• If you log in, the ads disappear in the forum and gallery. If you need help logging in or getting registered, send request to: webmaster@southernairboat.com

Big Thanks to All

Airboatcapt2

Well-known member
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who put on or helped with the Melbourne Airboat Run. I had a great time and I look forward to seeing everyones pictures. I also enjoyed meeting all you guys.
I can't wait till we can do it again.
Faron
 
I would like to echo Faron's thank you!!! My vehicle was LOADED on the drive back. You all kicked butt with making Operation Airboat happen!!! I don't have a count yet on total # of boxes or poundage but I will let you know by the end of this week. We also raised over $300 for postage. If any is left over (I'm pretty sure there will be some) I will mail it off to go towards the lobbyist fundraiser.

Adam
 
CONGRATS TO EVERYONE- You guys made front page news. Florida Today (Brevards local paper) Has a nice little article on the front page of the local section about the run and the donations everyone made, couple of nice pics. too. Nice to see a story in the paper about airboaters that has a POSITIVE spin to it. SAFARI RICK
 
I just want to say that I can't remember ever meeting a better group of folks as the members of SouthernAirboat.com!!!

The ride was phenominal, the food from Metarie was fabulous (thanks Passtime!) but the great group of folks --well sometimes there just aren't words to describe. All that I met were terrific.

Adam, did you think your Operation Airboat would go this far? The best results we will not see. The smiles on the faces of the troops. The entire ride just had a good feel to it. A ride dedicated to a worthy cause.

Thanks for allowing us to be a part of this great event! When are we going again?? Lauren Brown
 
Laura and I had a best time in our life out there in that beautiful land.

And Faron, you are ALRIGHT! Here is a good picture of you with rick behind you and the "armada" coming up the canal. I have this pic in a quite hi resolution (I reduced this one down), and am going to send it to ABW too. Faron, (or anyone) PM me with your email address and I can mail you any of these hi-rez (good for printing) photos.

armada1.jpg



WHAT A FUN DAY!!!!!!! :)

matt.
 
Here is another pic. I just saw on the Orlando Sentinel's TV news station "Central Florida News 13" some footage of Adam and Big Daddy leaving the ramp. Good press and good footage of some boats.

But if that TV reporter had been ON TIME (darnit) this view is what he could have had.

armada2.jpg


matt.
 
I'd again REALLY like to say thanks to everyone who came out there. I KNEW we'd have a good turn out and sure enought we did.

BTW, Big Daddy...do you wanna start an airboat wrecker service with me? :D I'm sure somebody would keep us in business :p

Great time everybody!!!

Adam
 
Adam - You are one of a kind. First, thanks for the best laugh I had all week with that comment... Yeah I'd keep you in business!!!! :D And secondly, and most of all... Thanks for your and Big Daddy's assistance SEVERAL TIMES yesterday.

After the little bump between boats, seeing the teamwork and Big Daddy's expert leadership and fantastic skills, I would have paid money to see the show. It says a lot about everyone. It says a lot of good. Jeff, you can bend pipe out as good as you can bend it in. My cage will be fine, and I was planning on new rudders anyway. Laura and I love ya Jeff. It wouldn't be the same without you. I see it like this: Our 20+ year old rudders were going to fail that day, God knew it. It would have been a tragic accident, so He pushed your boat over and saved our lives. Plain and simple!

Laura got some good photos of Southern Airboat TEAMWORK... in repairing my rudders, and with Rick's boat at the ramp. What a FANTASTIC group of people! Check the gallery for AirboatRN to see thos pics.

And when our spare fan belt turned out to too big, BLACKPOWDERSCOUT came thru with one that got us the dinner, and thanks to SURBAN who came thru with one that fit over the alternator to get us back to the ramp.

Jim (from the Lake County group) & Woodswoman used a little soap to get us unstuck early on in the day after a wrong turn & bad decision on my part! So thanks to them too.

I send out some big toots of THE LOCO LOCOMOTIVE HORN to EVERYONE!!! :D

matt.
 
What a terrific time we had yesterday. Best part was putting faces with screen names. I love the kid pics riding in front with PFDs on. Bet they'll have swamp gas in their blood. Can't remember a better time or better folks. Never new there were so many hot women in the swamp. Hope Nicole survives.

I have been watching the WeatherChannel all morning and have begun to pray in earnest for PassTime and the LA gang. They are surely travelling back toward home into Katrina's Hell - back to a place they will not recognize when they get there. Please join me in asking God for mercy for them.

Wish the next SAO ride was next weekend. What have you done RICK? Created a benevolent monster, maybe.

As to the airboat wrecker service on SAO rides - maybe a fee to all who require help that would be donated to the FAA Legislative Effort?

It was my pleasure and honor to work beside Jim "Ed" Brown, Adam, Jeff & all who chipped in. Who wouldda thunk someone would have a galvanized 90 elbow 3/4" to 1/2" that would work perfect as a rudder stop on MoodFood's wounded Shaker? Only Jim "Ed" Brown. My contribution to that one was to wrap it with duct tape in a salute to rednecks everywhere.
 
Yes please keep passtime in your prayers. He lives right where they plan the eye going. Just keep him and his family in your prayers and let him be able to make a safe journey home Tuesday. He is staying around until Tuesday.
 
I have been unpacking and organizing the donations this morning and found a check from Whirlwind Propellers for $150. That raises our total to over $450!!!!! Thanks to Whirlwind for helping out!!!

Adam
 
Way to go Adam!

And while on the topic of thanks, thanks again to The Brevard Air & Powerboat Assn for the use property. I think everybody got some good publicity out of it and made some new friends.

Thanks to all who showed up too. One thing that made it a fun ride was having so many boats involved. At least 32 boats at the first stop... but I think a few more joined in after that.
 
I had a lot of fun just a little hard keeping up with every one. very great turn out just wish that our club would have had some of the members show up and ride with us. If any one is down here at any time and wants to ride just let me know I'm always ready
 
Bigdaddy":13m7ty5v said:
No one could have been a better host. You are tops in my book. Outstanding effort.

Me too on that one. And that also goes for everyone else that contributed & participated.

I had a great time.
 
cchardt did do a great job... and prep work too. He said he went down to that canal along the levy that headed to the dike where we all stopped on top of... he said he had gone ahead a day or two prior and cut a bunch of limbs from those marsh willows so we'd have a path thru. Way to go and I got some good practice in maneuvering the boat thru that winding trail. Laura and I thought about heading back there again just to do some practice runs.

I uploaded some hi-rez photos to my personal web gallery, and they are there for anyone to download. Click a photo and it'll launch a slide show, then click in the slideshow pic, and you will get the raw image in hi-rez. Some of you may want to print out your pic. Some came out really good!

The link to the gallery is:
http://homepage.mac.com/moodfood/PhotoAlbum1.html

Cowboy, a1mudpuppy, surban, Rick, cntry141iq, stan, and Faron - you all have a hi-rez pic waiting for you to download. Next time, I'll try to be near the front of the line so I can get everyone's photo!

There is also a very hi-rez mosiac of the first stop - 3 photos pasted together into one HUGE 3 meg photo. Called "Line of Boats"

I've also sent this link to airboat world.

Enjoy viewing y'all!!!

matt.
 
It was a good time! I reckon every trip is gonna have it's minor mishaps. Matt and Laura, thanks for your understanding. Chris and Charity for all your hospitality and going out of your way for us. Big Daddy you sure know how to take charge! Adam, you rock! It was nice to put names with faces. Such a great bunch! Can't wait til the next run. Again, thanks to everyone!


dawn
 
Thank all of you for coming. It was nice to put names with faces and hopefully you had a good time. Any of you are more than welcome to come over any time you want to. Just give us heads up and we will drive you around to different places. We had fun and cannot wait for the next ride.
 
Hey ya'll,

Stan, Ya'll don't get the best blunder award! I get the award for the biggest "blunder" of the day!

Mood & AirboatRN, hope ya still love me?! Thanks to all again for the excellent advice and help. Still don't know why the boat don't turn when at full rudder and on the gas.

Big Daddy, where's the fund set-up as I guess I'll be the first with that also, (I got the Mood boat into that mess also I guess)!

141, Gotta send larry the Cable Guy the idear of Armadillo launching! Hadn't "rolled on the ground" laughed like that in awhile! Thanks again for all your help, (can ya' just not sound like my father)!LOL!

Scout, Ya got a good wife and a good job! Thanks for keeping my civil liberties at bay! Tell them boys over there to keep their heads down and we're prayin' for them. I really do hope they come home soon, (been there, done that during peacetime operation). An DD214 is something that I'll always cherish in my life as well as my father,(Korean war) and grandfather,(WW2).

CC, Sorry to be a burden! We woulda found ya'll in a day or two later that day for lunch! Thanks again for the help with the "Ford" trouble on Sunday. Ya'll missed another good ride with us, CC, Larry, and one of Cc's buddy's on Sunday. Made it to the ramp and 30 secondes latr' the sky fell to the ground with lightning everywhere! The St. Johns is really a cool place to ride with out Sat. nite ride being our best nite ride yet!

Everyone stay safe,

Basketcase
 
Back
Top