www.iFourWinns.com

We spent the past weekend of the 4th in Elk Rapids, Michigan. My dad has retired and now lives the summer on a boat. So I thought I would share some photos we took. Elk Rapids is located on the east bay of the Grand Traverse Bay. About 30 miles by water from Traverse City. The Blue Angles were in Traverse so we went down Friday afternoon for the practice and 4th fireworks, Saturday for the show and then Sunday for the show…what a blast. What is almost $2,000 in fuel when it is family…right???

My son, at 17 months now…living on a large boat is not a good place for a toddler…but he did pretty well and he LOVED the planes and the loud jets.

Here are a few pictures…

The “mother ship” I got to pilot all weekend



My son taking control





My dad, me and my son traveling down the bay to the show



Some show shots

some more...








Some other cool boats we saw…








So we had a few exciting things happen on Saturday. The marina my dad is in has one of the nicest launch ramps I have ever seen…so it attracts a lot and some very nice boats. I know we have had ramp arguments before…but this place does it right. They have four, yes four ramp attendants and they determine the order…not who’s boat or trailer is there first. In fact, the lot is not that big so on busy weekends all trucks and trailer are taken to the local high school for parking and they shuttle you back and forth in a van. For someone who is alone, they have three very large slips for you to tie up your boat while away getting your rig.

OK…now on to the good stuff. So they guy pulls in…



It is about a 45’ Skater being pulled by an F450 on a gooseneck hydraulic trailer that was worth probably more than any boat I have ever owner. Of course the ramp gets busy with guys watching…the owner had an ego and he did park right in the middle of the ramp to prep the boat which is wrong but I think that was due to its width.







So they guy launches and of course has to show how big his b a l l s are by revving the engine…it was real loud. In fact…the Harbor Master at the end of the day told the guy not to come back because he did that at the ramp. The owner said he had had it to 140 mph and could top out around 180 mph.

So just before this guy and his crew was leaving the dock. A guy pulls next to him to launch and launches a new 23’ Crownline. Four kids and his wife in the boat. No life jackets on the kids and no lines. The Crownline drifts over and puts two 10” gashes in the Skater. The Skater owner handled it well. Guy with the Crownline needs to get a clue about boating.

Saturday afternoon was cool as I got to meet “The Tool Man”, Tim Allen. He owns a place in Northport, Michigan which is about 25 miles across the bay. He comes over to Elk Rapids two or three times a summer. He has one of these:

Uniesse Sport 54



I did not get a picture of his actual boat as I was trying to respect his family’s privacy. Nice guy, I shook his hand and off he went to dinner in town. Then back to Northport that evening.

Last night one of these came in…2009 Marquis 50 SC



I did not get an actual photo as they came in after dark and were gone by 7 am this morning. They just picked up the boat in Green Bay, Wisconsin and were heading back to New Buffalo, Michigan. Very different…but pretty cool. Not sure I would like it or not. But I did like the triple Volvo IPS drives he had in this baby.

OK…one final shot of my wife and son on the bow.



OK...my Four Winns tie in. This marina my dad is at is also the marina where Four Winns has two slips to do testing on some of their larger boats. Vista 458 Hull #1 that you see in all the magazines was in there and I took a really nice look.

Nicely done!

Sounds like a super weekend.

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

Awesome photos!!

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Wicked Awesome! Some pretty heavy hitters around there by the looks of things your pop incl. Classy call on the resisting the urge with Tim Allen.
Livin' the Dream Baby - congrats! Oh, if your boy only knew how privilaged he is to grow up in such a comfy lifestyle.
Skater proves anyone can aspire to be obnoxios with a little effort though you have to give the kit props - its pretty impressive without having to put it on display or rattle every window in the state.
Nice share - thanks.

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2008 Four Winns 210 5.7 GI/SX
2007 GMC Sierra 2500 Crew
1966 Fed-Up Wife

Thanks guys...it is a lot of fun to go up there.

Blessed...my wife and I are going to do everything we can to make our son appreciate how lucky he is. Sad part about it. I do not care about the big boat or what my dad can do financially for my son. I would trade it all if he would have been a better father and now a better grandfather. We are less than two hours away and we see him once a summer

I ABSOLUTELY love that area!

As soon as I can get a job, off I go to TC!!!!!!!

We will be there in two weeks, thanks for the pics.....now I am geeked!

We just got back from lexington, next weekend tawas, higgins.....then here we come TC!!!!!!!

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Boating is not an expense, it's a lifestyle!!

Talk to me about boating in TC.

It's less than 3 hours and I would love to explore the area. Obviously from the pix above, launching my 260 will not be an issue. How deep is the bay? Are there any "issue" areas? Any must sees via the water? I am fairly familiar with the area via, car, motorcycle, and snowmobile, but don't know it via boat. How long does it take to run from downtown TC to Northport at a reasonable cruising speed?

What do I need to know to make a good weekend trip out of it?

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

I was born in Traverse City..........

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

Excellent pictures! You are certainly very lucky.

You better make sure and plan for your future because it looks like your Dad is spending all your inheritance!!!!
It always amazes me what other people see in their travels. Sometimes I see neat stuff but don't think of or have my camera with me! I will have to try and be more diligent about keeping it with me.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

TC is by far the best place I have ever been for boating! From Big waters to small lakes, snowmobiling, hiking, camping, resorts, rustic cabins, big city, small cities, whineries, restuarants......again, its my favorite place in all of michigan. This is saying alot too, I have been to all but 6 lower michigan ports!!!!

I am trying to find a job up that way so I can move there, sooner than later!!!

PM an address, Ill send you a bunch of pics and info

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Boating is not an expense, it's a lifestyle!!

Dave...very easy to navigate up that way. Only real place you can get in trouble is the light out from the Leneau (sp) Peninsula. The light is almost a mile out from where land ends, but ther are a ton of very large rock that must be avoided.

Other than that, watch out for the gill net bouys and you should be all set. The depth is well over 600 feet deep in places. Marion or Powers Island (same island) in the middle of west bay is an awesome place to spend the day.

Traverse City to Northport will be an hour run or so. The cold weather starts about a month earlier and ends a month later up that way than even here in Grand Rapids. If that was not the case, we would live up there as well.

Great Photos hope things can improve with your Dad. Speaking from experience it is worth making the effort, we dont have our parents for ever,and you will miss them (no matter how annoying they can be) when they are gone.
Hope I haven't just killed this thread
Ardy
South Australia

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Ardy
Adelaide South Australia
Red H180 3.0 Merc

Hey Ardy...appreciate the encouragement. But to be very honest...I have tried now for quite a few years and am finally coming to the reality that this is how it is with him. He thinks that being able to buy stuff makes him a good parent.

In a nutshell...here is how things go with all the grandkids. Bug me and my siblings that they never get to see them. Even thought he is retired, WE travel to see him. Within the fist 10 minutes we are there a DVD is popped in to occupy the grandkids.

But...enough about family issues. Appreciate the thoughts on the pictures.