Many nights and memories past — long before Marie came into his life — Gordon explored and camped alone. He’d venture out on a tiny fishing boat and watch stars twinkle into existence against a blackening sky. That vessel from his youth was nothing like the one on which he found himself now.
1. “Son, I’m betting we could steer our boat right up into if we wanted, …”
Is this missing the word “it”? …steer our boat right up into it if we wanted, …
2. Maybe he could have got that running agaIn…
“…could have gotten…” sounds better to me.