Living For Yesterdays

by Ken Patz member of the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chapter

I purchased the Sea Raider in 2003 from Blue Lagoon Marina in Spring Park Mn. It’s been our family cruiser ever since. I named it “Yesterdays”. The 71 Trojan was a transition boat for the company Trojan and it was their first fiber glass hull but still retained the mahogany teak and vinyl cabin and cockpit structures.

It will sleep seven and we can cruise comfortably around the lake with eight aboard. This made it a rather unique cruiser, it’s handling and performance was outstanding but it required much TLC if left out in the elements. This 30’boat came with twin Chryslers 318’s with 225hp and velvet drive transmissions. She is fast for a cruiser and a joy to captain

I have done a few things to “Yesterdays” since I’ve owned her, such as: Replaced part of the windshield, added a camper top, re vinyled the cabin roof, rebuilt the engines, new prop shafts and strut bearing, refinished the teak decks, installed a powered anchor winch, installed a GPS and depth finder, ship to shore radio, added striping and the hull has been Imron painted. I also built a teak swim platform and added engine muffler’s and trim tabs. I also had a trailer made for her so I can store her inside in the winter. She is not a “show boat” but a user boat and I am proud to own her.

We live on Lake Minnetonka, 14,000 acre lake west of Minneapolis and fun place to boat with its many bays and restaurants. We have a covered slip which has kept “Yesterdays” protected. We spend many hours in the summer enjoying the lake and have spent overnights swinging on the anchor. My grandchildren have grown up with this boat and are now old enough to begin to learn how to handle it. My wife Lee and I have been an active member of ACBS Land O Lakes, BSLOL Boat Club since the 1990’s and participated and have shown “Yesterdays” in many of the annual shows and boating events. I’m now in my 82nd year and still able to enjoy this boat with the help of my family especially my son Scott and my grandson’s Christopher and Nicholas who help me every year with maintenance.