Lyman Boats

I was raised around these thing in the Lake Erie Islands. I just dug up and scanned a few pics. My family's (and my wife's family's) first boat was a 15' Lyman. This picture was taken a year before I was born and shows our dog Boots on the stern.



After a couple of other so-so boats (a Thompson and a Dumphy I think) we had two more Lymans (below). Number 1 shows my Dad and me bringing home our 19 footer. He cleaned it up and painted it a beautiful blue w/ red boot stripe. BTW thats "my" boat in the lower right corner of the shot, a 16' alumium boat that flew.



Next he moved up to a 22 footer, it offered a lot more room inside plus a cuddy cabin and teak decks. It was Dads pride and joy. Pics 2-4 show the 22 footer during one of our two week boat trips. Yep, thats me in #4.

These trips took us across Lake Erie, up the Detroit River, across Lake St. Claire, up the St. Claire River, up Lake Huron and then across the Georgian Bay (out of sight of land). Great trips replete with lots of nautical sight seeing, snorkeling, and excellent bass and pike fishing. Here's the route.



As a charter captain in the early 80's I had the chance to run a couple of 26 footers that were still in service despite the rise in fiberglasses popularity. they were essentially enlarged versions of the 22' model, sometimes with a small wetbar and fridge.

So these boats are a "family affair" for me and owning one would be a labor of love. I'd rather sand, paint, varnish and polish that kill my free time watching stick and ball sports all winter anyway.