Forum Member Spotlight: Captain Tony

Here's our newest forum member spotlight on Captain Tony. You will see parts of this interview in the August issue of PDB magazine.We are so thankful for his contributions around our forum at www.pdbmagazine.com/forum. 

1. What kind of boat do you currently own?

We currently have a 2005 Summit Tri-toon built by Triton Boats – 22 feet with a Mercury Optimax 115hp DFI outboard. 

We have a few other boats from over the years including a 1973 Sea Ray 20 foot runabout with Mercruiser 188hp I/O;
a 2001 Nitro Bay 1800 Center Console with 90 hp Mercury O/B, (this boat is up for sale); 
2002 Yamaha Fx140 and a 2008 Yamaha FX140 Wave Runners. 

As you can see we like boating.

2. What is your favorite thing about it?

My favorite thing about the Summit Tritoon is that with this one boat we can take the place of the bay boat for pulling the kids tubing, water skiing, wakeboarding and trick skiing; along with long cruises and just plain family get together fun. All these activities used to require more than one vessel and it’s our objective to sell off a few boats to make life a little simpler.

3. What is your dream boat?

I guess our dream boat has always been to have a 32-36 foot Sea Ray cruiser to use on the Intra-Coastal Water Way. Our fantasy trip is to pick up a new Sea Ray at the Merritt Island FL. Factory and cruise up north in the ICW to Maine. 

We would only look at the sights on the Starboard side going up and then turn around at Portland Maine and cruise down the ICW out into the Key West southern most tip of the U.S. 

After such a fantasy cruise we would sell the boat and fly back to reality in the Mid-West. This of course will most likely never come to pass but you asked about our dream boat.

4. Share a fun/exciting boating memory:

As to an exciting boating memory; a number of years ago on the Lake of the Ozarks in our 20’ SeaRay we rescued a 19’ Coast Guard boat whose engine had quit. 
There was a bad storm in May (tornado warnings were out) and the wind was clocked at 55 MPH on the Lake. The water was rough enough to produce 2 to 4 foot waves with whitecaps while we towed the CG boat with 2 officers aboard into a marina – about 8 miles by water.
Exciting – we got a commendation.

5. What is the must have boating accessory?

A must have accessory for boating is the depth finder – I wish our Wave Runners had them.

6. How long have you been boating?

I have been boating about 50 years – started at 15/16 years old with a class A 10’ racing hull and have been on & off ever since.

7. Where do you typically boat?

We predominately boat at the Lake of the Ozarks in mid-Missouri. It is a 130 mile long impoundment with 1300 miles of shoreline. 
It is beautiful and can be exciting when the “Wally Weekenders” are out in force. We usually stay at the dock over holidays when they are cutting up the water.

8. What part of the country has the best boating? 

I always say, “You can buy any boat you think will go 85 MPH as long as you make the payments - but you can’t buy common sense at any price”

I don’t know that any one part of the country has a lock on the best boating but I think most fresh water impoundments offer a lot of water fun for a lot of families.
I don’t particularly care for saltwater boating because it is so hard on the equipment, but I love to visit the New England – Canada – Nova Scotia areas for the coastline beauty.