Born into this Hobby

“How did you get into this hobby? You’re so young!”

Story and pictures are from Katelyn Marsden

This is a question I get at every boat show I go to and the answer is pretty simple. I was born into this hobby I was going to boat shows before I could even walk, crawling around boats like they were jungle gyms.

My Grandma and Pop Pop are founding members of the Finger Lakes Chapter where my sister and I are on dock crew along with my aunt. I have grown up going to boat shows and tubing behind a 25 ft Hacker Craft. All I know is wood boats and more wood boats.  

So, when a pink Century Roan Happy Days came to the Finger Lakes it was no surprise to anyone in my family that I fell in love with the boat. I just had to have this boat! Pink is my favorite color, so clearly, it was a match made in heaven. I was determined to own her one day.

Sadly, Kay, the owner of this boat, passed away. I couldn’t stand to see anyone else having this boat outside of the Finger Lakes Chapter.  Kay’s husband knew how much I loved this boat and knew I would take care of it, so he sold it to me at a very generous price.

In honor of Kay, I changed the name of the boat to K’s Happy Days for the both of us.

I got the boat a week before I headed off to Liberty University so the work on her was done during breaks. During these breaks, including on Christmas Day after opening presents, a lot of work was done. This work included redoing the decks, rewiring, a fresh coat of paint, work done to a motor, and lots of cleaning. It took my dad and me about 2 years to get her to where she is today, and I couldn’t be any prouder.

K’s Happy Days is a 1958 Century 15 ft Roan powered by a 1958 Evinrude 35 hp Lark outboard.  A statement in the ACBS membership files says, “Yes, her original color is pink!!”