Where Boats Go to Die

by Scott Wiley)

So here we are, Scott and Charlie, in route to Little Rock for the College Bass National Championship and a quick stop in Murphreesboro, Tennessee was on the agenda to pick up a loaner boat from our gracious sponsor Stratos Boats. As we arrive at the warehouse where all the beautiful boats are born, it dawns on us that these boats have a lifespan much like our own.

Driving through the parking lot in search a our electric yellow 2004 Stratos equipped with a 225 Evinrude to hook up to, we stumbled onto a boat yard that had some recognizable statues that we simply couldn’t pass up a quick photo opportunity. First, Elite Pro Jason Quinn’s boat was in storage between tournaments and soaking up some rays in the Tennessee heat. Disrespect if you ask me. Ever heard of a boat cover? Talk about protecting investments. Anyways, not a few spaces down, we noticed an empty hull of Skeet Reese’s boats followed by another of Quinn’s. This is when we call to question, where do boats go when their lifespan is over?

This place was a litter yard of boat parts and half hulls and anything you could imagine. This is where nice boats die, the quality boats that once had Elites standing on the decks making thousands of dollars. I could have built a $40,000 boat out of spare parts from a combination of nice boats here. Boats like my ’85 Ranger won’t ever see a death bed this nice. It’s depressing to talk about, but who knows what happens to the millions of boats that don’t run anymore. They must get sent to the garbage in bits and pieces.

As we hooked up and proceeded to leave with the boat we will be fishing from tomorrow, it was interesting to look into the rearview and see a boat fresh from the assembly line ready for a long life and one right next to it taking its last sip of gasoline and being picked apart for it organs.

Ok, I need to go, the co-pilot’s duties in the car are calling…