Murphy's Campout

Eagle Island, Lower Saranac Lake

Chapter 1
Never buy a used boat 4 days before you go camping on an island.

Sunday
Common sense would dictate that it is unwise to spend good money on a 45 year old aluminum boat and motor just a few short days before you need to rely on it to transport you and your loved ones to an island on a lake in the middle of the Adirondack Mountains.

I didn't waste a lot of common sense on this last camping trip.

The decision to look for a used boat to buy was driven by the fact that it is very expensive to rent a leaky, 60 year old aluminum boat with an even older 10 horse motor for an hour, or a day in the Adirondacks. When we go camping on Eagle Island, we bring a lot of stuff. I don't know why we need so much stuff. In spite of the fact that we had a meeting with our camping buddies before we packed so we wouldn't bring anything unnecessary, we still ended up with enough food and gear that, to the casual observer, you wouldn't think we were going camping . . . you'd think we were evacuating.

In order to get all this stuff to the campsite, we rent a boat, load it up and spend an hour or so ferrying gear and people from the marina to the island. If we want to keep the boat with us for the 4 days we're on the island, the rental cost, plus gas ends up around the $500 mark.
So, when I saw the ad in Craig's List for a vintage 16ft Starcraft with a 40 horse Johnson and trailer for $800, simple math said that in 2 camping trips, it would pay for itself.

Can you tell I've never owned a boat?

I went to see the craft in person, expecting the worst. It actually looked pretty solid and more like a real boat than the klunkers we usually rent. It has a closed bow, windshield, electric starter, new anchor and a cool "schooner" type steering wheel. Cosmetically, it looks 45 years old, but nothing a little elbow grease and upholstery can't fix. In fact, with a little time and effort, it could be a stunning classic, like Cloris Leachman.

For now, we just needed the motor to run for 4 days and for the boat to make it to the island and back without sinking. At least we had the sense to ask the seller to drop it in the water and start the motor. There's a river nearby, so we took it over there and dropped it in. It didn't sink! He turned the key and, after 2 tries it started right up and the motor ran smoothly. So far, so good.
I'm no haggler. I tried to get the seller to agree on $700, but he said he couldn't go below $750, since he apparently had a bill to pay that was in that exact amount. Probably a bail bond.

Monday
As soon as the bank opened, I was in line to secure $750 in small, unmarked bills. I met the seller at his house and traded him the cash for the boat. I hooked it up to my Jeep and was on my way. I kept an ear open for sirens, since the trailer lights didn't work. That would be the first thing I'd fix.
When I got home, I backed the boat into the driveway. Did it on the first try! I actually have some practical experience with trailers of different sorts, so it wasn't difficult. Starting to feel like a boat owner!
Juuuuust the beginning . . .


....more to come...