several jet boats. He once took an old aluminum cabin cruiser and dropped a brand new 454 Chevy in it with a Berkley jet. It would SCREAM across the water or pull 6 skiers at a time loaded with people all over it. Guy had some imagination before he decided to get old and cranky.

[bergermaister]

Funny. I worked for a guy when I was a kid who had a big 27-28' cabin cruiser, can't recall the make, but he did similar. Put a big 502HO in it and I swear the thing would do 50+. Surprised a lot of smaller boats when he'd open it up and go roaring away like a dragster disguised as a motorhome. I'm not much into big cruisers yet but that would have been a fun boat to own.

[jmvotto]

Damn, that brought tears to my eyes, Skylar Good luck on the transition and you can still come here to fix the itch.

I have diapers and drivers permits, so I will be doing this for a while, Kane has me beat by one kid, but he and berg with most likely beat me to the 360.
Our photo galley on our lcd picture frame has tons of boating photos. they are all over the lake house and residence have our lake and boating experience. The kids grow fast and it shows, Its been 6 years since we bought our place and first Moomba and I could not think of leaving it. even though we only get a few good months.

For Jr. I am trying to figure out how I can mount the Jonny jumper to the v2 tower while surfing... I remember someone on here did that.

[skylar18]

sounds like you and the wife are preparing for the next phase in life called grandparents!!


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I just read this and went outside to hyperventilate!!!!!!!

Hopefully we are still 6 - 10 years away from that. Being a grandparent is so far outside my realm of thought right now that I can't even comprehend!

[sandm]

[QUOTE=kaneboats;216550]It's for the young, the old and everyone in between. I wanted lots of kids. By the time the youngest one is gone I'll need the boat for the grand-kids. And I'll still be surfing!!!!! [QUOTE]

I agree with this 100%. neither me or my sis will ever have kids, but the boat has been a great family getaway that has brought us closer together and made some great friends over the last 6 years. I only wish I would have bought one in my 20's not 40's... I wouldn't trade any of the memories for anything..

[rdlangston13]

[QUOTE=kaneboats;216550]It's for the young, the old and everyone in between. I wanted lots of kids. By the time the youngest one is gone I'll need the boat for the grand-kids. And I'll still be surfing!!!!! [QUOTE]

I agree with this 100%. neither me or my sis will ever have kids, but the boat has been a great family getaway that has brought us closer together and made some great friends over the last 6 years. I only wish I would have bought one in my 20's not 40's... I wouldn't trade any of the memories for anything..

Glad to see someone hear doesn't think I made an irresponsible finacial decision lol

[wolfeman131]

For Jr. I am trying to figure out how I can mount the Jonny jumper to the v2 tower while surfing... I remember someone on here did that.

Todd, 11OutbackV, did this. Saw it first hand a few times & it worked great!

[z28ke]

Whats funny about all this is everyone I talk to at work who does not share a boating lifestyle hassles me about how I will have to sell the boat once Heidi and I decided to have kids. They just don't get it, boating is a GREAT family activity, a way for the whole family to get together and everyone have fun, if anything, when you have kids is the time you should be buying a boat. Not selling.

I'm with ya. One of the main reasons I sold my 82 stars & stripes MC and bought the OBV new in 08 is because I was getting married and planning to start a family. My then fiancé and now wife since oct 08 were drawn to the playpen style seating arrangement of a v-drive. Out son is 17 months and loves the boat!

[zabooda]

My kids will be borrowing the boat from Dad in the next 10 years or less - count on it - until they get their own.

One thing I've never let my daughter do was to borrow the boat. If my boat goes to the shop and I lose time on the water it is because of me.

[EricU]

Well I sold the boat today...
Was it worth it? Absolutly! The family time and memories have been priceless.

Good luck to all and Good Bye!

I could not agree more! Priceless. You nailed that one on the head.

I grew up waterskiing the Nor Cal Delta, when the bad azz jets with Basset OTs , mini-daycruisers and Sanger V-drives (that didn't have a wakeboard tower on em) ruled the waterways, used inner tubes from trucks (not Overtons) and after getting tired trying to dip elbows, went to a "Skurfer" then we would bring out the knee boards. My dad would pick me up from my mother's house and we would ski the weekends away and all summer on various Nor Cal lakes.

I bought my first boat when I was 17, and have lost count since then. Started a family late, built a business, houses, and always had some kind of boat all through my young adulthood, stupid twenty's (I did some DUMB things!!) thirtys, bought and built my fastest boat (a whipplecharged 502 21' Schiada) in my 40s and sold it in '03 as my boys were old enough to start skiing and that was no family boat. Bought my first and only new boat in '03 - A wakeboard Team Edition Natique - had to sell when my business took the '08 dump and picked up the Barbie boat, a 96 Ski Sanger, two seasons later picked up the '02 Moomba put over a hundred hours on it last season. Then I ran across an '08 Tige RZ4 and its sitting in the driveway waiting for the new stereo and ballast.

What have all these boats and years have in common -- Family and Friends!!!
Good luck Skylar, and I don't know how you can stay away from the goofyness on this forum

BTW - I know what you mean by the pool, we just had our new pool pebbletecked (sp?) and what a PIA!!!

[skylar18]

I could not agree more! Priceless. You nailed that one on the head.

Good luck Skylar, and I don't know how you can stay away from the goofyness on this forum

BTW - I know what you mean by the pool, we just had our new pool pebbletecked (sp?) and what a PIA!!!

I probably can't stay away....I've been on this forum 5 times since I said good bye! I remember how I got on this forum. I had started on the Supra Forum and we had our own little Texas Oklahoma private group with Dusty, KG, Jet and several others....we all kind of morphed over here as the Supra forum at the time seem to be mostly about restoring old boats....The people and topics here were much more relevant to what I needed. I wanted to talk about speakers, not stringers! Though there was not nearly the drama over there as over here for awhile!!!!;)

The buyer picked up the boat yesterday...My wife and daughter were going to drive down to the marina to say good bye to the boat (pretty weird I know, but it was like part of the family) and halfway there they turned around, they couldn't do it. I actually had to leave before they put the boat on the buyers trailer.

I would love if my pool was at the point of having the pebbletech put in. It has taken over 2 weeks to run the gas lines, at most a 2 day job. They promised me the pool would be finished by May 31st. At this rate they will not get it done by the end of June!