Dave Rosenberger – President, North Coast Ohio Chapter

Story originally published in Beacon.

There was a program on WHBC AM Radio (Stark County) back in the day called Trade-E-O. Besides the newspaper classifieds, the beloved Trade-E-O was on a set time each day. Seems every house had the AM radio playing all day to hear the latest music, news, weather and whatever someone across town had for sale. A seller would call in, give a brief description, their asking price and (believe it or not) their telephone number.

 

It was a fall day, 50 years ago, when dad was listening to Trade-E-O, and a lady had an old boat for sale near us. Dad was quick to dial, the lady picked up, dad got the address and said to get in the car. These sales could be a contest of who called first AND who could get there first to close the deal. We arrived first and the 1962 Larson boat was around back, uncovered, FULL of water, with the fuel tanks and seats floating on top, as the drain hole had been clogged with rotting leaves long before. Ever the optimist, dad said this was a good thing because if it held water in, it would hold water out. We opened the huge 1963 Evinrude outboard motor cover and mice ran for their lives.

The sum of $250 was agreed upon and I started bailing water. It was towed home, and a project was begun to prove the naysayers (mom) wrong. The Evinrude came back to life, the interior and exterior painted and new carpet glued down, trailer painted, and springs re-arched with new lights, etc.

We named her “Old Faithful” and the joys it gave us while cruising and skiing on Portage Lakes have been lifetime memories.

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