Lchunt
Member
Ok - I’m Fred. New to this forum and want to tell a story of how I arrived at this place.
Just over a year ago I started telling my adult (26yo) son about some of my youth that hasn’t been blotted out since I am a follower of Christ. He was mesmerized by the story of a 1980’s Laser LTV bass boat that my butt adorned as a young man. He was all about the notion of tracking down an old hull and rebuilding one. Well, couldn’t find a laser but tracked down a Stratos 180VT in WV. Gathered it up and tore it down. Dug the foam out of the tunnels, stripped the interior, took it to the fiberglass shop for some light work and a repaint. Purchased a reman 225 pro max from Reynolds Racing. My son made the 5 hour drive and picked it up this past spring. When he got back to our office he said “I asked Glenn if he had any Merc hats. He didn’t have one but he gave me this.” He smiled as he pulled out a white Allison hat. I said that’s really cool little buddy but we can’t afford an Allison and there are rare occasions to see a decent used one around here. I told him to put it on the top of my bookcase for display anyway.
Shortly after........my precious son passed away in a terrible work accident in July.
I didn’t even think about that old boat until a month or two ago when my wife suggested she would do some fishing with me if I would finish our project boat. Didn’t really have it in me but, went and picked it up at the fiberglass shop and it was a DISASTER. Shoddy job and looks just awful. I was so disheartened about the whole thing but figured I would go ahead and finish it and hang the motor. Went to a local buddy’s motor repair shop to pick up a used jackplate. Out of the 20 boats crammed in his yard, I noticed an odd hull back in the weeds. Turned out to be a decent looking old XTB. I asked my buddy for the owners number and bought it 3 days later.
Guess where that motor my boy picked up got hung today? Guess what that hydraulic steering he bought got put on today?? Guess where that hat that he put on my shelf that says Allison will be sitting tomorrow???
Guess we ended up in an Allison after all and it’s like my boy knew it all along.........Our God is a good Father. I know my little buddy is with Him smiling down on our sidetracked and redirected project right now!
Sorry for the long post but I had to tell this and it seemed appropriate. Thanks for the forum and will certainly need some of you guys knowledge going forward.
Just over a year ago I started telling my adult (26yo) son about some of my youth that hasn’t been blotted out since I am a follower of Christ. He was mesmerized by the story of a 1980’s Laser LTV bass boat that my butt adorned as a young man. He was all about the notion of tracking down an old hull and rebuilding one. Well, couldn’t find a laser but tracked down a Stratos 180VT in WV. Gathered it up and tore it down. Dug the foam out of the tunnels, stripped the interior, took it to the fiberglass shop for some light work and a repaint. Purchased a reman 225 pro max from Reynolds Racing. My son made the 5 hour drive and picked it up this past spring. When he got back to our office he said “I asked Glenn if he had any Merc hats. He didn’t have one but he gave me this.” He smiled as he pulled out a white Allison hat. I said that’s really cool little buddy but we can’t afford an Allison and there are rare occasions to see a decent used one around here. I told him to put it on the top of my bookcase for display anyway.
Shortly after........my precious son passed away in a terrible work accident in July.
I didn’t even think about that old boat until a month or two ago when my wife suggested she would do some fishing with me if I would finish our project boat. Didn’t really have it in me but, went and picked it up at the fiberglass shop and it was a DISASTER. Shoddy job and looks just awful. I was so disheartened about the whole thing but figured I would go ahead and finish it and hang the motor. Went to a local buddy’s motor repair shop to pick up a used jackplate. Out of the 20 boats crammed in his yard, I noticed an odd hull back in the weeds. Turned out to be a decent looking old XTB. I asked my buddy for the owners number and bought it 3 days later.
Guess where that motor my boy picked up got hung today? Guess what that hydraulic steering he bought got put on today?? Guess where that hat that he put on my shelf that says Allison will be sitting tomorrow???
Guess we ended up in an Allison after all and it’s like my boy knew it all along.........Our God is a good Father. I know my little buddy is with Him smiling down on our sidetracked and redirected project right now!
Sorry for the long post but I had to tell this and it seemed appropriate. Thanks for the forum and will certainly need some of you guys knowledge going forward.
