The Challenger

[JJONES660]

Hey guys,

Ive fished out of H&M since i literally was still in diapers and the main boat my dad and I always went on was the Challenger. Bob Miller (very close family friend) ran it and is actually the grandson of the Miller that started H&M. My dad got bob out of the fishing industry to work with him back i the 80s and since then I have no clue what ever happened to the Challenger. So my question is if any of you guys that have been around the docks the last 30 years know what ever happened to that boat?

Any info would satisfy much curiosity. Bob thought it went north but really has no idea where its at now either

[wakeupnride]

I believe it ran out of 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro for a while and was called the Legacy. It was Gary Norby's boat. Last I heard it was in trouble with the Coast Guard and stuck in a dry dock somewhere. I think it has been 4 or 5 years since it fished as a party boat and is for sale very cheap but would require re-certification from Coast Guard.

[JJONES660]

Originally Posted by wakeupnride

I believe it ran out of 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro for a while and was called the Legacy. It was Gary Norby's boat. Last I heard it was in trouble with the Coast Guard and stuck in a dry dock somewhere. I think it has been 4 or 5 years since it fished as a party boat and is for sale very cheap but would require re-certification from Coast Guard.

interesting...thanks for the info

[baitkiller]

Wasn,t Norby's boat the Outer Limits? Love that boat, the sound of Norby tossing sealbombs at SCI( way back when it was legal ?).

[lowell]

I did a lot of 1-3 day trips on that boat in the early 80's. Many hours anchored up at Pukey Pt (Coronados) and some really great albacore trips. Bob Miller ran the boat and Rick Podolak was the 2nd ticket.

[JJONES660]

Originally Posted by lowell

I did a lot of 1-3 day trips on that boat in the early 80's. Many hours anchored up at Pukey Pt (Coronados) and some really great albacore trips. Bob Miller ran the boat and Rick Podolak was the 2nd ticket.

I WONDER if you ever knew my father? His name was Kevin Jones. wore cokebottle glasses and usually was the guy outfishing everyone else lol

Bobs a great guy...very close family friend and left the challenger to work for my dad...My father passed away in 89' so only the guys that fished back in the day new him around the docks...every now and then i ran into guys that new him when i worked the boats 10 years later

[lowell]

Don't recall your Dad, but so many guys outfish me, they seem like just another 'chovy in the tank. Didn't Bob go to work as a credit manager for an auto dealer? Was that your Dad's business? Is it now Toyota of Orange where you can't Get A Lemon?

[JJONES660]

Originally Posted by lowell

Don't recall your Dad, but so many guys outfish me, they seem like just another 'chovy in the tank. Didn't Bob go to work as a credit manager for an auto dealer? Was that your Dad's business? Is it now Toyota of Orange where you can't Get A Lemon?

Yes my dad was the finance director of toyota of Orange and he got Bob in and trained him from scratch without even selling a car ...My dad also brought in a guy named Tom Winterling who used to sell boats. My dad became GM but then had to step down do to cancer and he feuded pretty well with David Wilson ... Bob now is part owner with wilson of Toyota of Huntington beach and Tom co owns Ford of Orange and Toyota of Riverside. My dad was looking to aquire his own dealership before he passed but Mom thought it would be a bad idear of some sorts. my dad is probably to blame for the Challenger leaving H&M haha. He was a member of the reel sports if that rings a bell also John Waters was great family friends as well. I know he was known around the docks pretty well

[LOWSCALE]

I worked the summer of 85 with Steve Lassley on a 50' Pacifica / Loan Shark
out of H&M. I belive that was your dads rig.

[JJONES660]

Originally Posted by LOWSCALE

I worked the summer of 85 with Steve Lassley on a 50' Pacifica / Loan Shark
out of H&M. I belive that was your dads rig.

WOW...yeah that was our boat! That thing was sick i miss it everyday. After my dad died my mom managed to hang on to it for like 3 years for us kids but it just costs to fricking much to keep in slip and keep maintained.

I think lassley crashed it into a pilon

[LOWSCALE]

Wow the memories are flowing back what a great time that was.
We ran that boat hard on overnight trips but I don't remember hitting anything.
Something like 25 day's in a row in September, we had to refuel every night and
the boat had a small bait tank so we would fish Albies in the morning and the inner
banks for Bigeye in the afternoon, caught one or two most days and many were near
or over 100# ( gorillas) including one your father got on 30# to place in a tournament ( I can't recall which one)

[JJONES660]

Originally Posted by LOWSCALE

Wow the memories are flowing back what a great time that was.
We ran that boat hard on overnight trips but I don't remember hitting anything.
Something like 25 day's in a row in September, we had to refuel every night and
the boat had a small bait tank so we would fish Albies in the morning and the inner
banks for Bigeye in the afternoon, caught one or two most days and many were near
or over 100# ( gorillas) including one your father got on 30# to place in a tournament ( I can't recall which one)

yeah I have that picture at home...it was like 103lbs or 108 if i remember...Bigeye was his favorite tuna to catch and it became my fabled creature as a kid wanting to catch on some day so so badly...well I got my shot on the spirit of adventure on my last 10 day i worked and got the one iin my avatar...131lbs on a live sardine senator 6/0 with 60lb test...

I remember seeing a video once of one of the charters with cow albies and one of the biggest bigeye bites ive ever seen of you guys on the lone shark. people tossing over lines getting bit and just worked . that custom set of boat rods from the lone shark are still in my possession...priceless to me...