Has anyone had problems parting with an old Champion

[viking]

Wife gave OK to upgrade my 201 with a 203. Now that I have the 203 I'm finding it hard to put the 201 up for sale, It feels like I'm betraying an old friend. I know you can only use one at a time and this spring I'll get to know the 203, but the wife is not going to let me wait that long before selling one. Has anyone had this problem, how did you get past it?

[Lea]

I've had 3 Champs. It hurt to get past each one of the first 2. Keeping the 3rd....

In fact, my 1999 187 is in Texas. I have followed it from the day I traded it. It went to FL, then to LA, and now to TX. I got pix from each owner....(first 2 are BBCers and I am working on the 3rd)

I have lost touch with the first...a 1990 176 SC.

[viking]

Had no problem getting rid of my first boat for the 201, but I keep coming up with excuses not to sell the 201, Have 12 years with her.

[Lea]

I understand. Gotta be tough!

[dlewis10]

Man I wish I had those type of problems - keep a great runnin' champ or get a newer/bigger champ ??? I guess it comes down to "why did you upgrade if you really, and I mean really liked your 201 as much as you did ? I guess someday down the road I may be in the same spot as you. But I don't believe it will be anytime soon. An option that may or may not be possible - sell it locally to someone that you know will take good care of it. And Like Lea said, keep in touch with it. If it stays local, you'll also be able to see it runnin' on your local lakes periodically. It seems like a lot of us here love our Champs like they are family. Good luck, and congrats on your 203

[Hillsreels]

I know the feeling ,,,I purchased my new 203 in June and never was able to make an effort to sell my 184. My daughter refused to take "Her" because they live on the Gulf and she loved to old girl too much to put her in salt water. Once day a fellow walked up and aked me if I would sell her for 7K.....I did. !990 184 with a newer jam up motor and CLC lower unit.She is still a beauty.
Those who set sail on any vessel form a kinship with those vessels which is as old and deep as the waters we navigate.

[viking]

I guess the main reason I made the upgrade was back in October while fishing a tournament I lost a power pack on the 201, first major let down in 12 years. found a ten year newer 203 at a very good price, figured 10 years newer less problems for a while. Have both side by side, they are the same length the 203 is 5" wider and the seats are 5" forward.

[Bassin08]

I spent many hours talking to my therapist about the four Champions I sold. She got me past it and then last summer I saw my old 176 Super Champ and I'm having trouble sleeping again.

[Artie]

I'm on my 3rd one. I'm not even finished refurbishing it and I'm already thinking about what I will look at next. I had a 203 with a 225EFI and I sold it and kept my 184DC with a strong 200XRI. I sold the 184 a year ago, and now when I see it the guy that bought it from me asks me to drive him around in it. He hasn't quite got the hang of dealing with the chine walk or the aired out feeling in it.

I love Champions, but I already have a wife. I think my next one will be a 19' model, but I will have to ask Pat which one's to get and which ones to avoid. I have a 200EFI block that I've spoken to Jay Smith a couple of times about that I plan to pump up to about 240-250 hp. That should make a 19' Champ scoot!!

Artie

[Tx Champ]

When I got my 201, I had the 176 for about 4 months before I put it up for sale. I found there were some places I could take the 176 and turn around that I had to back out of with the 201. Plus the lighter and shorter boat was easier to get in and out of smaller bodies of water that didn't have improved ramps. Then, I made the mistake of taking the wife out to where I had them stored ... Needless to say, the pressure was then on to trim down my collection.

[Bassin08]

Never thought of storing them out of sight. That even makes it worse! I could have kept all of them. Oh well, I'll have to live with this Triton TR176 now. It is actually the same size as my 176 was, but I do think it is laid out better. I don't think it would handle a 150 as good as the Champion would though, nor will it handle as good. I know it is not made as good as the 1988 was.

I can still imagine the feeling of that little final lift onto the pad when I was running into a light chop. It felt like all I had under me was air and I was flying. You figure a 1050 pound hull with the design it had and a 150 Mercury, it had be be exiting to drive.

[viking]

I guess the wife has the final say in the matter. After finding me on the forum this morning I Was informed that we are keeping the 203 and the 201 is history. You got to love them wives, if anyone is in the market for a good used 201 should have it listed soon.

[Bassin08]

Man, my wife is frowning at me because the brown truck brought my new Triton jacket today. She said "don't you have enough jackets?" I could not respond to that one. Can you imagine if the brown truck had brought a new 183CX with a Pro XS on it? I would be in more trouble than Tiger. Maybe his wife would take me in? Ya............right!

[Artie]

Trophy wife? I think I'll take the trophy bass! You know, Tiger changed his name to another membr of the cat family-Cheetah Woods!!!

Artie

[viking]

I know there's not a lot out there that can say this, but my wife is a darn good bass fisher___woman. She has kicked my ass a few times, fishing, so I guess that would give her some say in what boat we keep.

[Bassin Bob71]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bassin08 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Never thought of storing them out of sight. That even makes it worse! I could have kept all of them. Oh well, I'll have to live with this Triton TR176 now. It is actually the same size as my 176 was, but I do think it is laid out better. I don't think it would handle a 150 as good as the Champion would though, nor will it handle as good. I know it is not made as good as the 1988 was.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Mine's all winterized, waxed up and sitting in the garage. Just can't get myself the throw the cover on it yet. Charlie, would it help if I asked all the 183 owners here to start posting pix of their rigs??

[Bassin Bob71]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bassin08 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Never thought of storing them out of sight. That even makes it worse! I could have kept all of them. Oh well, I'll have to live with this Triton TR176 now. It is actually the same size as my 176 was, but I do think it is laid out better. I don't think it would handle a 150 as good as the Champion would though, nor will it handle as good. I know it is not made as good as the 1988 was.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Mine's all winterized, waxed up and sitting in the garage. Just can't get myself the throw the cover on it yet . Charlie, would it help if I asked all the 183 owners here to start posting pix of their rigs??

[Bassin08]

That's like putting a drink in front of an alcoholic after only a week of sobriety. Please don't do that to me. I like my Triton, but I really like those Champions. Like I have said before, if it had not been for my Triton dealer, I would have bought the 183CX that C&O had. I still think about that boat a lot. I can just visualize a Gunmetal cap with a darker gray hull arrow and black, or red pins.

[Tx Champ]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 08 198 Champ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Mine's all winterized, waxed up and sitting in the garage. Just can't get myself the throw the cover on it yet ....</TD></TR></TABLE>

What's this "winterize" I keep hearing about??? I have a club T on Sunday with a forcast of 74, it's starting to sound like it will be shorts & T shirt.

[dlewis10]

Thanks fro the weather report Reggie - coldest day in December that I can remember here in northeast PA . We might have ice form here by the end of the week ??? It could be worse, I could live in the upper midwest - Blizzards suck !! God bless you guys in that part of the country.