A bit of History.

[aussiebasser]

My Dad's new boat in about 1964. Caribbean Crosby with a 90hp Tower of Power Mercury. Possibly the first black Merc.

[oldie]

thats a quality tow rig too! 8-)

[sharkymark2]

Oh just awesome. You guys must have thought you were the bees knees. Thanks for taking the time to put it up.

[Gon Fishun]

My Dad's new boat in about 1964. Caribbean Crosby with a 90hp Tower of Power Mercury. Possibly the first black Merc.

1959 Fairlane ??????????

[aussiebasser]

A Galaxy. He traded his Customline on it.

[aussiebasser]

This one was about 1972 or 73. Pride Panther with a 135hp Merc. One of the few genuine 60mph ski boats back then when it was running the 2 blade bronze prop. We nearly lost this one on the Port Macquarie bar. I had a broken arm, I'd fallen off my bike.

[Crunchy]

Those old merc's were the bomb in their day, we had one on ski boat late 60's early 70's

[Steeler]

Tower of powers are still very desirable outboards. Visit some of the classified sites in the states and the money they still bring is incredible.

[aussiebasser]

The one on the red boat was one of the few real hot rod motors Merc released to the general public. From when the 90hp 6 was released up until the 150 in 1975, we had the biggest motor in the range each year. Dad was a Merc dealer so he had to keep up to date. When the V6 was released, he went to a stern drive on a 21 footer.

[LittleSkipper]

Gee's! 1964? 5 years before I was even born. I bet your dad would of been one of the wealthy blokes back in that era to own a boat? Nice tow vehicle by the way!


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[aussiebasser]

He had just given up driving log trucks in the Victorian high country and started a Total Service Station where he also sold boats.

[cro142]

That Caribbean Crosby with 6 cylinder Merc was a top rig back then.
I remember as a kid pressing my nose to the chain wire fence around the dealer's yard and gawping at those rigs with great desire.

[aussiebasser]

Dad's Reef Runner. The only one built and rated to 235hp. Most ran an 888 Mercruiser, which was a 302 V8 Ford motor, Dad had his built to take the 351 V8 Mercruiser. It was good for 50mph, and would pull me out of the water on a single ski with 10 people on board. Helluva boat.

[aussiebasser]

I found another old family photo. I guess this would have been about 1967 or 68 because we got the blue Chevy in 1966. The boat is Chiquita, a Caribbean Donzi which had a 125hp Merc.

[aussiebasser]

He made all the trailers under these boats himself, and he made most of the trailers for the boats he sold. He'd run the shop all day and then after tea go down the shed and weld up trailer frames. The neighbours must have hated us because when he fired up that old Lincoln arc welder, nobody nearby was able to watch TV.