KC_Sundancer
Active Member
- Sep 8, 2009
- 1,341
- Boat Info
- 1985 270DA Sundancer,Simrad 4G Radar,Lowrance Gen2 GPS/Sonar/Structure Scan,F350 7.3l Diesel, tri-ax
- Engines
- twin Mercruiser 185R's (v6's) w/SE106 drives, "High Five" stainless props, Mercury 280 RIB w/9.9 Mer
This thread is dedicated to the Late “Barnacle Bill” and other dedicated Sea Ray owners who have since cruised on.
Please join in and continue this by sharing your memories of those who have passed.
“Barnacle Bill” July 4, 1940 / February 4, 2009
William J. Churill
As a hard worker with a passion for boating, Sea Ray’s and the Great Lakes, he spent much of his life on or around the water.
He really enjoyed the older days of navigation using a kitchen timer and speedometer to calculate where you were to make a course change. This was back in the 70’s before Loran became popular and GPS even existed. Weeks would be spent planning trips as Cruise Master to lead Members of the K & M Drifters through Georgian Bay and around Lake Huron. He would even use extremely detailed, hand drawn charts he got from the local Indian Tribes (which we still have) to get into some of the most out of the way areas.
Old time navigation
Georgian Bay - Colins Inlet
In the earlier years it was clear that he was proud to buy his first new Sea Ray. This was an 18 foot with a Mercury Outboard built when the company just started in Oxford, Michigan. Many trips were made trailering up to the Les Chenaux Islands near Cedarville in Michigans Upper Peninsula. Friends and family would cruise out to Government Island and camp for weeks. With the smaller boats it would sometimes take multiple trips to get everything, and everyone out there - Great Times.
His next step was purchasing a new 19 foot Cuddy with an I/O. The K & M Drifters boat club was put together and trips were planned. I remember one trip down the Tennessee River with 7 or 8 boats. Everyone trailered down from the Detroit area for a week traveling the river. At the time 22 foot was the largest boat Sea Ray made and one came along. I remember him talking about fuel stops, or lack of being an issue. At one point along the way they were able to make arangements to have a fuel truck meet them along the river bank to fuel everyone up.
Later the 24 Cuddy was released and he stepped up again. This is when the Lake Huron / Georgian Bay trips were planned with the K & M Drifters. An annual trip across Lake Erie to Cedar Point happened every Memorial Day weekend. A move to his waterfront home on Northern Lake St Clair was also done about that time. Things could not be better with boating right out the back door.
Once again he stepped up to the new 26 Sundancer with twin 470’s. As kids we liked this one the best because we had our own room. With this boat most of his time was spent out the back door on Lake St. Clair, the ST. Clair Flats and Detroit Rivers, along with our Annual Cedar Point Trip. He also took the occasional trip to Lexington, MI and Bayfield, Ontario, both on Lake Huron.
Life changes had him sell the 26 Sundancer and step back to his favorite, a 24 Weekender with twin 250 straight sixes. One trip was taken back to Georgian Bay and around Lake Huron with this boat. This was his favorite and most practical for the boating he liked to do around Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair Flats. Fortunately we are able to pass the 24 Weekender over to JC_Weekender to carry on the boating with more of his Grandchildren.
He was a dedicated Sea Ray owner from their beginning and took great care and pride in all of his boats. With his passing and love of the Great Lakes, he has since been sent through them starting in Lake Superior.
We (JC_Weekender and KC_Sundancer) know we are very fortunate to have grown up with such experiences. The same passion and similar experiences with boating are being shared with our children as we know they are something you will always remember.
He will always be missed and thought of in our travels on the waters!
Please join in and continue this by sharing your memories of those who have passed.
“Barnacle Bill” July 4, 1940 / February 4, 2009
William J. Churill
As a hard worker with a passion for boating, Sea Ray’s and the Great Lakes, he spent much of his life on or around the water.
He really enjoyed the older days of navigation using a kitchen timer and speedometer to calculate where you were to make a course change. This was back in the 70’s before Loran became popular and GPS even existed. Weeks would be spent planning trips as Cruise Master to lead Members of the K & M Drifters through Georgian Bay and around Lake Huron. He would even use extremely detailed, hand drawn charts he got from the local Indian Tribes (which we still have) to get into some of the most out of the way areas.
Old time navigation
Georgian Bay - Colins Inlet
In the earlier years it was clear that he was proud to buy his first new Sea Ray. This was an 18 foot with a Mercury Outboard built when the company just started in Oxford, Michigan. Many trips were made trailering up to the Les Chenaux Islands near Cedarville in Michigans Upper Peninsula. Friends and family would cruise out to Government Island and camp for weeks. With the smaller boats it would sometimes take multiple trips to get everything, and everyone out there - Great Times.
His next step was purchasing a new 19 foot Cuddy with an I/O. The K & M Drifters boat club was put together and trips were planned. I remember one trip down the Tennessee River with 7 or 8 boats. Everyone trailered down from the Detroit area for a week traveling the river. At the time 22 foot was the largest boat Sea Ray made and one came along. I remember him talking about fuel stops, or lack of being an issue. At one point along the way they were able to make arangements to have a fuel truck meet them along the river bank to fuel everyone up.
Later the 24 Cuddy was released and he stepped up again. This is when the Lake Huron / Georgian Bay trips were planned with the K & M Drifters. An annual trip across Lake Erie to Cedar Point happened every Memorial Day weekend. A move to his waterfront home on Northern Lake St Clair was also done about that time. Things could not be better with boating right out the back door.
Once again he stepped up to the new 26 Sundancer with twin 470’s. As kids we liked this one the best because we had our own room. With this boat most of his time was spent out the back door on Lake St. Clair, the ST. Clair Flats and Detroit Rivers, along with our Annual Cedar Point Trip. He also took the occasional trip to Lexington, MI and Bayfield, Ontario, both on Lake Huron.
Life changes had him sell the 26 Sundancer and step back to his favorite, a 24 Weekender with twin 250 straight sixes. One trip was taken back to Georgian Bay and around Lake Huron with this boat. This was his favorite and most practical for the boating he liked to do around Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair Flats. Fortunately we are able to pass the 24 Weekender over to JC_Weekender to carry on the boating with more of his Grandchildren.
He was a dedicated Sea Ray owner from their beginning and took great care and pride in all of his boats. With his passing and love of the Great Lakes, he has since been sent through them starting in Lake Superior.
We (JC_Weekender and KC_Sundancer) know we are very fortunate to have grown up with such experiences. The same passion and similar experiences with boating are being shared with our children as we know they are something you will always remember.
He will always be missed and thought of in our travels on the waters!
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