Why do we love these boats so much?

[john lamon]

So last winter I was out in the garage working on the boat almost every night, this year there really wasn't much to do except for the new interior skins that I ordered from CM, I took the old interior out in Sep. and to be honest I kind of lost interest in it while waiting for the skins to show up, just walking by it without even glancing over, no tarp on it either, it's just rolled up on the shelf, I haven't been posting on here much either.

Tonight I went out to the garage for a quick beer and walked over and took a look inside, tools laid in it from the interior removal from 3 months ago and just crap in general all over the floor and I kind of felt bad about it

I couldn't go inside and leave it that way so I cranked up the old school metallica and out came the shop vac and a bucket of water, I got her all cleaned up and destroyed 18 beer in the process and I am expecting the new interior in the next week or two so I can get her all back together, it's just weird, I have had some nice toy's, brand new snowmobiles or cars and whatever and a boat is just different, I had just as much fun cleaning it up tonight and thinking about good times on the water as I would have out driving it, well maybe not quite as much fun buy you get the idea, and all that fun out of a 22 year old boat sitting in a garage

Now that I'm back I can't wait for summer, too bad it's 4 months away until I see any open water.

 

[ezstriper]

to me these are like classic muscle cars...that they still make and are supported...

 

[atc250r]

For me its been the boat that I've wanted since I was a 12 year old kid watching them buzz around the lake in 1984. The lines on these boats are timeless and classic. I too have had snowmobiles, quads, trikes, lifted Jeeps/trucks, fast cars, and sportbikes. None of those things is as conducive to taking your family along for the day as boating is. Try bringing your 2 year old to the race track or snowmobiling for the day, ain't gonna work. With the boat you can cruise for a while, find a spot to put it up on the beach, have lunch, continue on with your ride (or not). That's what makes it such an attractive thing for me. Now, the fact that you can get a 60+ mph open bow Checkmate with room for 8 people for under $10K makes it infinitely more fun than trodding around in a plain old bow rider.

John

 

[happy]

My mate has been in the family since she was new (1976), we have had other boats 1974 Chris Craft Lancer, 1979 28' Uniflite fly bridge, 16' sidewinder jet and my last big one (to me) was a 1984 Egg Harbor sport fisher (hurricane Ike destroyed her) oh yeah, a 1989 18' baja (recently sold). Its a toss up between the use of the Egg Harbor and the Mate. The Mate is the only one still around and still running. Friends and family will tell you "I love that boat"!! My lil 3 year old Niece says the same thing. She asks every time "uncle happy can we take misfit out?"
This skimate has dug a niche into our hearts, she will never be sold, and as I'm alive always cared for.

35ish years old, and just completed a major overhaul, I hope to transfer the title to my lil niece when she is old enough. This legend will live, and I would like to thank the Checkmate team that put her together so many years ago for thier hard work, dedication and for the memories they arent aware they created.

Happy New Year.

 

[john lamon]

For me its been the boat that I've wanted since I was a 12 year old kid watching them buzz around the lake in 1984. The lines on these boats are timeless and classic. I too have had snowmobiles, quads, trikes, lifted Jeeps/trucks, fast cars, and sportbikes. None of those things is as conducive to taking your family along for the day as boating is. Try bringing your 2 year old to the race track or snowmobiling for the day, ain't gonna work. With the boat you can cruise for a while, find a spot to put it up on the beach, have lunch, continue on with your ride (or not). That's what makes it such an attractive thing for me. Now, the fact that you can get a 60+ mph open bow Checkmate with room for 8 people for under $10K makes it infinitely more fun than trodding around in a plain old bow rider.

John

I have also wanted a checkmate since I was 12, the previous owner of my boat is a few cabins down from my parents and I spent hours as a kid standing on the dock and drooling over it, I almost couldn't believe it when I finally had it parked in my garage, lol, it only took me 20 years to get it

 

[ross]

seems lately, since the weather is crap, when i get to drinking i end up down at the shop sitting on the boat with the tunes going drinking beer pretending it's summer out. i turn the heat up to 70 and wait for the wife to find me and take me home I HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR

 

[CheckmateFever]

I have also wanted a checkmate since I was 12, the previous owner of my boat is a few cabins down from my parents and I spent hours as a kid standing on the dock and drooling over it, I almost couldn't believe it when I finally had it parked in my garage, lol, it only took me 20 years to get it

There must be something about being 12 years old!! I was 12 years old when i got a ride in an I/O Enchanter with a 350 and loud thru-hull exhuast, that was a dream come true at that point and i will NEVER forget it! I grew up spending my summer on Keuka Lake in NY, there were alot of Checkmates running around, O/B's and I/O's, they were every where!! But that Enchanter was the boat i thought was greatest, best looking, coolest boat on the lake, and i vowed to own one someday! After gettin outta college and gettina job, that was one of the first things i did, go look for an Enchanter. Took a couple years to find one close enough and for the right price, but it was worth the wait. What's really cool, is goin back to the lake with my Enchanter and running into the very Enchanter, with the same owner no less, that i gotta ride in when i was 12!! Now i see his boat all the time, we've parked them together a few times, still funny to see and tie up with the actual boat that started my obsession all those years ago!! I will own a Checkmate till the day i die, my Enchanter is goin no where!!

 

[Chris E]

i was 19 and working for a checkmate dealer (summer job), my boss would always take me along for the shake-down ride (and always let me drive), that summer i was in a strobe, pacifica, 25 convincer, vision, pulse, and spectra. the vision was my favourite - the first boat i broke 70 in behind the wheel - awesome! it took 3 hours to wipe the smile from my face! hopefully this year, time and money will allow me to get back to the predictor project!

 

[Will30]

When I was born my dad had already had his checkmate . He had bought his in 1977 brand new from Action Marine at the age of 20 . I came along 2 years later and grew up on that boat . Spent countless hours on Orchard lake and the Detroit River . I remember going to Action to pick up some quicksilver two stroke oil or to buy a prop with my dad and seeing all the new checkmates and wishing I had one of my own . Now I have 3 of my own . A Big thank you to Action Marine . Its because of Action Marine That I have so much fun on the water with my Checkmate

 

[corey331]

Im with ya John. I too remember being a kid growing up on the Ohio River every weekend and seeing all of my Dad's friends get their checkmates and v-drives out after dinner and ripping up and down the river. I knew I would have one someday. I have had many cool and VERY fast toys in my day. Still have some of them, but since I have bought my Starflite, it truely has become an obsession. Hell, I have a extremely low mile 87 Grand National sitting in my garage, that is way faster and worth 4 times what my boat is, but I haven't lifted a finger on it since I got my boat. And most likely won't till I have all my winter projects for the Mate done. Here it is New Years eve, and all I can think about is getting over to my storage place so I can re wire my trailer and clean her up so I can go out and freeze my ass off taking her out tomorrow. I'll probably ring in the new year, cleaning her up with an ice cold Pabst in my hand. And I honestly can't think of a better way to do so!!!

 

[ezflyer]

i was 19 and working for a checkmate dealer (summer job), my boss would always take me along for the shake-down ride (and always let me drive), that summer i was in a strobe, pacifica, 25 convincer, vision, pulse, and spectra. the vision was my favourite - the first boat i broke 70 in behind the wheel - awesome! it took 3 hours to wipe the smile from my face! hopefully this year, time and money will allow me to get back to the predictor project!

wow such a good thread. i was raised around boats my whole life. nothing like the mate's i have seen here. i am a considered a smaller frame person. yes i do have the small man syndrome. i have a 12 acre back yard. i drive an older f350 single wheel ext cab. and my newer fishing boat is 20 foot long. you ask why do we love our boats so much??? there is no better feeling than having the 200 yamaha screaming out, as the wake pulls from the back of my boat when i leave the dock in attemp to find some fish. going across toledo bend lake doing 73 gps with the wind in my hair and my eyes watering is such an adreinaline rush. having a rostertail that is 30 to 40 foot long and 15 foot high is awsome. riding in my boat at about 55 to 70 is the next best thing to riding on an airplane. i can sit hear and type all day about it, but as captian morgan says when your wife and family has a smile from ear to ear, thats consider golden times in my book. wow its the sense of fredom that we have, were the whole family can have the most fun together. HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.

 

[john lamon]

Im with ya John. I too remember being a kid growing up on the Ohio River every weekend and seeing all of my Dad's friends get their checkmates and v-drives out after dinner and ripping up and down the river. I knew I would have one someday. I have had many cool and VERY fast toys in my day. Still have some of them, but since I have bought my Starflite, it truely has become an obsession. Hell, I have a extremely low mile 87 Grand National sitting in my garage, that is way faster and worth 4 times what my boat is, but I haven't lifted a finger on it since I got my boat. And most likely won't till I have all my winter projects for the Mate done. Here it is New Years eve, and all I can think about is getting over to my storage place so I can re wire my trailer and clean her up so I can go out and freeze my ass off taking her out tomorrow. I'll probably ring in the new year, cleaning her up with an ice cold Pabst in my hand. And I honestly can't think of a better way to do so!!!

I would go freeze my ass off taking mine out tomorrow if the water wasn't so hard around here, make sure you post up some pics
It's -18* F here right now and I freeze my ass off just walking to the garage

 

[mh2508]

So last winter I was out in the garage working on the boat almost every night, this year there really wasn't much to do except for the new interior skins that I ordered from CM, I took the old interior out in Sep. and to be honest I kind of lost interest in it while waiting for the skins to show up, just walking by it without even glancing over, no tarp on it either, it's just rolled up on the shelf, I haven't been posting on here much either.

Tonight I went out to the garage for a quick beer and walked over and took a look inside, tools laid in it from the interior removal from 3 months ago and just crap in general all over the floor and I kind of felt bad about it

I couldn't go inside and leave it that way so I cranked up the old school metallica and out came the shop vac and a bucket of water, I got her all cleaned up and destroyed 18 beer in the process and I am expecting the new interior in the next week or two so I can get her all back together, it's just weird, I have had some nice toy's, brand new snowmobiles or cars and whatever and a boat is just different, I had just as much fun cleaning it up tonight and thinking about good times on the water as I would have out driving it, well maybe not quite as much fun buy you get the idea, and all that fun out of a 22 year old boat sitting in a garage

Now that I'm back I can't wait for summer, too bad it's 4 months away until I see any open water.

Keep us informed on how your skins project goes! I might make that plunge also and am wondering how hard and how much work it would be.

 

[john lamon]

Keep us informed on how your skins project goes! I might make that plunge also and am wondering how hard and how much work it would be.

Will do, from what other guy's have said it is pretty easy, is your interior that bad in an 08' those guy's should be shot for treating those boats like that.

 

[TheNerd]

Well, the boat for me brings all my favorite things together, warm weather, being outside, drinking beer, women in bikinis, loud music, hanging out with friends, drinking beer and women in bikinis. My little boat allows me to take a short vacation every weekend when I hit the water.

 

[Jimway]

Hey everyone, great thread. Kind of hard to put into words sometimes why we love boats so much. Like many of you, have been around fast stuff for many years, more years now than I care to admit. Not having an endless supply of dollars, it seems that most of my projects have been found under trees, out in fields and most importantly broken(cheap). Due to my profession, I am out and about and always keep an eye out for stuff. I enjoy the repair process on things mechanical. Have been known to disappear into shop for hours at a time. Always get the greatest satisfaction from getting something running again. Also have been infected by the speed addiction since early in life so always interested in performance goodies. Have come to realize that all of the grinding, polishing,painting, wrenching, etc, have helped keep what little sanity I have intact. Nothing quite like the freedom of the open water, although we seem to be facing more rules and regulation and erosion of our rights on the water....sorry, I'll stop with the politics. No white line to follow, any direction you want to go, tank full of fuel, cooler full of goodies, good friends, watersports, good times and good memories. Have come to realize that family and friends (Checkmate boat included here) most important in life, every thing else is just stuff, you can go buy more stuff tomorrow. Supposed to be clear around here tomorrow, thinking about the lake.........

 

[corey331]

I would go freeze my ass off taking mine out tomorrow if the water wasn't so hard around here, make sure you post up some pics
It's -18* F here right now and I freeze my ass off just walking to the garage

Will do!!! Its actually unusually warm here today. Pushing 60 right now, and supposed to be in the upper 40's low 50's tomorrow!! I'll make sure to Photo shop the pics so it looks like I'm walking away from Brian's playmate, lol.

 

[mh2508]

Will do, from what other guy's have said it is pretty easy, is your interior that bad in an 08' those guy's should be shot for treating those boats like that.

I have been scrubbing on it for 2 days now and I think is going to be ok or at least good enough. Still stinks though since the rest of the boat is going look like brand new.
I did just now however found out some bad news. I just took the last pcs off the front backrest and it is made of wood. We all know what happens to wood! Not knowing much about this I hope I can get this replacement from C-mate and carefully pull the stamples from this skin and reuse it.
Reading your this thread got me fired up to get going on it again then I find this!

 

[pete m]

nice thread! like a lot of you i also grew up on boats,my dad had a lot of boats over the years.no checkmates but thats ok!he had a 27' carver, i was about 4 or 5 and he set me on his lap and let me drive it!great memories! when my kid were younger, i did the same set them on my lap and let them drive! boats it's the freedom of going where ever,as fast,or slow as you want(as long as your wife will let you! lol) thats the passion about boats! cleaning, polishing, taking it out for the day,hitting the beach shooting the breeze with other boaters! its just a lot of fun! IS IT SPRING YET?

 

[john lamon]

I have been scrubbing on it for 2 days now and I think is going to be ok or at least good enough. Still stinks though since the rest of the boat is going look like brand new.
I did just now however found out some bad news. I just took the last pcs off the front backrest and it is made of wood. We all know what happens to wood! Not knowing much about this I hope I can get this replacement from C-mate and carefully pull the stamples from this skin and reuse it.
Reading your this thread got me fired up to get going on it again then I find this!

Sorry to see that, that sucks, my 89' wood is like new, lol

I couldn't help but notice the Yankton,SD sticker on the truck in the background, I'm a truck driver and I stop and sleep at that coffee cup truck stop at exit 26 on I 29 all the time, they have free internet so I can get on here,lol, I don't think that's too far from where you are?