Written By Juli Probasco-Sowers

This on-going series answers the question: Why do we love our boat?

Kevin Turnblad thought for a moment before listing features he liked about his open-bow Rinker 232 Captiva: the layout of the seating and the padded sun deck, the extended swim platform and the transom walkway, making it easy to step off the deck.

In an instant, the Urbandale, IA, man's face crinkled with a wide smile. He leaned forward, feigning a whisper, "It goes fast too."

Nancy Turnblad gave her husband a sideways glance, then laughed. "I like the configuration ... We can get lots of friends and family on the boat without feeling crowded," she said.

Family, friends and weekend fun surfaced as a common denominator among the 150 people, including 33 Rinker boat owners, attending the Customer Appreciation Rendezvous July 26 hosted by Steve and Penny Scott of Heartland Boats in Johnston, IA. A hot, humid wind was a minor blessing on the 90-plus degree day as it blew off Lake Rathbun, one of Iowa's largest lakes, located about an hour-and-a-half south of Des Moines, the state's capitol. The weather couldn't have been better for cruising, tubing, skiing and socializing while comparing boat notes.

Rinker owners were easy to spot in bright yellow T-shirts and multi-colored bead necklaces, both of which were handed out during morning registration. Many wore the T-shirts over swim suits as they examined new boat models on display, talked with fellow Rinker boat owners and even danced to music blasting over a loud speaker.

Later in the day, windblown and baked by the hot sun while they cruised on the lake, the owners came ashore and gathered for the late afternoon buffet at the Rathbun Marina and Lakeside Inn and Resort. A festive crescendo of voices rose from people enjoying a party and getting to know one another.

Owners consistently expressed appreciation of the Rinker Boat Company in Syracuse, IN, being family-owned, with the family still involved in the day-to-day operations. Two Rinker brothers started the business in 1945. Today, the company builds open bow and cabin cruisers from 19 to 39 feet long, and which range in price from about $15,000 to $175,000, said Steve Scott.

The Turnblads are among the 25% of Heartland's Rinker customers who are first-time boat owners.

"We looked at a lot of different boats about the same size, but they capped out at 10 people. Our boat holds 12 comfortably," said Nancy. "The kids like to bring along friends. We like to anchor in a cove where we swim, then have picnics on the boat."

Penny Scott said the majority of Heartland customers purchase the open-bow boats like the Captiva models. "Our customers tend to be educated people who do a lot of comparison and investigation before they purchase."

Monte and Sheryl Ball of West Des Moines, IA, were looking for a big trailerable boat when they purchased their 232 Captiva bowrider. "We can carry 12 safely, whether it's a bunch of kids or a few other couples," says Monte. "We like to entertain, waterski, or sometimes just float for a while in an isolated cove." With an upgraded 350 C.I.D. engine with Bravo III counter-rotating props, the boat also has no problems getting their 6-foot-5 inch, 230-pound son out of the hole and up on skis--even when it's loaded. "And that's a lot of drag," he says with a chuckle.

Monte says they bought the boat because of the many features that were included, "You get much more for your money with a Rinker." His favorite is a remote touch pad near the back of the boat that allows the Balls to control the stereo without having to leave the comfort of their floating water toys.

Some of the couple's first dates were on a boat, and Monte proposed to Sheryl aboard a boat on Lake Rathbun. Now the family selects between three local U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes for their adventures. Rathbun is for weekends, Sailorville Reservoir for short evening cruises, and Red Rock Reservoir for afternoon jaunts. Ball, an insurance consultant, says, "We try to get out every weekend. It's a 'bad' weekend if we don't."

Steve and Jill Struve of Newton, IA, were looking for a family-friendly boat when they settled on their 232 Captiva model with a ski tower last April. A selling point was a deeper V in the hull, allowing for a smoother ride over larger waves than most boats designed for skiing.

Kevin and Nancy had to give some thought to what they would change about their boat, purchased last March. "We needed a mooring cover to put over the entire boat. We had to get it from another manufacturer and it doesn't have the Rinker logo," said Kevin.

All owners questioned said they settled on Rinker because they were getting the most boat and equipment for the money, equipment ranging from anchor windlasses and compact disc players to extended swim platforms.

Al Carstensen of Spring Valley, IA, summed up the most often-heard phrase during the rendezvous. "It's the best value for the buck," he said.

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Article Source: Boat/US Magazine - - FindArticles.com