brick’s introduction

[brick]

New here, but not new to boating. Current boat is a 2005 Chaparral 220SSi 350MAG/MPI B3 2.0 ratio and 24’s.
This is my 4th (and favorite) Chaparral over 30 years. I keep my boat at home in the garage, so lots of towing miles.
We are empty-nesters, so our boating life has changed. COVID has not helped.
My real name is Ted, my friends call me brick...

 

[Doc]

Good intro Brick. Thanks.
I've been boating 30+ years also. Definitely hooked.
I had a 2003 Sunsation 288. Mid Cabin Open bow. Bought it in 2014. Fantastic boat. 496 HO 425hp. Would run high 60's. I had engine trouble last season and could not get to the bottom of it. Had 800 hours on the boat. Engine ran great but was going to need refreshed. I put it up for sale and it sold in less than 24 hours. I was not expecting that. So started boat shopping right away.

This was last July of 2020. Mid Covid season. Not many boats for sale. Social distancing moved many to the water since they could not travel I guess. Wife kinda liked pontoons, or I should say tritoons. We looked at those. Not many for sale of what we wanted. Had to shop new which is unheard of for us. I liked saving dollars buying nearly new. We found a demo Manitou 25footer with a 350 Suzuki outboard on the back and fell in love with it. It was in Columbia SC, 6 hours away. No prob. We went down and test drove and was happy. Added a stereo upgrade, a 2nd battery along with an onboard built in battery charger and set a date to pick it up. We sold our Sunsation on a Thursday and picked up our new tritoon the following Thursday. Only one weekend without a boat and we rode with our daughter and SIL that weeekend. It all worked out GREAT.

 

[brick]

Put up for the winter.
brick

 

[Doc]

Nice. Looks like a heats storage space. Jealous.

I feel lucky to have a pole barn to keep mine in. At least it is inside out of the weather.
I;'ll try to dig out a pic of it put away in the pole barn tomorrow.

 

[brick]

The toy garage was built for the toys, but I can’t get a bigger boat...

 

[Doc]

Yeah, that sure looks tight.
My pole barn has a 9 x 10 door. I had more trouble getting the pontoon in there than any of my other go fast boats. but, I got it in there. I did take a pic of how tight it was but so far I have not been able to find that pic. I'll keep looking.

My brother had a 1986 Chaparral 196 runabout. Open bow. He bout it new in 86. Had a ball in that boat. It had a 350 in it and would get up and go with 8 of us in it. 4 adults and 4 kids. We had lots of fun on the water in that boat and it prompted me to become a boat owner.

 

[brick]

My boat garage is 28 ft deep (exterior), and 27 ft clear inside. Boat is 26 ft 6.5 inches long. I have 5 1/2 inches of clearance! Garage door is an 8 footer. Boat just clears with the tower folded. I use a winch mounted to the ceiling beam to raise the tower up partway while stored.
brick

 

[tomnjo]

Brick, you needed no introduction....

 

[brick]

A legend in my own mind...
???
brick

 

[drewm3i]

Hi Brick!