Don buys a boat

Don and Pat decided that he needed a boat if he was going to continue to fish. The canoe just wasn’t going to cut it anymore. They did a great deal of research looking for the price and features he wanted. This was to be a once in a lifetime purchase so he wanted to get it right. After several months of research and a trip to the boat factory in Lebanon, MO, they decided a Tracker aluminum boat with a modified V front was the best bargain.

Tracker Boats was founded by John Morris who also founded Bass Pro Shops. (He was also my orthopedic doctor’s roommate in college). Morris wanted to manufacture a boat that was completely equipped for fishing. The boats are welded aluminum, not riveted as was the industry standard. The modified V is basically a flat bottom “john” boat, with a tapered front. I know all this stuff because Don talked to me about all the details of his decision.

There are no boat dealers in Bloomington. Why I don’t know. To buy his boat, Don had to go to Springfield, IL or Pekin, IL. Don liked the dealer in Springfield better. Price was not a factor in where to buy, as all Tracker dealers have to sell boats for the same price.

The spring of the big boat buy, the school board had just hired a new superintendent. Bob, the new superintendent, wanted his academic administrators to understand the new direction he wanted to take the district. A national conference was being held in Portland, OR, by one of Bob’s mentors in assessment. Don was scheduled to attend. I wasn’t invited.

On a Friday, Don asked if I would go with him to Springfield to pick up his new boat. I agreed, as I was the one who knew how to back up a trailer. He was to leave for Portland on Sunday.

We arrived at the dealership, and they told Don they wanted to take him out on the water to show him how to operate the boat. This took quite a while as there was much to learn about the motor, depth finder, trolling motor, switches, lights etc. It really was fully equipped for fishing. Don wanted me to learn how to operate the boat as well. I was totally confused as to the operation of the trolling motor foot control.

Don had ordered the boat with a 10 hp motor instead of the standard 25 hp. This was because he planned to fish at Lake Evergreen, where the maximum hp is 10. It was also cheaper with the 10 hp. The boat doesn’t have a lot of power, but it handles very easily.

It was dark by the time we had the boat loaded to return home. We pulled the boat into the drive. Don and I put the cover on the boat.

As I was getting ready to leave Don said, “You can come over and see my wife while I’m gone, but stay away from my boat”