First Run !!!!!!
 

Well I finally splashed the "New" boat. I went to the marina this morning and launched about 10:30. After $200.00 in 93 octaine fuel @ $1.81 / Gal the engines started right up. I was pertty nervous but all went well. Getting up on plane is significantly different than on my 23'. I start rolling a little off idle push it up to 3000 and let her finally roll over into a plane. It takes a little time maybe 10 seconds or longer. I expected it to be quicker. I played with her a little bit drove from Algonac up to Port Huron and out into Lake Huron. About a 1 Hour trip. After that I headed back to Lake St Clair. The river and lakes were like glass. I did finally push her up to speed. So far I only hit 77 Mph. I only did this a couple of times I dont think I had her trimmed out enough. I was a just a little past level with the drives. Every time I would hit 70 My wife would start giving me the evil eye. I am still very green with this size of a boat so I need more time on it. I will tell you this the midrange is awesome It goes from 40 to 70 real quick. I cruse at about 45 Mph and real comfortable.

Only a few problems.

The starboard engine belched something in the bilge with a little oil. Not real sure what it is but I will find out more tomorrow. It looks like some sort of sealant. The dipstick was out about 1" . I am not sure if it was left this way or it got pushed out.

The water temp guage on the port engine is bad or the sender and or wire is bad - no reading.

Here are some pictures

GPS Speedo doesn't read speed. I thought it was working but no, I will have to check the digital output of the garmin unit.

Getting wet!
 

Sassy Marina lift truck

Next

Butterflies

Blue water bridge connecting Sarnia and Port Huron

Oil Crap

Ray, nice mug shot ;)....

Glad the boat ran good, now just work out the bugs, put some hours on those motors and drives and you are ready to have some fun. :)

Are your new motors required to run on premium?



Jeff

HP - If you liked that mug shot I will take more pictures tomorrow:p

Yes I have to run it on 92+ for the whipples.

Ray, glad you finally made it out. Hopefully I will see you this summer at Sassy. We are going down tomorrow to look at a 38 PQ with 500 EFI's. Should have the boat by this time next week if everything is ok. Would like to go cruising around with you and your wife. Maybe we can get 38Dave to join us. Shouldn't be a problem since he lives on the water.

Have fun this weekend...going to be beautiful weather.

Mike

I bet you would gain a few mph if you didnt have that windshield.:p Just kidding hope all else goes well!

Ray,
Congrats glad to see you made it! :D Hope everthing goes well for the rest of the season.

Ray's Wife,
I sometimes wonder why we have electronic Rev limiters on the boat. The wifes work just as well SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!:D :p That came from a good friend of mine a couple years ago he had me doubled over laughing when I asked him why he backed off he pointed at his wife and said in his best blond voice "my built in limiter kept screeming at me to slow down"

One thing you can't argue about the 380 is that it has a nice high freeboard with a great tucked in tight and safe feel to it. Pretty soon she will be like mine "faster honey faster can't we keep going?" Have a great weekend Scott

Congrats, Ray - been a long time coming! 77 huh, nothing like a grandmotherly-type break-in:D Is that with 32P's?

ps. I have started a write-in campaign to merc to award you full technician certification status, you earned it.

2nd Outing
 

I back from the water and with a little more experience. I had the family aboard so speeds were down (70+-) I did learn if on take off if I bring it up to 3500 Rpm she jumps up sigificantly better than at 3000. It seemed it was slipping at 3000 but I just give it a little more and it gets going fine. A little gun shy I guess. I did take it out into Lake St Clair and used my GPS to get me back. All went well. I will be fixing a few problems during the next week and changing props too. I will be out next wekend too!. My wife is allready planning trips all over. I keep telling her to let me take it one step at a time. But I think I am will be going to Put-N-Bay in a couple weeks (During the week days).

96Vyper I hope to be calling you "2002 Avenger" soon. I would really like someone to run with with a similar boat. Especially right out of Sassy's.

Kentz - I thought 77 was respectable for my first 1 hr of operation! :D

One more picture of the 380 next to our friend's 52' Hatteras (the top out at 18 MPH (52,000 Lbs though)

Nice looking boat Ray! Good luck with it! You'll be a real pro by the end of the season! And I know that look that the wife gives, I get the same thing.:D

video
 

I have a 15 sec video (no sound) of me running you may have to right click and save to your hard disc to get it to work. It is abou 4.5 Mb

http://www.raymondbaldwin.com/1strun.mov

Ray---

Very nice looking 38. Which engines do you have? Assuming this is a new boat--how has the factory been to work with?

Thanks---TD:)

TDS69,

No not a new boat, it is a 1998 but I did just re-power it with 502MPI's and whipple chargers. I also upgraded the drives to IMCO Extreme SC's. This has been almost a two year project boat since I bought it. The previous owner had it all jacked up. But I have worked with the factory a few times on minor things like parts and a full moring cover. For me the factory has been good for others lately it seems they have been a little tough.

Ray--

Very nice completed project. Wow---I am looking for the same scenario. I have a completed new 540 and if I could find a 34 or a 38 with bad/no engines at a good price then I would just build another 540. I've been looking at the Sonic 31SS (like the cabin layout) but it seems they have poor factory support from what I've read on OSO. If you have pictures of your cabin I would like to see. I have some questions for you offline. My email is [email protected]

Thanks---TD

Ray, Congratulations, Man!!!!
 

Good to hear you made it... Hope you have a trouble free summer, after last years debacle. I'm joining the broke down group, however, toasted my forward gear (busted right at the gear floor)on my port drive last weekend at the Poker Run in Grand Haven, there's two grand out the window:eek: ! You're gonna have me thinkin' about Imco's if these Bravo I's start giving me problems, I always though I ran 'em pretty conservatively, but after all it was a poker run!

Good Luck,
Paul

Nice boat,

Just took my 2002 38 to Mackinac island and then to beaver island from new baltimore. aweek of cruising. no problems.
765 miles on my gps trip meter.

I keep my boat at home and boat in your area.

I like to cruise, and will be doing another pib trip this year. It is a fun ride with a couple of offshores.

dave

tds69 here are a couple of picts

V Berth

Boathead: The IMCO's are holding up so far but only about 5 hours on them. Too bad about yours what a bummer. That is exactly what I was trying to avoid this spring. Thats why I got the IMCO's

38Dave: I will look for you It would be nice to see a new 38 PQ up close. Manacinac Island??? Wow hope my wife dosent see this post I have been trying to hold her off on that trip. What is that about $1,500 in gas? WOW!!!

Ray--

Thanks for the pics-great looking cabin. Do the opposing couches make into a bed? Do they pull out or is there an insert that goes between them?

Thanks---TD:D

TDS69; See the thing on the floor? It holds a dinet table this is also used at a lower setting to support a filler cushion but it only fills about 1/2 of the bench.

Ray---

I have more questions. I would like to discuss offline. My email address is [email protected]

Thanks---TD