I bought my '76 Santa Cruz 2866 ten years ago as my entry into the "bigger" boat world. I have to say I bought it for the classic lines, and the monster deck. I have since found that surrounding that deck (and underneath it) is a world of fun and enjoyment. The boat is solid. The wood accents give it some class (and cause me some work), but as a retired guy, it's worth it to have something to work on. I have only driven it from the lower station once (a heavy rain on Lake Ontario). The single engine inboard system causes it to drive like a wheelbarrow, but as I don't tow any water skiers, it's slower pace causes much enjoyment. It is a pleasure to live on for short periods, and I'm glad I went this route instead of the houseboat I was originally looking at.

Looking through the topics in this forum, I see that a lot of you have had similar problems to the few that I have had, and realize I might have fixed some of them faster had I looked through these threads a little earlier.

I look forward to sharing information with you.