Rob, I understand as I am writing this in tears. Your mission was not in vain. It will be 19 years on the 13th that I lost my dad. I, like you, had the privilege of taking care of him during the last 30 days of his journey on this earth. You have honored your father in a wonderful way. May the good Lord take care of you and your family during this difficult time. Time heals all pain and suffering...that I know for sure.
Thank you for your comment, I appreciate it. It was really hard but I was really lucky to have the time to do so, and I am not exaggerating; without Sarah's medical care he would have been dead within 3 days, and instead we got to spend 7 weeks with him. We looked at lot of photos, talked about a lot of things, and I shared the progress of this boat with him every night before bed. It was a lot. Time to go float, cheers!
@@ADDvanced hey Sir I want to say thank you for sharing and also I'm deeply sorry you didn't get to take him for that ride on that boat! But amazing Job on everything you did and also giving him that final ride at the end!! I'm actually in the process of redoing our childhood boat so yes sir I know the hard work you went through also seems like that boat is running better than ever you was hauling A$$!! 😁 Wish I could meet you in person Good Sir but keep making memories! Incredible
I first lost my wife then my dad, both to cancer, my wife passed 19/10/2017, then my dad 4 years later. My wife was my soulmate, that's a pain that has never left me, the grief is almost all consuming. I envy those whose wait thru time has allowed them to heal, I doubt that I ever will.
First, let me say that your dad could not have asked for a better son !! I was drawn to this video because I had the same make it model, and then I read the title and I was glued to every minute because I lost my dad a year ago and I wish I could have gotten him on the water one more time, but he was paralyzed with dementia 3yrs The worst hell I ever seen a man go through And it still haunts me. I was lucky enough to give him one of the most beautiful funerals ever because he was a police officer, end the army and both came out with their honor guard and did a fantastic job.. I jokingly say that if he was alive, he would have loved it.. As I saw your dad's face, it reminded me of my father. They looked very similar and I'm good at reading faces and I could tell your father was very proud even if he wasn't feeling good on that day on the pontoon boat, he would have rather been there than any place else in the world. because he wanted to be there for you. You are a very good man, I'm sure i'm not alone in saying this ! Your father's in heaven, having an awesome time, No pain no sickness, no death. And you will see him again. And he will look like the man you remember from when you were a child. I'm sure you'll never sell that boat. And when your out on the water with it, and you feel something nice , It's cause he's sitting in the seat next to you. I'm from connecticut, but I wish I was in your neighborhood at the time you were working on that boat, because I would have gladly helped you. I'm saying a prayer right now for your dad.
Probably the algo; looked at your vids and we are both cyclists and into snow sports, so maybe that? We are building an off grid ski chalet in the rockies; here is the 'cabin' th-cam.com/video/K7nJFMf6xZw/w-d-xo.html
I just lost my dad a few months ago. Even at 55 years old, I would always call him and keep him updated on my latest project... I still find myself going to pick up the phone and fill him in. Great video, sorry for your loss. Remember all the great times!
That hits hard. I just finished hanging new lighting in his garage, it looks so much better, and when I turned them on I wanted to show him so bad. Appreciate the comment, Scott. Stay tuned, I'm pretty far along on the yellow boat already. Cheers
Dude,I understand completely,I just found out my dad has cancer in the liver and lungs incurable has less than 4 months.I have decided to take off work and I am taking him to my cabin in mountains,so me and him can have one last adventure together before he gets to bad.God bless you and your Family
Please contact a hospice network in your area, the people are there to help and provide you with the medical equipment you need to make them more comfortable in the final stages. It's not pretty, and it's really really hard. But it's worth it. We all die eventually; I just don't want to be in a friggin hospital under fluorescent lighting
First time on your channel. Found myself in tears by the end. You did your Daddy proud. Remember he taught you how to be a Father. And a lot of other stuff. Condolences to you and your family.
"Water has always been life to me. Always flowing, changing, and moving forward. The current pushes everyone on different paths. Sometimes you get back together just to say goodbye. I learned a lot from my dad: Spend time with dogs. Dont take anything too seriously. Laugh when things get tough. Go places youre not supposed to. Always be willing to help out. Enjoy going fast. Enjoy slowing down, too. Create memories, share knowledge & always spend time on the water." This is the most amazing closing outro to a video that I've ever seen since TH-cam has existed. Every word resonates with me...being near or on water isnt just a recreational/tourist thing - it is centering/Zen. IYKYK My condolences to you and your family, and thank you for capturing and sharing the true spirit of the water.
Thanks for your comment, especially about how much you enjoyed the outro. I had 90% of the video edited and done, and then it just stalled for over a month. I didn't know how to end it. I recorded some talking bits.... but the words just didn't capture everything, so I just decided to write some stuff. My dad gave me a love of the water, repairing things, and exploring buildings where I'm not supposed to be lol. Keep on floating man
Rob, my sincerest sympathies. Just discovered your channel a couple days ago and am trying to catch up on what I missed. I work in cancer care and see death and dying every day. It's not easy. But know that he is in a better place, no longer suffering and at peace. He knows your love for him and you will once again be with him. Cherish the memories and create new ones with your wonderful family for them to remember. My prayers are with you and your family. Stay well.
Thank you Tom! It was pretty rough. I am trying to be thankful for knowing him, and that anything good ever happened at all, vs focusing on what you don't have anymore. Cheers
Dear Rob. So sorry to hear about your dad. Mine passed away 16.5 this year, he was 82. It was his funeral 5 days ago (things are pretty backed up and f****d up here in the UK). He was the greatest man I ever knew. Sat with tears in my eyes both watching and writing this. You did the greatest thing and were lucky enough to say goodbye. It would be great if you could restore 'Prime Time'. A beautiful boat. Look after yourself and keep up the fantastic vlogs.
Hey Mark, I'm sorry for your loss as well. It's pretty hard when someone has been your best friend your whole life isn't there anymore. Prime Time is on the list, I'm half way through the yellow boat now, so stay tuned for that one. Cheers!
I wasn't expecting to watch a journey of love today. I wasn't expecting to cry either. Thank you so much for sharing this, and deepest sympathy to everyone who's lost a parent or two. It happens to most of us eventually, and it's a hard path to travel. Stay strong and hold on to those precious memories for the rest of your days. Love and peace from a stranger who knows what you're going through. 🥲✌
Thanks, Slipstream. You're welcome, I'm glad other people are finding this video valuable; it was tough to capture everything, communicate what I was feeling, and edit all this, but I think it helped me deal with things somehow. Cheers and get on the water
Very sorry for the loss of your father / father in law Rob and Sarah. I'm sure he is very proud of the work you both did to get his old boat running. Whether he got physically in the boat or not for the last ride, I'm sure he was with you. I lost my dad 20 yrs ago next January and I still think about him often. Prayers lifted for you and your family and work through this difficult time.
This one hit me hard.. 😢 My dad last boat was a Sea Ray just like this one, and I was fortunate to take him on his last ride before he passed. Sorry for your loss, Rob. Enjoy the memories ❤
Thanks Leon, it was so frustrating to have the weather take a turn when the boat was ready to go. I am excited and intimidated to tackle the big one I showed in the beginning; both from a mechanical and memory perspective.
You, Sarah and a few friends "stepped up" for your Pop busted your humps to make an experience and more than likely recall memories of his younger years for him on one of his water toys. He got to see it out on the water where it belongs and know YOU and yours made it happen. Well done! Thanks for sharing your story to tell and your perspective. Anyone who watches will be inspired to step up and "do it right."
This hits close to home. Me and my dad used to love boating together. He got me into it. When he passed we had to sell his pride and joy boat. But I was able to keep his old cobalt ski boat. It’s been 11 years. And I love to take it out and just remember to the good times. Love your videos man. Best wishes through this terrible time.
I grew up on this river, mainly on that gigantic SunRunner I showed in the beginning of the video, but we traveled all over the country going to boat races in the 80s and 90s. So many of his friends that visited brought their boats, idk, it's hard to separate them at this point. Glad you still have the Cobalt; take as many people out on it as you can. Cheers!
@@chrisbasilebuilds The cobalts are great boats. Oldie but goodie. Your Dad is with you I bet when you're out on the water. Take the boat out this weekend. Fall is around the corner.
Wow. What a wonderful tribute to your Dad! You know, you will have that boat as a special reminder of him. The Special Olympics athletes oath goes, " Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt" . You certainly did that! My bet is that your Dad loved and appreciated what you were doing. Take care!
Thanks for the support, I appreciate it. I shared updates with him every night before he went to bed, and we troubleshooted... troubleshot? a lot of things together during this build. Cheers!
the pain in your voice through out this video shows how much this project ment to you... sorry to hear your dad wont be able to ride his boat one last time... but he'll be there watching over you, making memories like he made with you all those years ago
Rob, typically not one to comment on a TH-cam video but I felt the need to say something after following along on your adventures for a few years and now seeing this. The zeal with which you approach life is a testament to the lessons your father taught you. Thinking of you.
1988 was such a memorable year for boating for me. Both Sea Ray and Four Winns going head to head, Brunswick going against OMC. So many little companies in the mix: Sunbird, Sea Sprite, Chapparal, VIP and the list goes on. I miss those days filled with 2 stroke smell on the lakes... As a kid that grew up on lake Mendota this really hit home. As a kid I had every boat memorized at every house. I passed this boat hundreds of times on my way to the Musky lounge and Christie's. This actually brought tears to my eyes as I'm in a very similar situation with my father. I'm waiting for the water levels to drop so hopefully I can get his boat on the lift. He is unable to get in it but once the water drops maybe I can find a way to get him in the boat so we can have potentially one last ride. Thanks for sharing Rob. Hugs to you and your family!
Which boat, Prime Time? And yeah, when the boating actually cared about the middle class, it was awesome. Same experience, I memorized where all the cool boats were, and the channel was just a constant boat show, so many Bajas, Checkmates, Hydrostreams, Chapparels, all sorts of stuff used to be fun, fast, and affordable. I've spent the last 8 years at Mercury and I felt like I was screaming into the void when I talked about performance boating becoming more attainable. Very frustrating.The yellow and black Bat Boat is still around btw! Saw him a few days ago lol. Cheers, and be sure to check out some of my sled content if you haven't, I think you'll dig it. Thanks for the comment! th-cam.com/video/2ngOA7msP-M/w-d-xo.html
@ADDvanced Yea, Prime Time. Awesome to hear the bat boat is still going! It's sad all the new boats are slow expensive, wake machines. Nothing like the 80s and 90s. I'm really missing the Yahara lakes. Few years ago, I moved over to the Mississippi side of the state. Great boating besides this year. I actually almost bought your yellow boat, the cee bee 😆. Glad I didn't after seeing all the overheat issues. Been a big fan of your content, including all of your sledding stuff too. Keep up the good content brother!
To all that lost your parents or parent, I did too and I miss mine so very much. I’m sure your parents are all proud of you. Well done bud. You did your daddy proud.
@@ADDvanced me too, I gotta tell ya. This video is pretty awesome, from your knowledge of boat repair to the love you have for your dad driving you is extremely inspiring to me and probably a lot of others. Keep up the good work, your family is proud of you.
This brought tears to my eyes. My dad passed away from cancer Dec. 22, 2002. Watching this video made me think of my younger years as a kid in the 80's when my dad had a boat and took me and my brother out on Lake Michigan for boat rides and fishing. God bless you and your family my friend.
Thanks for the comment, man. Boating in the 80s was glorious, when the working class could actually afford cool boats. Now it's all pontoons and boring slow things that cost 60k+. Cheers and get out on the water!
Damn man I was just wondering why no videos in such a long time now I know. Worn the same shoes you have with my Mom passing unexpectedly totally caught off guard. Life’s crappy time to experience that loss when things are going so right. Pet or human loss…it just sucks. Live long live happy! Keep at it!!!! Love the videos. Sorry for your loss!
Yeah. To be honest life has been throwing me a lot of Ls lately. I have a lot of videos already done and uploaded and ready to post, but I wanted to put this one out first to help explain. More videos soon, thanks for the comment, Steve!
@@ADDvanced 👍🏻✌🏻🥃, btw on a different note my wife said Sarah had an engagement ring or wedding ring on in this video, I didn’t catch it. 👊🏻🤙🏻💪🏻things will get better!
Sorry to hear he didn't get his last ride. But you are an awesome son... no question he was proud of you. All the best, enjoy that boat in memory of him.
Oh man, you should see his obituary photo, it's him waterskiing in front of the capital with a cigarette and no life jacket, I think he was 77 years old? haha
Rob - my sincere condolences. I'm a subscriber and lifelong boat fixer, and I remember well the last ride I took my Dad on. He's been gone over 40 years now. I think of him every day, and I still have the boat, restored it during the pandemic, and took my sons out for a ride. In the final analysis, the boats don't matter. It's the people we love and the time we spend with them that does. Godspeed, brother.
Hey John, thanks for the comment. My mom told me once that I need to stop worrying about 'stuff' so much, but she doesn't understand that 'things' like boats and snowmobiles create such rich, vivid memories that last an entire lifetime. I miss him a lot. Cheers
Rob, you have given your dad a great tribute and honor, especially in him seeing you continue the restoration that he started. The video brought tears to my eyes as my dad, like yours, loved being on the water. He passed in ‘06 and a few years later I bought a 1992 SeaRay 180 and would think of him every time I took it to the lake. God bless you and your family for loving your father and keeping his dream alive.
Rob, thanks for sharing your Dad's story. Things don't always work out the way you plan, but all you can do is your best. My wife and I were out on the boat this afternoon. A song came on the radio "rock the boat" and I was immediately transported back in time, sitting with my Dad (passed 15yrs ago) fishing on his 14' wooden boat. Nice memories are the ones that last... Be well.
You're welcome, I am glad you enjoyed it. It was pretty rough. I have definitely been playing some music my dad played on Prime Time recently. Good vibes.
There is no doubt that your dad was with you on the water when you took the boat out...Your a good man for what you did and I am sure what you will do in the future. Sounds like you had a great teacher.
Rob you did your father proud. I lost my father 21 years ago to lung cancer and had the privilege of taking care of him the last 13 months. You seem very talented and a wonderful son and a sweet wife helping you. Good job to you both. You also did a great job on the video 🙏❤️
What a beautiful tribute to your father, he would be proud of the new life given to the sea ray. Lost my father to cancer 2/28/2015, and felt this video in so many ways. Thanks for sharing your journey with us, I know it was not easy to relive some of those moments.
You and your family are good people. I restored a 64 Impala as a tribute to my dad after he passed, 30 years later I still think of him when ever I drive it
Hiya I'm Andy from the UK 🇬🇧 I am sorry about your Dad. All I can say is that when he passes on he will have a FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE AND MEMORY to take with him on his journey to Heaven. He will REMEMBER all that you his LOVING SON and your BEAUTIFUL WIFE did for him, a memory of a younger time with his FAMILY HAVING FUN. Sarah and you should be PROUD. BLESS YOU FROM ANOTHER FATHER for being a CONSIDERATE LOVING SON. LOVE FROM THE UK 🇬🇧 ❤️.
This hit so close to home for me. I have an 87 sorrento and two winters ago my dad,grandpa, and I completely rebuilt from hull up. Super long journey but the memories of it are worth the world to me and I will hold onto them forever. Still have the boat and she runs like an absolute dream. I will never let it go because of the sentiment it holds for me. Boating is life for guys like us 👌🙏
Thank you Christopher, I appreciate your comments man. I haven't really been an open bow, family boat owner before, but the Sorrento is growing on me. It's larger than a lot of other open bows, rides nice, and is great for kids, dogs, and more people. It feels so solid in rough water, too! Nothing beats that first ride after a build.
What an absolutely warm, heartfelt and proper tribute. So will done. Thank you for sharing it with us. I am so sorry for your loss, but I know your Dad is smiling down on you and the man you are. Cheers Mate!
Thank you for the kind words. It was an experience that was really hard, but I am glad I had. Miss him a lot. I know I'll think about him often as I keep building shitbox boats.
My dad is in late stage alzheimer's, the long goodbye.....we spent as much time together as possible before he no longer could. He is still with us but no longer able to walk. Sorry to hear about your dad. 🙏
Man... I am so sorry. I went through that with my grandma, and it was the absolute worst thing I could imagine, and my greatest fear in life (getting it). I hope you get moments of clarity where you still recognize him. Good vibes, cheers!
I’m really sorry to hear about your dad, I lost mine 8 years ago and he was my best friend. Even at 37 I want to cry daily because I miss him so much, but I still have his boat that I grew up on. The good news is it’s a solid hull and engine I plan on restoring. I never really got to say goodbye or see him before he passed because I was in the Navy, so I say it every time I’m on the water. He gave me a life and an addiction to water and boats I’ll never forget.
Must have been a cool guy. Now pitter patter! Check out the rest of my channel for boat repair stuff. And car stuff. And snowmobiles. And some off grid land. idfk
Sorry for your loss. I’m happy you got to do this in your dad’s memory, and that he knew the boat was restored before he passed on. I’m sure that made him happy and proud.
He was stoked to see the updates I shared with him every night, and helped me trouble shoot the fuel system. I should have just ordered the carb kit right away. Cheers!
watched the whole video, sorry for your loss. my dad passed away in may of 1999, we grew up on the water fishing, sooo..i know how you feel. great work on the boat, enjoy it, because that boat will always be with you and your dad.
To be honest, I'm not even sure if I'm keeping this one. I have 7 boats. End of the day, any boat reminds me of my dad, except nasty ass pontoons, which we both despise :P
@@ADDvanced that big one you and your wife walked into at your yard ?, that was very nice !!. whatever you do ?..do not get rid of all of them, you will regret it for the rest of your life. your dad is gone, but the memories should always stay with you, and the boat is what keeps you and your dad close.
Holy shit the algorithm was strong with this one. Lost my father to cancer almost 2 years ago. He was an avid recreational boater and like you, I grew up on boats. When I think about what he loved most it was family and boating. I remember him falling in the night trying to walk to the bathroom. It was brutal that last month. Absolutely horrible disease, but I am grateful we could say our goodbyes, or hopefully our see ya laters. Thanks for a good cry. I think about him everyday, but your video brought on some buried emotions. If you’re ever around the Chain O Lakes in IL, his boat is on the water and a drink is never far away. I’m lucky I get to continue to share his love of the water with my family.
Thanks J, appreciate you leaving a comment and sharing your story. Cancer is bullshit, Sarah is a survivor/patient and I hate that disease. Yeah, we tried blocking the door with chairs because when he got up in the middle of the night it was sort of like he was on auto pilot, but it didn't work, he'd just tip them over and keep going. At one point he went out to get the paper and fell at the end of the driveway really early in the morning, before anyone was awake. I am not sure how long he was out there but a neighbor helped him get back to the house. Pretty shitty. I don't make it down to IL too often but I really want to go to Blarney Island for the drag races!!! Are you near that?
@@ADDvanced yes Blarney Island is about a 15 minute boat ride from our house. I brought some guys from work out for the races a couple of weeks ago. First time I had been out to watch them in years. They also have a water shuttle that takes people from land to the island for free.
I am watching your video full of emotions. Like you, water & boating was my life. It fell to the wayside 21 yrs ago when we lost our 15yr old son. My wife, daughter & I spent the last 3.5 yrs also caring for my FIL that was bedridden. He needed 24/7 care. I can't imagine restoring a boat (they are so different than cars) while trying to care for a parent in their final days. I have a 19'9" VIP fish and ski with a 5.0L Ford V8 that is probably going to need much of the same work you did on the motor and outdrive. I'm not looking forward to it at all. I do however want to get it up and running again and on the water. My soul needs this. I was happy to see you take the boat out for a ride with family and friends and send your dad's ashes into the water where he invested so much of his life to bring his family along. Your video was very touching and worth every minute of viewing time. Sarah's involvement along with providing your dad with so much care was astounding. You married a rock star too. Keep her happy for all your days, she is worth it. May you both be granted decades of joy, happiness, and blessings.
Hey Micheal, appreciate you taking the time to leave such an awesome comment. I'm so sorry for your loss, I can't even imagine. I grew up on the water, and my dad and I traveled to boat races around the country throughout my childhood, so many awesome memories. Caring for someone for 3.5 years must have been exhausting, I was spent and it was about 2 months. Outdrives aren't so bad if you have a helper, and it sounds like you have a very supportive family. Cheers man!
First time on your Chanel, I watched with baited breath as a marine engineer form the Uk, literally willing you to get this done, so close, your Dad must be so proud to have raised such a great Son and family. Big up to you bro and your wife x
Thanks man, appreciate it. What segment of the marine market? I've been working as an industrial designer at Mercury Marine for the past 8 years, but currently looking for work. Check out my website www.gruvdesign.com it is still in early stages but please let me know if you know of companies that need design work. Cheers!
Virtual hugs from us up in Vancouver, BC, Canada eh? I didnt get to see my dad before his cancer operation took him. For my father in law, I wanted to take him to the local Flying club and see if they would let him go up with one of the pilots but by then he couldnt walk...sometimes that tide can swamp us and push us away but knowing we all will be gone one day, seize the day I say if at all possible, dont add to the drama out there, live and love. Such is life eh? Glad he got to at least see it, nice tribute on his last boat excursion~
This is an amazing vid. Probably one of the best videos I have ever seen on the Toob. And I am a longtime Toober, and kind of even obsessed with it. And yeah - this vid is that good. Inspirational and a lot of fun, at the same time. I love anything boats and motors. So there's that aspect. And you did an amazing job. But the tribute aspect of this vid is great, and I know your Dad was, and is proud of you. You've got great skillz! Oh - and yeah - you've got yourself one heck of a boat there. There's a reason Sea Ray has the rep they do - and same with Murcruiser. That Alpha 1 (or 1B or whatever that is LOL) is a Dawg! Awesome boat, and once you really finish it with some more cutting and buffing.... will be amazing! Awesome awesome video, Brother. Subbed. Our souls are similar.... the water is where my soul is at its peak. For sure. I get you.
Your words mean a lot; this was a very hard video to make, so I'm glad it's connecting with you. Yeah, I think the chevy 350 + alpha is such a good combo, and after noticing what's in all 3 of my dad's boats, he definitely had a type. I cut and buffed it again since the video, so it's even shinier now. Be sure to check out the sleekcraft builds, and the Ceebee, and the hydro. :P
@@ADDvanced Will do for sure. I grew up with all this stuff. Grandpa worked for Johnson Motors / OMC for 40 years. I'm a child of the Chesapeake Bay, and all kinds of Lakes, Rivers and Sounds! I'm like you. I'm at peace out on the water. I'll be checking you out. I hope your sadness turns to happiness... soon !
Thank you Rob and Sarah for sharing this with us. Sorry for your loss and wishing you strength during this time. Your father would have been proud of your work on that beautiful boat.
That was a very touching video. I felt your sincere heartfelt love for your dad. I am 76 years old so I feel how blessed your dad felt those final days that you put your heart and soul into getting the boat restored back for him that last time. But in the end he had his last ride. God Bless Your Dad and your family. Brought tears to my eyes. I am new subscriber after watching this video.
Thanks Charlie, appreciate you leaving a comment for me. It was equally both good and bad, and I am glad we were here to take care of him. Everything is temporary, have fun while you can. If you're new around here, we have a lot of boat builds in progress, but also a lot of cars, snowmobiles, and some off grid land where we turn a school bus into a ski lodge. Cheers man!
Awesome dude! I lost my dad last year and he taught me everything about boating...I just bought a 1991 Sea Ray for 500 dollars and I am currently restoring it to its glory. . . .Its red just like yours ...but will change it to Blue when I am all done. Great Video!
This video made it's way to me somehow through the TH-cam algorithm. What a great gesture to get the boat going so your Dad could see one final happy accomplishment before he passed. The final scenes and text were beautiful. RIP to your Dad.
Thanks Christopher! I had the video mostly done except for the end, for almost a month. I wasn't sure how to end it, because there's a million emotions and a million things to say, so I'm glad you appreciated it! Cheers
Fantastic video and brought tears to my eyes, I lost my Dad to Leukaemia in Jan 2024, he went from a super fit 78 year old to a 100 year old man in 5 weeks and we lost him, he was my best friend, we did lots of boating together and worked on them together, so this video really resonated with me! Love to you and your family my friend ❤❤+
Thanks Alex, I appreciate your comment, and I'm sorry for your loss as well. I am trying to stay positive, and the shortness and temporary nature of it all, and how limited our time is, has made me reconsider a lot of what I want out of life. Cheers!
This was the first video of yours I have seen. I'm so happy that TH-cam suggested I watch it. As a 40 year old man, also from the midwest who still has his father, this video not only had me in tear at the end but also reminded me how little time we have in this world and to cherish every moment with our loved ones. I am deeply sorry for the loss of your father and I admire the time and dedication you spent on the boat in hopes of it being your father's last boat ride. Although things didn't work out as we all planned, that boat will always be special to you and your family. Cheers, my friend. I look forward going back and binge watching your other videos.
Thanks Willie! Time is limited, make it memorable. Also if you're new, we do more than just boats, check out our off grid stuff too; we are putting a skoolie on some land in CO as a ski cabin, and trying to survive winters there has been challenging and gorgeous.
You did a great job and made your Dad proud. Lost my dad at the end of '23. Thank you for posting this for everyone to see, it will help a lot of people.
Glad you got it done - it would otherwise be rotting away. Now it's beautiful and running once again; you should be proud. I lost my father suddenly 37 years ago when I was in college; we had a 1958 runabout with a 1959 Johnson 35 Super Sea Horse that we used for camping in the Adirondacks since 1968. After he died, I left it in the back yard neglected and filled with water for 5 years. I felt shitty about that, knowing Dad would not be happy. So I emptied it out, tore it down to the bare hull, repainted it with high quality urethane (Imron) on the outside and a special spatter paint on the inside, had the upholstery all redone, rewired the lights and dashboard, redid the motor with all new electrics and lower unit stuff. Also repainted he trailer (1966 Mastercraft) and installed a heavy-duty axle and hubs, redid the wiring. Brought it up to the lake that year and she ran flawlessly. Good memories. Brought my daughter camping at the same lake; Dad would have loved that. Still have it. Cheers to you.
Thanks, it definitely went from a $500 heap to a $4-6000 boat in pretty short order. The key being it was solid to start with. I'm sorry for your loss as well, sounds like you were younger when it happened, can't imagine. Awesome recovery story about the runabout, what kind? I hope you're still using it as much as possible, cheers!
@@ADDvanced Thank you. I was in college; junior year a week from Thanksgiving. Dad died suddenly and unexpectedly at 63 years of age. It was a brand very few have ever heard of: SuMark. Specifically, a 16' SuMark Gull Resorter. They were made in Walpole, Mass. for only a very few years (perhaps 5) before going out of business. I used it consistently until about 3 years ago, when it started running poorly at that same Adirondack lake the day before we were to leave. It felt like it had bad gas, starting with some difficulty and then unable to take throttle. All new electrics with low hours, it was in a perfect state of tune. I've been busy the last three summers but I'm going to get it going again in the next few weeks and finish out the season. Well, hopefully. The motor is 65 years old after all. We'll see! Cheers!
Thank you so so much for this video. It brought back so many memories of my dad. And the times we spent together!!! Sorry for your lost. You were truely bless to have him in your life. Hang in there. I know your dad will be missed. Take care
Hey Rob, tip of the hat to you Sir. I too have been through this. It's crazy I discovered your video because I am in the process of restoring my Dad's old pontoon boat. He passed away in 2016. He was an awesome man and he loved the outdoors. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks! It was rough but I was lucky to have been there for him. Good luck in the restore; if it gets too bad remember that pontoons are a dime a dozen. I'm not above scrapping boats if they're too far gone; this one just happened to work out. Your dad would rather have you on the water vs throwing money into a hole being stressed out. Cheers!
Finished watching the video at the ranch. You and Sarah were spectacular. I'm sorry your Dad wasn't there for his last ride. It's a beautiful boat and the colors are perfect, red and white. It's lines are timeless. Thank you for sharing this story.
Wow, that was an inspiring story, but at the same time, so so sad. Thanks for sharing those messages at the end. You are a great and compassionate family. May your dad rest in peace.
Found your video this morning. I you are doing a wonderful thing for your Dad. I'll get back to your video later today. You have a real partner with you on your project. She's great.
I’m sorry you lost your dad, but that mad dash to get his boat fixed extended your time together as I’m sure he fought to see it come back to life. And you got to have that part of him in the boat live on. Good work man, enjoy it!
Great video, thanks for sharing and I am very sorry about the loss of your dad. First thing I did after watching was called my pops who is 85 and had a great conversation. You reminded how important it is to take the time to communicate with those we love and not allow the little things in life to get in the way of that.
Thanks for taking us along, and sharing this heart wrenching story. Most of us only get one dad and they aren’t all perfect. I’m trying to be the dad mine started out as. I’m sure I’ll miss the mark in some ways but I know that my kids will know that I loved them. You seem like you were lucky in the dad dept. What an incredible job you did and priceless memory even if it didn’t pan out as expected.
Your video touched my ❤️ heart. I too lost my dad before he could ride in his boat with me again. I recently, after 6 years, took his boat fishing on his favorite lake in Canada. Unfortunately I forgot his ashes 😢 It was also the 1st trip for my 90 bronco. I feel like he was with me the entire trip, and on the lake. He also taught me everything I know and wouldn't be able to what I can now if I hadn't been his shadow. Being a dad is a gift, and our dad's were the best gift ever given. In memory of our fathers ❤
Awesome story, Jubemarsh! First trip for the tow rig too is a wild, sounds epic. Forgetting the ashes is just an excuse to do another trip like that. Be sure to check out the other builds if you haven't seen them yet. Cheers man, everything is temporary.
Your wife is sweet as can be, wonderful family and your dad seemed to be quite a character. Like many others this is hard for me to watch without tears from my memories of dad. But thank you for reminding me what's important.
No words can be said to ease the pain. You are a great son, continue to honor and remember your Dad. Our prayers, thoughts and hearts go out to you, Sarah and your Mom.
Thank you Ron, I think editing this helped distill some of my feelings, but it's still pretty hard. I have another video coming on the yellow 79 Sea Ray soon!
@@ADDvanced Rob, I would like to tell you that you will never feel pain like this again, but losing Dads are hard, mine has been gone for 31 years, but moms are even harder. They will never leave your heart or thoughts. I have always enjoyed your post. You and Sarah are a great duo and always bring a smile to my face. Keep moving forward Brother.
I've had the start this comment at least five times because I start crying so hard that I can't talk and I don't type I use voice recognition. Your dad may not have got to ride in that boat but he was there, just seeing that boat done he imagined it on the water again I truly wish he would have got to ride in it but you did a wonderful job. My brother passed away in January and the strange thing is he had a Sea Ray just like this boat identical to this boat (Red and White) and then the after that boat he bought a Chaparral Villain lll and I happen to be watching an episode of the sopranos and Tony soprano was using a Chaparral Villain lll with the same color scheme as my brother's boat, this happened in the same day, I saw your video and then the video with the Chaparral Villain. You did wonderful thing I hope you enjoy that Sea Ray for a long time.
Thanks man, I'm glad the video meant something to me. Funny about the boat coincidences; one of the strangest coincidences in my life involves my dad. My dad was an electrical engineer/designer at a company started called Nicolet Instruments that produced the world's first digital oscilliscope, back in 1960s. Here's the crazy part: ~50 years later, I had moved to a different city to go to college for industrial design (design of anything mass produced, tools, medical stuff, boats, cars, etc), and was in the shop building stuff, waiting for a thermoformer to heat up to make some prototypes, and I was bored, so I started looking through old cabinets. A lot of the tools we had in the shop were old AF, donated from other companies that upgraded to newer machines, and sometimes they were bolted onto random cabinets filled with random garbage. So I decided to dig through one of them, and I find... a 8.5x11, full color, beautiful studio shot of a Nicolet oscilloscope, mounted to hardboard. This wasn't a snapshot, this was a professional photo that must have been made for marketing reasons; it had a red 'fill light' illuminating the side dramatically, with a spot on the upper part showing off all the machined metal. I called my dad and and told him what model it was.... "Yup, I designed that". What are the odds.... that going to school for design, I would find a beautiful studio shot example of what my dad designed, mounted on hardboard, in a random cabinet 50 years after he designed it? It's one of the weirdest things that has ever happened to me.
I was excited when I saw ADDVanced getting a new video up - and also sad to see that it's under these circumstances. Definitely set this one aside until this evening when I had time to watch it all the way through. What a great video while at the same time being hard to watch, as it was a real tear jerker. While things didn't go exactly as planned with the boat, I'm sure your dad was proud/happy to see it shined up and all the hard work you poured into it. And to me at least, it seemed like you went all out, non stop around the clock on this Sea Ray. My back, feet, knees, eyes, etc. just hurt watching you work on it day and night. Anyone watching this one can see the drive you had to get it finished. Not to mention you still took the time to film and document as much as you did while being under pressure to get the boat put back together before your dad passed - I can appreciate how much extra frustration and time that adds when you just want to keep working. The wood plug tip was a good one - I recently removed a transom where the PO plugged the screw heads and spent much more time digging them out with drills, chisels, and screwdrivers and cussing. (According to Andrew who is currently editing the footage, about 45 minutes of it). Hope to see more videos on the three boats of your dad's in the future. The SunRunner needs some work as you pointed out, but still has alot of potential and is definitely worth fixing up from all the memories you have on it. Sorry again for the loss of your dad Rob, and I'm glad to see this video is getting the love that it deserves (10k views and 140 comments in 1 day) 👍 -Brock
Hey Brock, thanks for the comment. It's been a tough time, been taking a lot of Ls lately. I shared my progress with him pretty much every night before bed, and he helped me trouble shoot the fuel system. I really wish I had known that the carb was bad before I started. Appreciate the support, should have a video out on the yellow boat maybe this weekend, definitely the one after. Fun story, I found the original family that owned it, and they want it back. :)
My dad passed almost 22 years ago. Still miss him a lot. Although he passed suddenly and I wasn't there to say my last goodbye, I have the last pickup he owned to pull his rv. I have kept it in great condition, had it repainted and pull my own camper with it. I'll never part with it and every time I drive it, I feel a if he's smiling down on me. The best memories never go away.
Dang this was a tough one for me to watch. I lost my Dad in 98. He had a heart attack while we were playing golf. I did cpr on him. We use to go fishing in his 18' San Juan Dorsett. Lake McConaughey, lake Powell, Seeing you with your son smiling riding in your boat brings everything full circle. You're a good man, son, your Pops is smiling from above.
Hey David, sorry for your loss; that sounds traumatic AF. My dad went peacefully and I'm still struggling with it. He was my best friend. That was my sister's kid, but he's a good one, and he cackled like a madman whenever I let him drive the boat lol
Your dad was there watching you rebuild this boat! He knew you were building for his last ride, but he knew you were building it to bring everyone together, and once it was finished, he knew he’d be right next to you on every ride!
Great video. It is amazing how boats make dads turn into kids in front of their own kids. The memories of my dad enjoying life on summer vacations and forgetting about the stress of work & family are priceless. I have based my entire life off of boating and sharing the experience with my kids. We do sports, academics, motor cycle riding, but boating & swimming in the lake is like a reset button for everyone. My 1st boat with my wife was a 16 foot sea ray with a 115 merc outboard - look like your boat but was blue. You are very handy with the tools to rebuild an outdrive.
Hey Jim, lots of memories on the water; I grew up on this river and there's nothing like a day on the water. Appreciate the comment, have a good one, and thanks for the kind words
Rob you did an outstanding job on the SeaRay, and your Dad was SO proud of you! It took me back to a job I did about 10 years ago... same steps. Remember, he was not just proud about the boat. YOU were his greatest work, his masterpiece. I know I'd be beaming with joy over your skill set he helped form in you. Now YOU get to pass it along. ;)
That comment meant a lot man. We were very close. I miss him terribly. But yeah, sharing knowledge and having fun is what this channel is all about; the only goal I had when starting it was to show people that even seemingly impossible tasks are easy if you break them down into small enough steps; progress every day for many days and you can get almost anything done. I wish more people would think like this, and spend less on new depreciating things that aren't as good as old ones. Especially boats.
Thank you Richard, appreciate your comment and it means a lot. It was a pretty personal journey but documenting this boat resto helped somehow; we talked about it a lot every night.
First of all Sarah is a unbelievable trooper and you are so lucky to have a participant in life as you do!!!! I knew what the ending was going to be, the young man you persevered on a mission I wish you could have fulfilled!!!!!!!!!!!
She's a beast! I miss him a lot. There have been so many times where I wanted to share something with him, since he moved on. Stay tuned for updates; I'll be releasing a vid on the yellow sea ray shortly.
What an Amazing Labor of Love! My deepest Condolences to you and your family as your Father went on his last ride. Very moving story with some great life lessons. My Mother recently passed away and I always told her I was going to buy a boat but I never did. I finally just bought a nice Bowrider and I know she is with me on the sea.
I drug my kids to the lake all the time...when they loved it when they were little, and when they got older, and didn't appreciate it as much...still have the boat, I hope someday they feel this way, this video made me tear up for sure, sorry for your loss, your Dad was loved, and that meant all the world to him for sure
I don't know if it's legal to drug your kids while they're at a lake :P Do they waterski? Man every kid I knew that grew up waterskiing loves boats. Have a good one, Scott, and thank you for the kind words
Rob, You are a great son. I see the man you are and know a lot prob came from your father. I bet he is very proud of you. Mission accomplished. Keep up your hard work and outlook and you will be rewarded. Love you and Sarah and your content. May your dad rest in peace and may you find solace in your fond memories of your father and family.
Thanks, he was supportive my entire life, and one of my best friends. I'm lucky to have had the time to spend with him near the end, and keep him out of the hospital.
I don't recall a TH-cam video ever choking me up before! This was a wonderful video! I've had the same feelings of loss with both my parents and my most sincere sympathies go out to you and your family. You did a wonderful thing by reviving that boat and needless to say, it was fantastic therapy for you as you were on your race against time. From what I witnessed in your video, in my opinion, possibly unknowingly, you revived that boat for the very purpose it was meant to serve....to bring your Dad's ashes where they were supposed to go. He may not have been with you in body, but I guarantee, he was and always will be with you in spirit. May he Rest In Peace.
Thank you for the comment, Bella. It's been really hard, he was one of my best friends and we talked very often, about everything. Time is short, do something awesome today. Cheers
Incredible you did great Rob and Sarah . It was a year in June that I tried the same but my dad needed a lot . I had planned on getting his 24 foot pontoon out and do the same. It had been sitting for two years . I got cleaned and he just smiled. Thanks for such a touching story .
Rob and Sarah,sorry for the passing,you both did a great thing, every time you do something he be watching over ya ,you take what you get you make what you want you create because you’re a creative,❤
Dude, you general knowledge on boat repair makes me feel like I have failed in life. Impressive sir. And amazing thing to do for your father and even though he didn't get to ride in it he was there with you. I lost my father in 2015 and he loved his boat as well. I think about him everyday and you will too. To our dads
Hey man, it's just baby steps. Try something you haven't done before, take it slow, take photos as you go, and ask questions on the internet if you're stuck. You can figure almost anything out! Cheers man
Thanks for sharing this, lost my dad about 4 years ago, he bought us a Searay 200CC to the family that me and my brother inherited, and i was always working on the boat with him before every season. Now my son have taken over the ownership of the boat and im the father that have the privilage to be able to assist him in the restoration that he likes to do to the boat. Im really glad you shared this video, it brings back alot of memories some very emotionell, but at the end its good memories. Thanks alot from Sweden !
That's awesome. One thing I kept talking to him about was how many boats he sold, by creating other boat owners. Many of his friends told me stories how they used to go out on his big blue boat, and wound up getting their own boats later. I've done the same thing; taken so many people boating, and now they own boats. It's wild. You think you aren't affecting the world, but it's sort of the butterfly effect. Thanks for the comment!
Rob, I understand as I am writing this in tears. Your mission was not in vain. It will be 19 years on the 13th that I lost my dad. I, like you, had the privilege of taking care of him during the last 30 days of his journey on this earth. You have honored your father in a wonderful way. May the good Lord take care of you and your family during this difficult time. Time heals all pain and suffering...that I know for sure.
Thank you for your comment, I appreciate it. It was really hard but I was really lucky to have the time to do so, and I am not exaggerating; without Sarah's medical care he would have been dead within 3 days, and instead we got to spend 7 weeks with him. We looked at lot of photos, talked about a lot of things, and I shared the progress of this boat with him every night before bed. It was a lot. Time to go float, cheers!
@@ADDvanced hey Sir I want to say thank you for sharing and also I'm deeply sorry you didn't get to take him for that ride on that boat! But amazing Job on everything you did and also giving him that final ride at the end!! I'm actually in the process of redoing our childhood boat so yes sir I know the hard work you went through also seems like that boat is running better than ever you was hauling A$$!! 😁 Wish I could meet you in person Good Sir but keep making memories! Incredible
I first lost my wife then my dad, both to cancer, my wife passed 19/10/2017, then my dad 4 years later. My wife was my soulmate, that's a pain that has never left me, the grief is almost all consuming. I envy those whose wait thru time has allowed them to heal, I doubt that I ever will.
First, let me say that your dad could not have asked for a better son !! I was drawn to this video because I had the same make it model, and then I read the title and I was glued to every minute because I lost my dad a year ago and I wish I could have gotten him on the water one more time, but he was paralyzed with dementia 3yrs The worst hell I ever seen a man go through
And it still haunts me. I was lucky enough to give him one of the most beautiful funerals ever because he was a police officer, end the army and both came out with their honor guard and did a fantastic job.. I jokingly say that if he was alive, he would have loved it.. As I saw your dad's face, it reminded me of my father. They looked very similar and I'm good at reading faces and I could tell your father was very proud even if he wasn't feeling good on that day on the pontoon boat, he would have rather been there than any place else in the world.
because he wanted to be there for you. You are a very good man, I'm sure i'm not alone in saying this ! Your father's in heaven, having an awesome time, No pain no sickness, no death. And you will see him again. And he will look like the man you remember from when you were a child. I'm sure you'll never sell that boat. And when your out on the water with it, and you feel something nice , It's cause he's sitting in the seat next to you. I'm from connecticut, but I wish I was in your neighborhood at the time you were working on that boat, because I would have gladly helped you. I'm saying a prayer right now for your dad.
Dad's all over the world would feel the warmth of this video. Strongs mate.
💪
I have no idea why TH-cam pushed me here but I am glad it did. Great job on the boat and video. Rest in peace Dad.
Probably the algo; looked at your vids and we are both cyclists and into snow sports, so maybe that? We are building an off grid ski chalet in the rockies; here is the 'cabin'
th-cam.com/video/K7nJFMf6xZw/w-d-xo.html
I just lost my dad a few months ago. Even at 55 years old, I would always call him and keep him updated on my latest project... I still find myself going to pick up the phone and fill him in.
Great video, sorry for your loss. Remember all the great times!
That hits hard. I just finished hanging new lighting in his garage, it looks so much better, and when I turned them on I wanted to show him so bad. Appreciate the comment, Scott. Stay tuned, I'm pretty far along on the yellow boat already. Cheers
Dude,I understand completely,I just found out my dad has cancer in the liver and lungs incurable has less than 4 months.I have decided to take off work and I am taking him to my cabin in mountains,so me and him can have one last adventure together before he gets to bad.God bless you and your Family
Please contact a hospice network in your area, the people are there to help and provide you with the medical equipment you need to make them more comfortable in the final stages. It's not pretty, and it's really really hard. But it's worth it. We all die eventually; I just don't want to be in a friggin hospital under fluorescent lighting
First time on your channel. Found myself in tears by the end. You did your Daddy proud. Remember he taught you how to be a Father. And a lot of other stuff. Condolences to you and your family.
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it. If you liked this one, be sure to check out the SST project. Or the $500 CeeBee.
Rob - you are the best son ever. Caring, patient, understanding. I know you got these traits from your Dad. My condolences for you and your family.
Thank you Phil, appreciate the comment!
"Water has always been life to me.
Always flowing, changing, and moving forward.
The current pushes everyone on different paths.
Sometimes you get back together just to say goodbye.
I learned a lot from my dad:
Spend time with dogs.
Dont take anything too seriously.
Laugh when things get tough.
Go places youre not supposed to.
Always be willing to help out.
Enjoy going fast.
Enjoy slowing down, too.
Create memories, share knowledge & always spend time on the water."
This is the most amazing closing outro to a video that I've ever seen since TH-cam has existed. Every word resonates with me...being near or on water isnt just a recreational/tourist thing - it is centering/Zen. IYKYK
My condolences to you and your family, and thank you for capturing and sharing the true spirit of the water.
Thanks for your comment, especially about how much you enjoyed the outro. I had 90% of the video edited and done, and then it just stalled for over a month. I didn't know how to end it. I recorded some talking bits.... but the words just didn't capture everything, so I just decided to write some stuff. My dad gave me a love of the water, repairing things, and exploring buildings where I'm not supposed to be lol. Keep on floating man
Rob, my sincerest sympathies. Just discovered your channel a couple days ago and am trying to catch up on what I missed.
I work in cancer care and see death and dying every day. It's not easy. But know that he is in a better place, no longer suffering and at peace. He knows your love for him and you will once again be with him. Cherish the memories and create new ones with your wonderful family for them to remember. My prayers are with you and your family. Stay well.
Thank you Tom! It was pretty rough. I am trying to be thankful for knowing him, and that anything good ever happened at all, vs focusing on what you don't have anymore. Cheers
Dear Rob. So sorry to hear about your dad. Mine passed away 16.5 this year, he was 82. It was his funeral 5 days ago (things are pretty backed up and f****d up here in the UK). He was the greatest man I ever knew. Sat with tears in my eyes both watching and writing this. You did the greatest thing and were lucky enough to say goodbye. It would be great if you could restore 'Prime Time'. A beautiful boat. Look after yourself and keep up the fantastic vlogs.
Hey Mark, I'm sorry for your loss as well. It's pretty hard when someone has been your best friend your whole life isn't there anymore. Prime Time is on the list, I'm half way through the yellow boat now, so stay tuned for that one. Cheers!
I wasn't expecting to watch a journey of love today. I wasn't expecting to cry either. Thank you so much for sharing this, and deepest sympathy to everyone who's lost a parent or two. It happens to most of us eventually, and it's a hard path to travel. Stay strong and hold on to those precious memories for the rest of your days. Love and peace from a stranger who knows what you're going through. 🥲✌
Thanks, Slipstream. You're welcome, I'm glad other people are finding this video valuable; it was tough to capture everything, communicate what I was feeling, and edit all this, but I think it helped me deal with things somehow. Cheers and get on the water
Very sorry for the loss of your father / father in law Rob and Sarah. I'm sure he is very proud of the work you both did to get his old boat running. Whether he got physically in the boat or not for the last ride, I'm sure he was with you. I lost my dad 20 yrs ago next January and I still think about him often. Prayers lifted for you and your family and work through this difficult time.
Thanks Bob, I appreciate it.
This one hit me hard.. 😢 My dad last boat was a Sea Ray just like this one, and I was fortunate to take him on his last ride before he passed. Sorry for your loss, Rob. Enjoy the memories ❤
Thanks Leon, it was so frustrating to have the weather take a turn when the boat was ready to go. I am excited and intimidated to tackle the big one I showed in the beginning; both from a mechanical and memory perspective.
Master cgef dad had kits of searay best boat ever had searay sundcer kugauna 17 searay jet boat
And searay 16 fot bowrinder.
So very sorry for your lost, you took care of him the last time and honored him with getting the boat fixed again. Hats off for you and your wife ❤️
Thank you Glenn, I appreciate it. I was lucky to have time to spend with him in his last few months. He told me a lot of dirty jokes :)
You, Sarah and a few friends "stepped up" for your Pop busted your humps to make an experience and more than likely recall memories of his younger years for him on one of his water toys. He got to see it out on the water where it belongs and know YOU and yours made it happen. Well done! Thanks for sharing your story to tell and your perspective. Anyone who watches will be inspired to step up and "do it right."
We shared a lot of memories, and a lot of them involved the water. Glad it resonated with you; everything is temporary, even the bad times.
This hits close to home. Me and my dad used to love boating together. He got me into it. When he passed we had to sell his pride and joy boat. But I was able to keep his old cobalt ski boat. It’s been 11 years. And I love to take it out and just remember to the good times. Love your videos man. Best wishes through this terrible time.
I grew up on this river, mainly on that gigantic SunRunner I showed in the beginning of the video, but we traveled all over the country going to boat races in the 80s and 90s. So many of his friends that visited brought their boats, idk, it's hard to separate them at this point. Glad you still have the Cobalt; take as many people out on it as you can. Cheers!
@@chrisbasilebuilds The cobalts are great boats. Oldie but goodie. Your Dad is with you I bet when you're out on the water. Take the boat out this weekend. Fall is around the corner.
18:09 I was thinking of switching hobbies to boats, but I was still looking to see what bike is for sale 😅
Wow. What a wonderful tribute to your Dad! You know, you will have that boat as a special reminder of him. The Special Olympics athletes oath goes, " Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt" . You certainly did that! My bet is that your Dad loved and appreciated what you were doing. Take care!
Thanks for the support, I appreciate it. I shared updates with him every night before he went to bed, and we troubleshooted... troubleshot? a lot of things together during this build. Cheers!
the pain in your voice through out this video shows how much this project ment to you... sorry to hear your dad wont be able to ride his boat one last time... but he'll be there watching over you, making memories like he made with you all those years ago
Yeah, it was rough. Appreciate the comment, life is short.
Rob, typically not one to comment on a TH-cam video but I felt the need to say something after following along on your adventures for a few years and now seeing this. The zeal with which you approach life is a testament to the lessons your father taught you. Thinking of you.
Thanks. Zeal feels a bit less lately. Need to get my groove back.
1988 was such a memorable year for boating for me. Both Sea Ray and Four Winns going head to head, Brunswick going against OMC. So many little companies in the mix: Sunbird, Sea Sprite, Chapparal, VIP and the list goes on. I miss those days filled with 2 stroke smell on the lakes... As a kid that grew up on lake Mendota this really hit home. As a kid I had every boat memorized at every house. I passed this boat hundreds of times on my way to the Musky lounge and Christie's. This actually brought tears to my eyes as I'm in a very similar situation with my father. I'm waiting for the water levels to drop so hopefully I can get his boat on the lift. He is unable to get in it but once the water drops maybe I can find a way to get him in the boat so we can have potentially one last ride. Thanks for sharing Rob. Hugs to you and your family!
Which boat, Prime Time? And yeah, when the boating actually cared about the middle class, it was awesome. Same experience, I memorized where all the cool boats were, and the channel was just a constant boat show, so many Bajas, Checkmates, Hydrostreams, Chapparels, all sorts of stuff used to be fun, fast, and affordable. I've spent the last 8 years at Mercury and I felt like I was screaming into the void when I talked about performance boating becoming more attainable. Very frustrating.The yellow and black Bat Boat is still around btw! Saw him a few days ago lol. Cheers, and be sure to check out some of my sled content if you haven't, I think you'll dig it. Thanks for the comment!
th-cam.com/video/2ngOA7msP-M/w-d-xo.html
@ADDvanced Yea, Prime Time. Awesome to hear the bat boat is still going! It's sad all the new boats are slow expensive, wake machines. Nothing like the 80s and 90s. I'm really missing the Yahara lakes. Few years ago, I moved over to the Mississippi side of the state. Great boating besides this year. I actually almost bought your yellow boat, the cee bee 😆. Glad I didn't after seeing all the overheat issues. Been a big fan of your content, including all of your sledding stuff too. Keep up the good content brother!
My mom passed March 3rd 2023, little over a year ago. Love what your doing, and have liked the channel for a while, awesome work haus and stay strong
I'm sorry for your loss, and I appreciate your comment. Thank you and get on the water for me.
To all that lost your parents or parent, I did too and I miss mine so very much. I’m sure your parents are all proud of you. Well done bud. You did your daddy proud.
Thanks man, appreciate it. I wish you could still call them.
@@ADDvanced me too, I gotta tell ya. This video is pretty awesome, from your knowledge of boat repair to the love you have for your dad driving you is extremely inspiring to me and probably a lot of others. Keep up the good work, your family is proud of you.
@@Scratchingforcash Thanks! We build a lot of random things, and my dad was the one who taught me a lot of skills required to do so.
This brought tears to my eyes. My dad passed away from cancer Dec. 22, 2002. Watching this video made me think of my younger years as a kid in the 80's when my dad had a boat and took me and my brother out on Lake Michigan for boat rides and fishing. God bless you and your family my friend.
Thanks for the comment, man. Boating in the 80s was glorious, when the working class could actually afford cool boats. Now it's all pontoons and boring slow things that cost 60k+. Cheers and get out on the water!
@ADDvanced You ain't lying brotha! I want a boat myself but damn are they expensive. And I don't really care for slow boring pontoons.
Damn man I was just wondering why no videos in such a long time now I know. Worn the same shoes you have with my Mom passing unexpectedly totally caught off guard. Life’s crappy time to experience that loss when things are going so right. Pet or human loss…it just sucks. Live long live happy! Keep at it!!!! Love the videos. Sorry for your loss!
Yeah. To be honest life has been throwing me a lot of Ls lately. I have a lot of videos already done and uploaded and ready to post, but I wanted to put this one out first to help explain. More videos soon, thanks for the comment, Steve!
@@ADDvanced 👍🏻✌🏻🥃, btw on a different note my wife said Sarah had an engagement ring or wedding ring on in this video, I didn’t catch it. 👊🏻🤙🏻💪🏻things will get better!
So very sorry for your loss. Your father was a great man as evidenced by your love for him. May his words of wisdom guide us all.
Thanks for the comment, I appreciates you
Sorry to hear he didn't get his last ride.
But you are an awesome son... no question he was proud of you.
All the best, enjoy that boat in memory of him.
Thanks man, appreciate the comment.
So sorry for your loss my brother from another mother. He's OK now, watersking and having a blast. He will always have seat waiting for ya.😢😢😢😢❤❤😇😇
Oh man, you should see his obituary photo, it's him waterskiing in front of the capital with a cigarette and no life jacket, I think he was 77 years old? haha
Tough old bird, he raised a great son and man ,his job was complete . OK dude he's not gone ,just out of sight.
Rob - my sincere condolences. I'm a subscriber and lifelong boat fixer, and I remember well the last ride I took my Dad on. He's been gone over 40 years now. I think of him every day, and I still have the boat, restored it during the pandemic, and took my sons out for a ride. In the final analysis, the boats don't matter. It's the people we love and the time we spend with them that does. Godspeed, brother.
Hey John, thanks for the comment. My mom told me once that I need to stop worrying about 'stuff' so much, but she doesn't understand that 'things' like boats and snowmobiles create such rich, vivid memories that last an entire lifetime. I miss him a lot. Cheers
This is a sad story, but also a very happy one. It reminds me a lot of my Dad and our life on the water. Thank you. May your Dad rest in peace.
Good way of putting it. Super hard, but grateful I was here for him.
💯
Rob, you have given your dad a great tribute and honor, especially in him seeing you continue the restoration that he started. The video brought tears to my eyes as my dad, like yours, loved being on the water. He passed in ‘06 and a few years later I bought a 1992 SeaRay 180 and would think of him every time I took it to the lake. God bless you and your family for loving your father and keeping his dream alive.
Rob, thanks for sharing your Dad's story. Things don't always work out the way you plan, but all you can do is your best. My wife and I were out on the boat this afternoon. A song came on the radio "rock the boat" and I was immediately transported back in time, sitting with my Dad (passed 15yrs ago) fishing on his 14' wooden boat. Nice memories are the ones that last... Be well.
You're welcome, I am glad you enjoyed it. It was pretty rough. I have definitely been playing some music my dad played on Prime Time recently. Good vibes.
There is no doubt that your dad was with you on the water when you took the boat out...Your a good man for what you did and I am sure what you will do in the future. Sounds like you had a great teacher.
Thanks John, appreciate the comment. He taught me a lot about things, miss him a lot. Cheers!
Rob you did your father proud. I lost my father 21 years ago to lung cancer and had the privilege of taking care of him the last 13 months. You seem very talented and a wonderful son and a sweet wife helping you. Good job to you both. You also did a great job on the video 🙏❤️
Thank you Peter; taking care of him was really hard but we were lucky to have freetime to do so. Appreciate the kind words, it means a lot.
This definitely brought some full grown man tears! What a beautiful tribute to your pops, the boat and the video.
Thanks Derick, life is short, pitter patter. Cheers!
Sorry about your dad buddy, my deepest condolences to you and your family. It’s great to have you back, we missed you up here in Canada. Take care 😎🇨🇦
Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it. Pitter Patter!
What a beautiful tribute to your father, he would be proud of the new life given to the sea ray. Lost my father to cancer 2/28/2015, and felt this video in so many ways. Thanks for sharing your journey with us, I know it was not easy to relive some of those moments.
Oddly, editing this helped me distill some of my feelings into something more tangible, but I still feel lost. Cheers.
You and your family are good people. I restored a 64 Impala as a tribute to my dad after he passed, 30 years later I still think of him when ever I drive it
That's awesome. Use it or lose it. Life is short!
Hiya I'm Andy from the UK 🇬🇧 I am sorry about your Dad.
All I can say is that when he passes on he will have a FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE AND MEMORY to take with him on his journey to Heaven.
He will REMEMBER all that you his LOVING SON and your BEAUTIFUL WIFE did for him, a memory of a younger time with his FAMILY HAVING FUN.
Sarah and you should be PROUD.
BLESS YOU FROM ANOTHER FATHER for being a CONSIDERATE LOVING SON.
LOVE FROM THE UK 🇬🇧 ❤️.
Thank you Andrew, appreciate the comment. It's been rough.
This hit so close to home for me. I have an 87 sorrento and two winters ago my dad,grandpa, and I completely rebuilt from hull up. Super long journey but the memories of it are worth the world to me and I will hold onto them forever. Still have the boat and she runs like an absolute dream. I will never let it go because of the sentiment it holds for me. Boating is life for guys like us 👌🙏
Thank you Christopher, I appreciate your comments man. I haven't really been an open bow, family boat owner before, but the Sorrento is growing on me. It's larger than a lot of other open bows, rides nice, and is great for kids, dogs, and more people. It feels so solid in rough water, too! Nothing beats that first ride after a build.
What an absolutely warm, heartfelt and proper tribute. So will done. Thank you for sharing it with us. I am so sorry for your loss, but I know your Dad is smiling down on you and the man you are. Cheers Mate!
Thank you for the kind words. It was an experience that was really hard, but I am glad I had. Miss him a lot. I know I'll think about him often as I keep building shitbox boats.
My dad is in late stage alzheimer's, the long goodbye.....we spent as much time together as possible before he no longer could. He is still with us but no longer able to walk. Sorry to hear about your dad. 🙏
Man... I am so sorry. I went through that with my grandma, and it was the absolute worst thing I could imagine, and my greatest fear in life (getting it). I hope you get moments of clarity where you still recognize him. Good vibes, cheers!
I’m really sorry to hear about your dad, I lost mine 8 years ago and he was my best friend. Even at 37 I want to cry daily because I miss him so much, but I still have his boat that I grew up on. The good news is it’s a solid hull and engine I plan on restoring. I never really got to say goodbye or see him before he passed because I was in the Navy, so I say it every time I’m on the water. He gave me a life and an addiction to water and boats I’ll never forget.
Must have been a cool guy. Now pitter patter! Check out the rest of my channel for boat repair stuff. And car stuff. And snowmobiles. And some off grid land. idfk
Sorry for your loss. I’m happy you got to do this in your dad’s memory, and that he knew the boat was restored before he passed on. I’m sure that made him happy and proud.
He was stoked to see the updates I shared with him every night, and helped me trouble shoot the fuel system. I should have just ordered the carb kit right away. Cheers!
watched the whole video, sorry for your loss. my dad passed away in may of 1999, we grew up on the water fishing, sooo..i know how you feel. great work on the boat, enjoy it, because that boat will always be with you and your dad.
To be honest, I'm not even sure if I'm keeping this one. I have 7 boats. End of the day, any boat reminds me of my dad, except nasty ass pontoons, which we both despise :P
@@ADDvanced that big one you and your wife walked into at your yard ?, that was very nice !!. whatever you do ?..do not get rid of all of them, you will regret it for the rest of your life. your dad is gone, but the memories should always stay with you, and the boat is what keeps you and your dad close.
Yeah, I want to get Prime Time on the water this season
God speed pops, Sarah you are a woman among women, helping out with this. Bravo!
Thanks, she makes a lot of things possible. She changed the waterpump impeller on the yellow boat today.
Holy shit the algorithm was strong with this one. Lost my father to cancer almost 2 years ago. He was an avid recreational boater and like you, I grew up on boats. When I think about what he loved most it was family and boating. I remember him falling in the night trying to walk to the bathroom. It was brutal that last month. Absolutely horrible disease, but I am grateful we could say our goodbyes, or hopefully our see ya laters. Thanks for a good cry. I think about him everyday, but your video brought on some buried emotions. If you’re ever around the Chain O Lakes in IL, his boat is on the water and a drink is never far away. I’m lucky I get to continue to share his love of the water with my family.
Thanks J, appreciate you leaving a comment and sharing your story. Cancer is bullshit, Sarah is a survivor/patient and I hate that disease. Yeah, we tried blocking the door with chairs because when he got up in the middle of the night it was sort of like he was on auto pilot, but it didn't work, he'd just tip them over and keep going. At one point he went out to get the paper and fell at the end of the driveway really early in the morning, before anyone was awake. I am not sure how long he was out there but a neighbor helped him get back to the house. Pretty shitty. I don't make it down to IL too often but I really want to go to Blarney Island for the drag races!!! Are you near that?
@@ADDvanced yes Blarney Island is about a 15 minute boat ride from our house. I brought some guys from work out for the races a couple of weeks ago. First time I had been out to watch them in years. They also have a water shuttle that takes people from land to the island for free.
I am watching your video full of emotions. Like you, water & boating was my life. It fell to the wayside 21 yrs ago when we lost our 15yr old son. My wife, daughter & I spent the last 3.5 yrs also caring for my FIL that was bedridden. He needed 24/7 care. I can't imagine restoring a boat (they are so different than cars) while trying to care for a parent in their final days. I have a 19'9" VIP fish and ski with a 5.0L Ford V8 that is probably going to need much of the same work you did on the motor and outdrive. I'm not looking forward to it at all. I do however want to get it up and running again and on the water. My soul needs this. I was happy to see you take the boat out for a ride with family and friends and send your dad's ashes into the water where he invested so much of his life to bring his family along. Your video was very touching and worth every minute of viewing time. Sarah's involvement along with providing your dad with so much care was astounding. You married a rock star too. Keep her happy for all your days, she is worth it. May you both be granted decades of joy, happiness, and blessings.
Hey Micheal, appreciate you taking the time to leave such an awesome comment. I'm so sorry for your loss, I can't even imagine. I grew up on the water, and my dad and I traveled to boat races around the country throughout my childhood, so many awesome memories. Caring for someone for 3.5 years must have been exhausting, I was spent and it was about 2 months. Outdrives aren't so bad if you have a helper, and it sounds like you have a very supportive family. Cheers man!
Your video made me cry. Sorry for your loss dude.
I'm sorry, I think? Thank you for the words. Everything is temporary.
Sorry for your loss. Awesome video and a great memorial to your dad.
Thank you. It was a lot.
You were a good son and he was a great Dad. I'm so sorry for your loss. I loved watching the video but it did bring me to tears.
Appreciate the comment, thank you. I'm already almost done with the yellow boat.
First time on your Chanel, I watched with baited breath as a marine engineer form the Uk, literally willing you to get this done, so close, your Dad must be so proud to have raised such a great Son and family. Big up to you bro and your wife x
Thanks man, appreciate it. What segment of the marine market? I've been working as an industrial designer at Mercury Marine for the past 8 years, but currently looking for work. Check out my website www.gruvdesign.com it is still in early stages but please let me know if you know of companies that need design work. Cheers!
Virtual hugs from us up in Vancouver, BC, Canada eh? I didnt get to see my dad before his cancer operation took him. For my father in law, I wanted to take him to the local Flying club and see if they would let him go up with one of the pilots but by then he couldnt walk...sometimes that tide can swamp us and push us away but knowing we all will be gone one day, seize the day I say if at all possible, dont add to the drama out there, live and love. Such is life eh? Glad he got to at least see it, nice tribute on his last boat excursion~
Thank you Steve, appreciate the comment and support. Time is limited, everything is temporary, make the most of it. Pitter patter!
This is an amazing vid. Probably one of the best videos I have ever seen on the Toob. And I am a longtime Toober, and kind of even obsessed with it. And yeah - this vid is that good. Inspirational and a lot of fun, at the same time. I love anything boats and motors. So there's that aspect. And you did an amazing job. But the tribute aspect of this vid is great, and I know your Dad was, and is proud of you. You've got great skillz! Oh - and yeah - you've got yourself one heck of a boat there. There's a reason Sea Ray has the rep they do - and same with Murcruiser. That Alpha 1 (or 1B or whatever that is LOL) is a Dawg! Awesome boat, and once you really finish it with some more cutting and buffing.... will be amazing! Awesome awesome video, Brother. Subbed. Our souls are similar.... the water is where my soul is at its peak. For sure. I get you.
Your words mean a lot; this was a very hard video to make, so I'm glad it's connecting with you. Yeah, I think the chevy 350 + alpha is such a good combo, and after noticing what's in all 3 of my dad's boats, he definitely had a type. I cut and buffed it again since the video, so it's even shinier now. Be sure to check out the sleekcraft builds, and the Ceebee, and the hydro. :P
@@ADDvanced Will do for sure. I grew up with all this stuff. Grandpa worked for Johnson Motors / OMC for 40 years. I'm a child of the Chesapeake Bay, and all kinds of Lakes, Rivers and Sounds! I'm like you. I'm at peace out on the water. I'll be checking you out. I hope your sadness turns to happiness... soon !
@@jimmyz2098 Thanks Jimmy! I'm about to water test the yellow boat later today, wish me luck!
Rob. This was a hard one to watch. My father passed away on May 20th, 2024. This all hit home. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Michael. I'm sorry for your loss. Everything is temporary, do something cool today that would make your dad happy.
Thank you Rob and Sarah for sharing this with us. Sorry for your loss and wishing you strength during this time. Your father would have been proud of your work on that beautiful boat.
Thanks for the comment, Patrick, I appreciates you. I miss him a lot.
That was a very touching video. I felt your sincere heartfelt love for your dad. I am 76 years old so I feel how blessed your dad felt those final days that you put your heart and soul into getting the boat restored back for him that last time. But in the end he had his last ride. God Bless Your Dad and your family. Brought tears to my eyes. I am new subscriber after watching this video.
Thanks Charlie, appreciate you leaving a comment for me. It was equally both good and bad, and I am glad we were here to take care of him. Everything is temporary, have fun while you can. If you're new around here, we have a lot of boat builds in progress, but also a lot of cars, snowmobiles, and some off grid land where we turn a school bus into a ski lodge. Cheers man!
Awesome dude! I lost my dad last year and he taught me everything about boating...I just bought a 1991 Sea Ray for 500 dollars and I am currently restoring it to its glory. . . .Its red just like yours ...but will change it to Blue when I am all done. Great Video!
This video made it's way to me somehow through the TH-cam algorithm. What a great gesture to get the boat going so your Dad could see one final happy accomplishment before he passed. The final scenes and text were beautiful. RIP to your Dad.
Thanks Christopher! I had the video mostly done except for the end, for almost a month. I wasn't sure how to end it, because there's a million emotions and a million things to say, so I'm glad you appreciated it! Cheers
Fantastic video and brought tears to my eyes, I lost my Dad to Leukaemia in Jan 2024, he went from a super fit 78 year old to a 100 year old man in 5 weeks and we lost him, he was my best friend, we did lots of boating together and worked on them together, so this video really resonated with me! Love to you and your family my friend ❤❤+
Thanks Alex, I appreciate your comment, and I'm sorry for your loss as well. I am trying to stay positive, and the shortness and temporary nature of it all, and how limited our time is, has made me reconsider a lot of what I want out of life. Cheers!
Touching video, i lost my dad 3 years ago this coming August, i miss him so much. Keep the memories alive and Dad will always be there. 👍
Yeah, definitely a void. Thanks David!
This was the first video of yours I have seen. I'm so happy that TH-cam suggested I watch it. As a 40 year old man, also from the midwest who still has his father, this video not only had me in tear at the end but also reminded me how little time we have in this world and to cherish every moment with our loved ones. I am deeply sorry for the loss of your father and I admire the time and dedication you spent on the boat in hopes of it being your father's last boat ride. Although things didn't work out as we all planned, that boat will always be special to you and your family. Cheers, my friend. I look forward going back and binge watching your other videos.
Thanks Willie! Time is limited, make it memorable. Also if you're new, we do more than just boats, check out our off grid stuff too; we are putting a skoolie on some land in CO as a ski cabin, and trying to survive winters there has been challenging and gorgeous.
You did a great job and made your Dad proud. Lost my dad at the end of '23. Thank you for posting this for everyone to see, it will help a lot of people.
I hope so. Life is so short. Too many people are worried about things that don't matter. Cheers
Glad you got it done - it would otherwise be rotting away. Now it's beautiful and running once again; you should be proud. I lost my father suddenly 37 years ago when I was in college; we had a 1958 runabout with a 1959 Johnson 35 Super Sea Horse that we used for camping in the Adirondacks since 1968. After he died, I left it in the back yard neglected and filled with water for 5 years. I felt shitty about that, knowing Dad would not be happy. So I emptied it out, tore it down to the bare hull, repainted it with high quality urethane (Imron) on the outside and a special spatter paint on the inside, had the upholstery all redone, rewired the lights and dashboard, redid the motor with all new electrics and lower unit stuff. Also repainted he trailer (1966 Mastercraft) and installed a heavy-duty axle and hubs, redid the wiring. Brought it up to the lake that year and she ran flawlessly. Good memories. Brought my daughter camping at the same lake; Dad would have loved that. Still have it. Cheers to you.
Thanks, it definitely went from a $500 heap to a $4-6000 boat in pretty short order. The key being it was solid to start with. I'm sorry for your loss as well, sounds like you were younger when it happened, can't imagine. Awesome recovery story about the runabout, what kind? I hope you're still using it as much as possible, cheers!
@@ADDvanced Thank you. I was in college; junior year a week from Thanksgiving. Dad died suddenly and unexpectedly at 63 years of age. It was a brand very few have ever heard of: SuMark. Specifically, a 16' SuMark Gull Resorter. They were made in Walpole, Mass. for only a very few years (perhaps 5) before going out of business. I used it consistently until about 3 years ago, when it started running poorly at that same Adirondack lake the day before we were to leave. It felt like it had bad gas, starting with some difficulty and then unable to take throttle. All new electrics with low hours, it was in a perfect state of tune. I've been busy the last three summers but I'm going to get it going again in the next few weeks and finish out the season. Well, hopefully. The motor is 65 years old after all. We'll see! Cheers!
Thank you so so much for this video. It brought back so many memories of my dad. And the times we spent together!!! Sorry for your lost. You were truely bless to have him in your life. Hang in there. I know your dad will be missed. Take care
Appreciate the comment. It's been tough. I learned so much, it was hard to put into a video.
Hey Rob, tip of the hat to you Sir. I too have been through this. It's crazy I discovered your video because I am in the process of restoring my Dad's old pontoon boat. He passed away in 2016. He was an awesome man and he loved the outdoors. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks! It was rough but I was lucky to have been there for him. Good luck in the restore; if it gets too bad remember that pontoons are a dime a dozen. I'm not above scrapping boats if they're too far gone; this one just happened to work out. Your dad would rather have you on the water vs throwing money into a hole being stressed out. Cheers!
Finished watching the video at the ranch. You and Sarah were spectacular. I'm sorry your Dad wasn't there for his last ride. It's a beautiful boat and the colors are perfect, red and white. It's lines are timeless. Thank you for sharing this story.
I'm already crying at the begining. I just lost my Mom in february. I know exactly what this means to you. Sorry for your eventual loss.
Thanks, it sucked, but I am glad I got to be here.
Wow, that was an inspiring story, but at the same time, so so sad. Thanks for sharing those messages at the end. You are a great and compassionate family. May your dad rest in peace.
Sorry for your loss. Thank you for taking us fans along on the trip and sharing memories. Please keep up the content!
You're welcome, and I appreciate the support. I'll try!
Found your video this morning. I you are doing a wonderful thing for your Dad. I'll get back to your video later today. You have a real partner with you on your project. She's great.
I’m sorry you lost your dad, but that mad dash to get his boat fixed extended your time together as I’m sure he fought to see it come back to life. And you got to have that part of him in the boat live on. Good work man, enjoy it!
Thank you, I appreciates you
Great video, thanks for sharing and I am very sorry about the loss of your dad. First thing I did after watching was called my pops who is 85 and had a great conversation. You reminded how important it is to take the time to communicate with those we love and not allow the little things in life to get in the way of that.
Thank you KBrown, and I'm glad you called him up. Everything is so temporary. Make the most of it.
Rob you are good man and son. Im sure your dad is so proud. You brought tears to my eyes. God bless you and your wife.
Thank you Robert, appreciate the comment and the kind words. Updates on the yellow sea ray soon
Thanks for taking us along, and sharing this heart wrenching story. Most of us only get one dad and they aren’t all perfect. I’m trying to be the dad mine started out as. I’m sure I’ll miss the mark in some ways but I know that my kids will know that I loved them. You seem like you were lucky in the dad dept. What an incredible job you did and priceless memory even if it didn’t pan out as expected.
Your video touched my ❤️ heart.
I too lost my dad before he could ride in his boat with me again.
I recently, after 6 years, took his boat fishing on his favorite lake in Canada. Unfortunately I forgot his ashes 😢
It was also the 1st trip for my 90 bronco.
I feel like he was with me the entire trip, and on the lake.
He also taught me everything I know and wouldn't be able to what I can now if I hadn't been his shadow.
Being a dad is a gift, and our dad's were the best gift ever given.
In memory of our fathers ❤
Awesome story, Jubemarsh! First trip for the tow rig too is a wild, sounds epic. Forgetting the ashes is just an excuse to do another trip like that. Be sure to check out the other builds if you haven't seen them yet. Cheers man, everything is temporary.
@ADDvanced thank you brother, and you're right 🤙
Your wife is sweet as can be, wonderful family and your dad seemed to be quite a character. Like many others this is hard for me to watch without tears from my memories of dad. But thank you for reminding me what's important.
Thanks man, everything is temporary, so make it awesome and be excellent to each other. Cheers
No words can be said to ease the pain. You are a great son, continue to honor and remember your Dad. Our prayers, thoughts and hearts go out to you, Sarah and your Mom.
Thank you Ron, I think editing this helped distill some of my feelings, but it's still pretty hard. I have another video coming on the yellow 79 Sea Ray soon!
@@ADDvanced Rob, I would like to tell you that you will never feel pain like this again, but losing Dads are hard, mine has been gone for 31 years, but moms are even harder.
They will never leave your heart or thoughts.
I have always enjoyed your post. You and Sarah are a great duo and always bring a smile to my face. Keep moving forward Brother.
@@ronlamaster9301 Something to keep in mind, for sure. Onwards!
I've had the start this comment at least five times because I start crying so hard that I can't talk and I don't type I use voice recognition. Your dad may not have got to ride in that boat but he was there, just seeing that boat done he imagined it on the water again I truly wish he would have got to ride in it but you did a wonderful job. My brother passed away in January and the strange thing is he had a Sea Ray just like this boat identical to this boat (Red and White) and then the after that boat he bought a Chaparral Villain lll and I happen to be watching an episode of the sopranos and Tony soprano was using a Chaparral Villain lll with the same color scheme as my brother's boat, this happened in the same day, I saw your video and then the video with the Chaparral Villain. You did wonderful thing I hope you enjoy that Sea Ray for a long time.
Thanks man, I'm glad the video meant something to me. Funny about the boat coincidences; one of the strangest coincidences in my life involves my dad. My dad was an electrical engineer/designer at a company started called Nicolet Instruments that produced the world's first digital oscilliscope, back in 1960s. Here's the crazy part: ~50 years later, I had moved to a different city to go to college for industrial design (design of anything mass produced, tools, medical stuff, boats, cars, etc), and was in the shop building stuff, waiting for a thermoformer to heat up to make some prototypes, and I was bored, so I started looking through old cabinets. A lot of the tools we had in the shop were old AF, donated from other companies that upgraded to newer machines, and sometimes they were bolted onto random cabinets filled with random garbage. So I decided to dig through one of them, and I find... a 8.5x11, full color, beautiful studio shot of a Nicolet oscilloscope, mounted to hardboard. This wasn't a snapshot, this was a professional photo that must have been made for marketing reasons; it had a red 'fill light' illuminating the side dramatically, with a spot on the upper part showing off all the machined metal. I called my dad and and told him what model it was.... "Yup, I designed that".
What are the odds.... that going to school for design, I would find a beautiful studio shot example of what my dad designed, mounted on hardboard, in a random cabinet 50 years after he designed it? It's one of the weirdest things that has ever happened to me.
I was excited when I saw ADDVanced getting a new video up - and also sad to see that it's under these circumstances. Definitely set this one aside until this evening when I had time to watch it all the way through. What a great video while at the same time being hard to watch, as it was a real tear jerker.
While things didn't go exactly as planned with the boat, I'm sure your dad was proud/happy to see it shined up and all the hard work you poured into it. And to me at least, it seemed like you went all out, non stop around the clock on this Sea Ray. My back, feet, knees, eyes, etc. just hurt watching you work on it day and night. Anyone watching this one can see the drive you had to get it finished. Not to mention you still took the time to film and document as much as you did while being under pressure to get the boat put back together before your dad passed - I can appreciate how much extra frustration and time that adds when you just want to keep working.
The wood plug tip was a good one - I recently removed a transom where the PO plugged the screw heads and spent much more time digging them out with drills, chisels, and screwdrivers and cussing. (According to Andrew who is currently editing the footage, about 45 minutes of it).
Hope to see more videos on the three boats of your dad's in the future. The SunRunner needs some work as you pointed out, but still has alot of potential and is definitely worth fixing up from all the memories you have on it.
Sorry again for the loss of your dad Rob, and I'm glad to see this video is getting the love that it deserves (10k views and 140 comments in 1 day) 👍
-Brock
Hey Brock, thanks for the comment. It's been a tough time, been taking a lot of Ls lately. I shared my progress with him pretty much every night before bed, and he helped me trouble shoot the fuel system. I really wish I had known that the carb was bad before I started. Appreciate the support, should have a video out on the yellow boat maybe this weekend, definitely the one after. Fun story, I found the original family that owned it, and they want it back. :)
My dad passed almost 22 years ago. Still miss him a lot. Although he passed suddenly and I wasn't there to say my last goodbye, I have the last pickup he owned to pull his rv. I have kept it in great condition, had it repainted and pull my own camper with it. I'll never part with it and every time I drive it, I feel a if he's smiling down on me. The best memories never go away.
That's awesome. What kind?
I've been watching you for years .your videos helped me redo my old Carlson.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family
Thanks for the words, I appreciate it! I hope you're enjoying the Carlson!
Life can be so fickle. It is undeniable that you loved your dad. Thanks for sharing.
Dang this was a tough one for me to watch. I lost my Dad in 98. He had a heart attack while we were playing golf. I did cpr on him.
We use to go fishing in his 18' San Juan Dorsett. Lake McConaughey, lake Powell, Seeing you with your son smiling riding in your boat brings everything full circle. You're a good man, son, your Pops is smiling from above.
Hey David, sorry for your loss; that sounds traumatic AF. My dad went peacefully and I'm still struggling with it. He was my best friend. That was my sister's kid, but he's a good one, and he cackled like a madman whenever I let him drive the boat lol
Your dad was there watching you rebuild this boat! He knew you were building for his last ride, but he knew you were building it to bring everyone together, and once it was finished, he knew he’d be right next to you on every ride!
Thanks Brian, that is a nice way of looking at it. Cheers!
Great video. It is amazing how boats make dads turn into kids in front of their own kids. The memories of my dad enjoying life on summer vacations and forgetting about the stress of work & family are priceless. I have based my entire life off of boating and sharing the experience with my kids. We do sports, academics, motor cycle riding, but boating & swimming in the lake is like a reset button for everyone. My 1st boat with my wife was a 16 foot sea ray with a 115 merc outboard - look like your boat but was blue. You are very handy with the tools to rebuild an outdrive.
Hey Jim, lots of memories on the water; I grew up on this river and there's nothing like a day on the water. Appreciate the comment, have a good one, and thanks for the kind words
So sorry for your loss you have my condolences I lost my pops as well so i feel your pain. Awesome video I really enjoyed it.
Glad you enjoyed it, tried to share a lot of knowledge and dick jokes because you have to laugh at everything. Cheers!
Rob you did an outstanding job on the SeaRay, and your Dad was SO proud of you! It took me back to a job I did about 10 years ago... same steps. Remember, he was not just proud about the boat. YOU were his greatest work, his masterpiece. I know I'd be beaming with joy over your skill set he helped form in you. Now YOU get to pass it along. ;)
That comment meant a lot man. We were very close. I miss him terribly. But yeah, sharing knowledge and having fun is what this channel is all about; the only goal I had when starting it was to show people that even seemingly impossible tasks are easy if you break them down into small enough steps; progress every day for many days and you can get almost anything done. I wish more people would think like this, and spend less on new depreciating things that aren't as good as old ones. Especially boats.
Very touching tribute. Sorry for your loss. Love watching you two work on your projects.
Thank you, I appreciate your comment a lot
One of the very best videos I have seen in years. Thank you for taking us along on this journey. Stay safe.
Thank you Richard, appreciate your comment and it means a lot. It was a pretty personal journey but documenting this boat resto helped somehow; we talked about it a lot every night.
First of all Sarah is a unbelievable trooper and you are so lucky to have a participant in life as you do!!!!
I knew what the ending was going to be, the young man you persevered on a mission I wish you could have fulfilled!!!!!!!!!!!
She's a beast! I miss him a lot. There have been so many times where I wanted to share something with him, since he moved on. Stay tuned for updates; I'll be releasing a vid on the yellow sea ray shortly.
What an Amazing Labor of Love! My deepest Condolences to you and your family as your Father went on his last ride. Very moving story with some great life lessons. My Mother recently passed away and I always told her I was going to buy a boat but I never did. I finally just bought a nice Bowrider and I know she is with me on the sea.
Thanks Francis, appreciate it. I'm sorry for your loss as well. Keep floatin'
I drug my kids to the lake all the time...when they loved it when they were little, and when they got older, and didn't appreciate it as much...still have the boat, I hope someday they feel this way, this video made me tear up for sure, sorry for your loss, your Dad was loved, and that meant all the world to him for sure
I don't know if it's legal to drug your kids while they're at a lake :P Do they waterski? Man every kid I knew that grew up waterskiing loves boats. Have a good one, Scott, and thank you for the kind words
Rob, You are a great son. I see the man you are and know a lot prob came from your father. I bet he is very proud of you. Mission accomplished. Keep up your hard work and outlook and you will be rewarded. Love you and Sarah and your content. May your dad rest in peace and may you find solace in your fond memories of your father and family.
Thanks, he was supportive my entire life, and one of my best friends. I'm lucky to have had the time to spend with him near the end, and keep him out of the hospital.
I don't recall a TH-cam video ever choking me up before! This was a wonderful video!
I've had the same feelings of loss with both my parents and my most sincere sympathies go out to you and your family. You did a wonderful thing by reviving that boat and needless to say, it was fantastic therapy for you as you were on your race against time. From what I witnessed in your video, in my opinion, possibly unknowingly, you revived that boat for the very purpose it was meant to serve....to bring your Dad's ashes where they were supposed to go. He may not have been with you in body, but I guarantee, he was and always will be with you in spirit.
May he Rest In Peace.
Thank you for the comment, Bella. It's been really hard, he was one of my best friends and we talked very often, about everything. Time is short, do something awesome today. Cheers
Incredible you did great Rob and Sarah . It was a year in June that I tried the same but my dad needed a lot . I had planned on getting his 24 foot pontoon out and do the same. It had been sitting for two years . I got cleaned and he just smiled. Thanks for such a touching story .
Appreciate the comment, Walker, and good on ya for doing the same for your pa. Have a good weekend!
Its a pleasure to watch you two work together...she says what she means she do!
She's a beast!
Rob and Sarah,sorry for the passing,you both did a great thing, every time you do something he be watching over ya ,you take what you get you make what you want you create because you’re a creative,❤
Thanks David! I will never stop building things and getting in adventures
Dude, you general knowledge on boat repair makes me feel like I have failed in life. Impressive sir. And amazing thing to do for your father and even though he didn't get to ride in it he was there with you. I lost my father in 2015 and he loved his boat as well. I think about him everyday and you will too. To our dads
Hey man, it's just baby steps. Try something you haven't done before, take it slow, take photos as you go, and ask questions on the internet if you're stuck. You can figure almost anything out! Cheers man
@@ADDvanced i lack the patience lol. Most do it yourself projects i do end up with a lot of swearing and tool throwing
@@kingjames1308 That's part of the process, I just edit it out :P
Thanks for sharing this, lost my dad about 4 years ago, he bought us a Searay 200CC to the family that me and my brother inherited, and i was always working on the boat with him before every season.
Now my son have taken over the ownership of the boat and im the father that have the privilage to be able to assist him in the restoration that he likes to do to the boat.
Im really glad you shared this video, it brings back alot of memories some very emotionell, but at the end its good memories.
Thanks alot from Sweden !
That's awesome. One thing I kept talking to him about was how many boats he sold, by creating other boat owners. Many of his friends told me stories how they used to go out on his big blue boat, and wound up getting their own boats later. I've done the same thing; taken so many people boating, and now they own boats. It's wild. You think you aren't affecting the world, but it's sort of the butterfly effect. Thanks for the comment!
So sorry for your loss. My Dad passed away on July 17. This video really touched me. Life is short.
Sure is. Thanks for your comment. Do something awesome today, you only get one of them.