20 Years and Kids

[rostap]

Amazing how fast time flies..it seems like it was yesterday we'd ski/skurf!!/kneeboard behind this all day long. Lake Berryessa was our hangout at putah creek cove, we'd sleep roadside in the back of the Blazer with the top off, wake up at 6am and head out for some serious glass... Imagine these pipes blasting at you all day long...but we love'd it! Actually i still kinda want one just to tear it up in!
Oldboat 001.jpg

Then old(er) age sets in....kids come along...and now I hate being behind a boat without one of these.
100_5562.jpg
100_5563.jpg

[MoneyPity]

Yes we know the feeling. As a 12 year old I stated going to Lake Syracuse with family, friends and cousins to initially a tent and a campground off of Lake Syracuse,IN. My cousins were 5-10 years older so it was common that my mom, sister and friends would spend most of a the day on the water and meet up with my cousins after 4pm and start another few hours of ski runs. We did this for years and graduated from a tent and a tri-hull SeaRay 100hp outboard to a pop up camper and upgraded to a 135hp outboard, and then an RV camper. We spent many weekends and at least 6 weeks a summer going from Chicago to Indianna to play on the lakes. Time went on, high school ended and then the Marine Corps.

By time I got out of the Corps my folks still had the 68 Searay in 1978 and bought a mobile home off the lake. Cousins had invested in various inboards and we started weekends again. Over the years the old SeaRay with its blisters and anti fouling paint and gelcoat cracks was finally retired in the early 1985 for a bigger Searay I/O.

Marriage came and my kids went to the lakes as they grew up. With them growing up my parents kept the Searay monster while we invested in our own I/O's and inboards. Years went by and my kids grew up like all of them do but the tradition of heading to the lake went on for many years until they were in their 20's and started their own lives. We sold off our older I/O and bought the 20V because it was time for an upgrade and the kids still would head out with us for periodic weekends and trips down to TableRock and Bullshoals twice a year. It has been 42 years since my folks started us boating and now my cousins, brothers and sister all have their own Mastercrafts, Malibu's, Mariah and me with the Tige. What started with my parents and my siblings has grown into 7 families including my cousins and all of the kids who are grown with kids of their own.

Now when we head to Bullshoals it is not uncommon for 20+ family members getting together to go out and wear ourselves out on the water, relax anchored off some islands to swim and continue to enjoy boating going into the 43rd year. They say boating helps bring families together. In our case it absolutely did and has given us more pleasure doing what we enjoy.

As time continues to pass the number of us on weekends has decreased but we still get a few in a year and still are able to get herd of us and a small convoy down to Arkansas almost every year. This may be our last year boating on our own ride which is saddening but the 40+ years that started with a 16ft wreck have been priceless. For those starting out hopefully boating will bring you the same pleasure that my family has enjoyed for many years.

[KonaKing]

Wow Lake Berryessa. I learned to waterski there 40 yrs ago, many fond memories. We had a jet boat back then. When my dad got tired of pulling us he would just pull the jet-evator and blow us out of our skis with the rooster tail.

Thanks for sharing.,

[rostap]

Wow Lake Berryessa. I learned to waterski there 40 yrs ago, many fond memories. We had a jet boat back then. When my dad got tired of pulling us he would just pull the jet-evator and blow us out of our skis with the rooster tail.

Thanks for sharing.,

Hahaha...thats funny i forgot about that part of it, for the younger crowd thats never been behind a jet boat, heres a video on youtube I found, check out the rooster tail around the 25 sec mark...If you were behind the boat you were good for a blast or two from the rooster tail. The best was people on tubes who were unkowing, they just had to sit back and get blasted and take it! Ahhhh...good times indeed!

Incease the video doesn't embed heres the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLhBm...eature=related

[jbort]

Nostalgia, old times and memories are great things.

[rostap]

Yes we know the feeling. As a 12 year old I stated going to Lake Syracuse with family, friends and cousins to initially a tent and a campground off of Lake Syracuse,IN. My cousins were 5-10 years older so it was common that my mom, sister and friends would spend most of a the day on the water and meet up with my cousins after 4pm and start another few hours of ski runs. We did this for years and graduated from a tent and a tri-hull SeaRay 100hp outboard to a pop up camper and upgraded to a 135hp outboard, and then an RV camper. We spent many weekends and at least 6 weeks a summer going from Chicago to Indianna to play on the lakes. Time went on, high school ended and then the Marine Corps.

By time I got out of the Corps my folks still had the 68 Searay in 1978 and bought a mobile home off the lake. Cousins had invested in various inboards and we started weekends again. Over the years the old SeaRay with its blisters and anti fouling paint and gelcoat cracks was finally retired in the early 1985 for a bigger Searay I/O.

Marriage came and my kids went to the lakes as they grew up. With them growing up my parents kept the Searay monster while we invested in our own I/O's and inboards. Years went by and my kids grew up like all of them do but the tradition of heading to the lake went on for many years until they were in their 20's and started their own lives. We sold off our older I/O and bought the 20V because it was time for an upgrade and the kids still would head out with us for periodic weekends and trips down to TableRock and Bullshoals twice a year. It has been 42 years since my folks started us boating and now my cousins, brothers and sister all have their own Mastercrafts, Malibu's, Mariah and me with the Tige. What started with my parents and my siblings has grown into 7 families including my cousins and all of the kids who are grown with kids of their own.

Now when we head to Bullshoals it is not uncommon for 20+ family members getting together to go out and wear ourselves out on the water, relax anchored off some islands to swim and continue to enjoy boating going into the 43rd year. They say boating helps bring families together. In our case it absolutely did and has given us more pleasure doing what we enjoy.

As time continues to pass the number of us on weekends has decreased but we still get a few in a year and still are able to get herd of us and a small convoy down to Arkansas almost every year. This may be our last year boating on our own ride which is saddening but the 40+ years that started with a 16ft wreck have been priceless. For those starting out hopefully boating will bring you the same pleasure that my family has enjoyed for many years.

Amen Money...thats whats its all about, family and building memories!