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Thread: Kiene's was one of the first Metal Head dealers in California.

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,836

    Default

    I had a custom 17' CC HD aluminum skiff with 10 degree bottom made up in Oregon with a new 4 stroke FI Yamaha 90/65 jet.

    Andy Guibord designed the interior with storage and long rod lockers. All accessories were top of the line.

    I realized after only two trips that I was too old for a jet boat.

    It was fairly heavy so it was slightly underpowered, but fine for Valley rivers.

    For $2,000 I could have put a prop on it for the Delta and Bays and would have kept it.........dumb.


    I had receipts for $35,000 and sold it to a wonderful customer for $15,000 with 8 hours on the motor.........WTF?


    "Buy high and sell low?".........one of my biggest blunders.

    Buying a new boat is expensive but having one custom built is worse. Slight used boats is the way to go.


    Click image for larger version. 

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    Looking at this picture makes me sad.......
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Fair Oaks
    Posts
    665

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    It was evident what your were doing with the design--essentially creating an aluminum hull with similar lines to a cathedral style glass hull that would be OK in stillwater and on rivers too. I have crawled all over it and thought it was a good idea, and the workmanship was great. Bill, you've never played it safe. You invested everything you had to create a fine store. You've bought some real estate. Losing a couple of bucks trying to be a pioneer is to be expected. You're a smart guy and I know you have moved on to the next boat!

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Elk Grove
    Posts
    4

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    So, to fill in the missing chapter on that 12' Metalhead sled...

    After buying it from John, I promptly put a Mercury 25 Jet on it. It was a great little boat and I ran it up and down the local rivers for several years. With one person, it would go 25 mph through 3" of water all day long, on 3 gallons of gas. But add a second person, and you'd need a long run-up to get on plane. After a while, my interests/hobbies changed, and one day I realized that I had not even put the registration stickers on, for two years. That boat deserved to be used, so I put her up on Bill's "for-sale" page and she sold in 1/2 hour!

    As a new member of the Semi-Retired club, I'm back fishing the local lakes and Delta,from a 17' Alumacraft center console.

    Back to the Metalhead. I swear, EVERY TIME I took that boat out on the water, someone asked if I wanted to sell it. (One time, by a DFG warden!)

    Bruce, I hope you're still enjoying the coolest little boat ever made!

    George B
    Last edited by Steelie18; 08-14-2021 at 04:43 PM.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,836

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Steelie18 View Post
    So, to fill in the missing chapter on that 12' Metalhead sled...

    After buying it from John, I promptly put a Mercury 25 Jet on it. It was a great little boat and I ran it up and down the local rivers for several years. With one person, it would go 25 mph through 3" of water all day long, on 3 gallons of gas. But add a second person, and you'd need a long run-up to get on plane. After a while, my interests/hobbies changed, and one day I realized that I had not even put the registration stickers on, for two years. That boat deserved to be used, so I put her up on Bill's "for-sale" page and she sold in 1/2 hour!

    As a new member of the Semi-Retired club, I'm back fishing the local lakes and Delta,from a 17' Alumacraft center console.

    Back to the Metalhead. I swear, EVERY TIME I took that boat out on the water, someone asked if I wanted to sell it. (One time, by a DFG warden!)

    Bruce, I hope you're still enjoying the coolest little boat ever made!

    George B
    Hi George......I remember when you and some of your friends were all going to Sac State and coming into my shop.

    Now you are retired.....so good.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

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