My Favorite Ride: Meet Idlene, a 'janky' 50-year-old pontoon boat
Eleven years ago, two Bloomington couples pooled their money to buy a 1973 pontoon boat, motor and trailer for sale on Craigslist for $1,250.
"I'd been looking for a pontoon boat for a while and happened to see this ad while we were having a beer with our great friends Angela and Herb Caldwell," said Beth Hamlin, who I know from the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office.
They were at Bloomington's Bishop bar, where, she said, "all good things happen."
No one had to be convinced. "Angi said, 'Herb's always wanted a pontoon boat,' so we all went in on it together," she said. Her husband, Jon Barnitt, had a Toyota truck to haul the vessel. They were set.
The hand-welded steel boat, powered by a 70-horsepower motor, was nothing fancy. They christened the pontoon "Idlene" and figured she might last a few years, providing getaways on Lake Monroe on hot summer weekends.
"We have a lot of fun together, the four of us. But I'm not sure any of the traveling we've done tops a nice day out on Lake Monroe," Hamlin said.
Going out in the boat became more than an occasional venture. "We aim to get out every Sunday, when all the out-of-town boats are pulling off the water," Hamlin said.
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They have become less adventurous as the boat ages. "We used to go out on the big part of the lake, but after some dicey moments − she's a delicate girl, and we're trying not to splinter her − we now are almost exclusively 'slow side' boaters."
This pontoon gets recognized, Barnitt said. Not just because of the dozens of bumper stickers that adorn the sides, but also because it's dwarfed by newer and bigger boats with giant pontoons.
He described the much-loved Idlene as "janky." I had to look the word up; it means "of extremely poor or unreliable quality."
But they have been stranded on the lake just one time. Hamlin recalled they used cooler lids, plastic plates, a broom, "and anything else we could lay our hands on" to get back to shore. "We laughed the whole way," she said.
Things do go awry, but not often. "Another time, Idlene sort of slid off the trailer while Jon and Herb were putting her in the water," she said. Oops.
"We always say there's no way either couple could own a boat on their own, as these emergencies are the stuff that can ruin a marriage," Hamlin ackowledged. "But since we all four have to work together when a problem arises, we tend to be on our better behavior. The marriages remain intact."
More than a decade after the purchase, they spend a lot of time relaxing on the boat. Idlene goes in the water for the first time in early spring and usually takes her last cruise in November.
Barnitt proved it by sending me photos of a November launch from Cutright Boat Ramp and the four of them wearing winter coats and hats − no gloves − as the boat cruised along that day.
At the helm, Capt. Herb is wearing a down jacket. The sky is blue and the water, well, it looks pretty darn cold. Their boat is the only one in sight.
"We thought we'd get a few years out of her, and she has exceeded all our expectations," Hamlin said.
A few weekends ago, Idlene weathered an incoming storm and got to shore just as hail pellets started to bounce off her deck. She survived just fine, and has another four months of Sundays on the lake before going into winter storage.
Speaking of boats, this is not Herb Caldwell's first My Favorite Ride appearance. His classic Cadillac convertible, a whole different kind of boat, caught my eye as I was driving in Bloomington on Second Street in the summer of 2020.
I followed him and his copper-colored 1974 Eldorado until they stopped at a red light.
"My reporter’s notebook nowhere in sight, I tore a piece of paper off the daily police log lying on the passenger seat, grabbed a pen, exited my vehicle and ran up to the driver’s side. 'I’m Laura Lane, I write a car column for the newspaper and your car is great. Can I call you about it?' He recited his cell number, said his name was Herb Caldwell, the light turned green and he drove away."
Herb Caldwell's other boat: My Favorite Ride: Follow that orange Cadillac
I wrote a column. He still owns that beautiful car, called "Peaches." She is being repainted this summer, I've been told.
Have a story to tell about a car or truck or boat? Contact My Favorite Ride reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Idlene, 50-year-old pontoon boat, still cruising Lake Monroe
