Mini Boat Club

When Tim Knoepp pulls into Backwater Jack’s, people take notice. Some even get out of the pool to take photographs. It’s not Knoepp that turns heads — it’s what he’s driving.

The 10-foot 1970 GW Invader is no match for some of the larger boats on Lake of the Ozarks, but there is a large following of mini-boat owners on the Lake.

“Everyone keeps buying bigger and bigger boats. I thought I would go the other way,” he said. After seeing the Invader pop up on Facebook for sale, Knoepp decided to purchase it.

“I didn’t know what I was buying when I bought it. Turns out there is a huge cult following for GW Invaders,” he said. “People are always commenting that they had one back in the day, and there are Facebook groups dedicated to them.”

The boat was in rough shape and needed a full restoration. With a 60 horsepower outboard motor, Knoepp admits he’s a bit reluctant to find out its top speed.

“We’ve had it to about 35 MPH so far but there was a lot of throttle left,” he said. “Most people say their boat isn’t large enough for Lake of the Ozarks…. Most people don’t realize that the size of their boat doesn’t matter for fun. This is the most fun per foot you are going to have on the water. The part I love most is putting a smile on everyones face! It’s impossible to ride in this or see it out on the water without smiling.”

From their home in Backwater Jack’s no-wake cove they can easily take the boat around the neighborhood and visit the restaurants in the area.

“The best part is seeing the looks on everyone’s faces. There are million dollar boats pulling into Backwaters every day, but when you pull up in this you get all the attention,” he said. “People get out of the pool and take pictures. People that drive it say they feel like they are famous.”

Knoepp grew up on Table Rock Lake. He started coming to Lake of the Ozarks 10 years ago and purchased a home a few years later. Since he works remotely and his wife is a teacher, they can spend their entire summer enjoying the Lake and take the boat out on calmer weekdays and mornings.

Water conditions and holidays don’t prevent Tony Neal from going out on the Lake in his 13 foot Boston Whaler. A

Equipped with a five-gallon tank, Tim Knoepp’s 10-foot 1970 G.W. Invader sips gas making it an affordable option for boating.

“For me, this boat has completely changed how I boat on the Lake. People do say you need a 30’ boat to enjoy this Lake but equally important is the ability to navigate the conditions safely.”

Nick Kelly splits his time boating on the Mississippi River and Lake of the Ozarks in his 1987 13’ Funcat.

life-long boater, Neal and his family own several boats but fell in love with the 1963 Boston Whaler when he discovered it for sale. He upgraded the engine to a newer 50 horsepower motor and can reach top speeds of around 30 MPH. The foam hull design slows it down a bit but Whalers have the reputation of being unsinkable, and Neal has put it to the test.

“I’ve had the boat a few summers and have gone from the 19-mile marker to Ha Ha Tonka on Fourth of July with no issues,” he said.

Neal has even taken the boat to Florida and three miles out into the Gulf of Mexico. He calls it a “little beast” that can go from the Swinging Bridges in two feet of water or take on four-foot waves in the Main Channel.

“For me, this boat has completely changed how I boat on the Lake,” he said. “People do say you need a 30’ boat to enjoy this Lake but equally important is the ability to navigate the conditions safely.” A DIFFERENT BOATING EXPERIENCE

Nick Kelly, 37, has been coming to the Lake ever since his parents got their first boat when he was two-years old.

“I got my first boat when I was 26 and have been there multiple times a year, every year, ever since,” he said. Wanting a different type of boating experience, Kelly purchased a mini boat for $5,500. The boat came from Vero Beach, Fla. where there is a large selection of these boats on the market. It was a drastic change from the large performance boat they’d drive to all the poker runs. The 1987 13-foot Funcat has a Johnson SST60 engine that runs at a top speed of 50 miles per hour. It holds 12 gallons of fuel, and even though that’s a large tank for a mini boat, Kelly is considering upgrading it soon.

“You get the same adrenaline rush as going faster in a bigger boat with only 20 percent the maintenance/cost,” Kelly said. “Towing it, fueling it, working on it, cleaning it, storing it, parking it … literally everything is easier. You can pull it with anything, store it anywhere, and I can customize it however I want for pennies on the dollar what a big performance boat would cost. It’s so much easier, it actually makes me enjoy boating again instead of just dreading all the work that comes with it.”

BIGGER IS NOT NECESSARILY BETTER

Measuring at 10-feet one-inch long and four feet wide, even on the busiest days Todd Dunlap can find a parking spot that will fit his 2000 Mercury Water Mouse. It’s one of the many perks of owning a mini boat.

Dunlap has been coming to Lake of the Ozarks with family since the early 80s and spends most summer weekends like everyone else — on the water.

“I just love boats of all kinds and thought (a mini boat) would be fun,” he said. “We normally are down on the weekends so if it gets too rough, we do have other options but if I can take the Mouse out I will.”

Dunlap says it’s not much different from a jet ski and holds 2.5 gallons of gas. He paid under $1,000 for it and replaced the motor with a 25 horsepower motor that allows him to go up to 32 MPH.

Todd, and his wife Melisa also own a cruiser that docks at Mariners Pier 31 and a Velocity they trailer back and forth.

Mini boats can go just about anywhere, including the shallow waters near the Swinging Bridges. After purchasing a 2000 Mercury Water Mouse, Todd Dunlap customized it with a new motor and graphics installed by Pro Dezigns in Eldon.

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