BOATS7 sails away to SA

A MUCH-loved old ute has found new a new life after it was given away by the owners of a Mildura boat retailer to a former AFL player turned car restorer.

The story of how the team at Sunraysia Marine came to hand over the keys for free to their 1991 Toyota HiLux rear-wheel-drive pick up, affectionately known as BOATS7, to former Port Adelaide and Gold Coast key forward Charlie Dixon has a bit of a run up.

BOATS7 had been the main tow vehicle for Sunraysia Marine for more than 40 years, clocking up more than 500,000 kilometres, and often found at the region’s boat ramps.

When Dixon, who’s a fan of the hardy old HiLux, posted a picture of himself and his dogs with a Toyota ute on his Drivin’ with Dixon social media pages with the message for others to share images of their pickups and pooches.

The team at Sunraysia Marine couldn’t resist getting in on the action and shared a pic of their pup Billi with BOATS7, and the connection was made.

Dixon and the team at Sunraysia Marine got to talking and sharing their love of the unbreakable HiLux, and with BOATS7 soon to be retired, they jumped at the chance to give the ute a second crack at it.

Fast forward to Tuesday last week and Dixon was in Mildura on Seventh Street to pick up BOATS7 and give the handsome gal a new life.

“Charlie is a big fan of the old HiLuxs and is going to clean the old girl up and use it as his personal run around to start with, and may even end up restoring her down the track,” said the Sunraysia Marine team on social media.