First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Well it was overcast and only about 45°, but we had to go for a test ride in Tom's new rig.
27' military spec Boston Whaler with twin 225HP 4 strokes.

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006 LUCKY!!!
 

Congradulations Pat!!! lucky!! There is still very little ice here. WIll be almost 60 all week!! :evilb:

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

A few more shots from our ride.
Can you guess what kind of birds?

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Another shot of our nations symbol.
We ran into a couple of beavers too... :D

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Pat, looks real nice !!!!! Lucky you !!!!! :D

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Gary, we are vary fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world. :cool:

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Pat, you are so right....................But the cold has to go !!!!!

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Well, we had our first run this weekend too! OUR FIRST POKER RUN that is! And yes, we too had some nature sightings....

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

A few of the other boats...

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Pat, sound a little chilly!

Krak, Way to kick off the season.

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Starting to get jealous.... Glad the season is starting for you guys and may it be long and fun filled one!!!

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Thanks guys, but there was some bad news - check out the thread on Sunsation area about boat accident. Details still coming in......

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

73 in the sun!!!!!!

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Thanks Keith for gettin us all in the mood!!!

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Hi,
I stopped down at Castle marina today to check on my boat and to sign up for summer storage & ramp use. :cool:
The fiberglass repairs to my boat are about 1/2 done and should be completed by middle of the week. :cool:
The CT river is low and I could not see any floating debris. The boating season seems to have come early this spring. :D
Any one want to come test props? Gary H. maybe? :evilb:
My boat won't be ready for a few more weeks but I'm hoping for a test ride on the Sea Tow cat tomorrow afternoon... :drink:

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

I spent the day getting my boat ready to splash.....All ready to go...

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Ga, are you in this weekend ???? :D

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

If I would have read Pats post on Sat night to come on down and test props, I would have went and done it...It was the perfect Sunday to get away. I was home alone with the wife away with my son visiting relatives. Instead I fertilized the lawn...Took the snow thrower off the John Deere and put on the mower deck...Put out the rest of the pattio furniture...And met with the contractor to widen my driveway and make a dedicated parking spot for the Y2K. No more parking it on the lawn for me!!! :evilb: The wall behind the Fatboy is going back 10' cause I'm getting tired of negotiating around the boat...

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Is that an invite?

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Just got the call, Superbabi is at Typhoon !!!!! We will be down the foliowing week ( vacation ) House shoping by boat !!! ha ha lol !!! call me, always a invite for you !!!!! :D

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Hey OH-Zone,
This was the post....
We (Tommy Seatow and I) were out there from about 1:30 to 4:30pm.
The water was great! We ran over to Clinton Harbor for an in water boat show and then dragged a boat back from Hatchet's Reef to the I-95 ramp.
Man those non-member tows are expensive... :drink:

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Pat, your so right about non member tows $$$$$$ I used my tow card 3 times last year ( cost 125 per year unlimited ) a single tow would be at least 250 :eek:

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Non-member tows are no joke. I had to be towed the last run of the season. It cost me $275 .I learned my leason the hard way, never again. :(

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

why did you have to be towed? :evilb: :D

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

#1 some one forgot to top the tank in Long Island ( JC ). #2 oil supply hose fitting let go. #3 broken impeller on the water.............Thats boating. :(

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

I have purchased a Seatow membership every year since 1994. It is about the cheapest insurance one could ever buy. To be towed in buy a commercial tow boat will cost anywhere from $150 to $300 per hour and it's only going to get more expensive as gas prices go up.
Fortunately I have only had to call Seatow 2 times in all of the years I've been a member. Not to say that I have not been towed in many more times than that... :rolleyes:

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Pat, I have the other company ( Boat US ). As long as I am on the boat ( Any boat ) the tow is free. Is yours the same ????

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

:rolleyes: :D :D :D :(

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

I am also a Boat US member but the towing coverage from them is only $500 per season, and at $200 per hour from the time you call, it does not go that far.
Seatow does offer what they call a Skipper card for $149; $20 more than the normal $129 membership. With the Skipper card you are covered on other boats as well as your own.
Seatow and Boat US are totally different systems. Boat US is a national company that contracts commercial captains. Seatow is franchised to individual owners.
Believe me, 9 out of 10 times, you will get better and faster service from Seatow. A Boat US captain could care less how long it takes to get you back to your dock; he get's paid by the hour no matter what. The Seatow captain wants to get you home quickly so he can go get the next guy.

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Pat we must have something different, my policy does read UNLIMITED for the year, also as I said the policy is wrote to me, not the boat, 129 per year.

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Boat US unlimited?
That is something new...

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

They have had the unlimited plan for as long as I can remember.

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

I splashed "For Now" yesterday... :D
We tested my newly tweaked prop from BBlades and I must say Brett hit the mark first time. The engine RPM is up 100-150, and the boat runs free with a lot less trim.
I held the throttle open for 1 good long speed run. With the mufflers reinstalled, 2 people, 1/2 tank, just a ripple in the water; 84mph on the speedo 76.6 GPS @ 4900+ a little. :D
One glitch than still remains from last year is a squeaking power steering pump. I guess I need to stop by Napa tomorrow... :rolleyes:
All-in-all, a great first ride in in my little 24' Super... :drink:

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Keep us posted Pat, keep us posted, not to far from 80 !!!!!!

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Hey Gary,
I do have one more little mod to make on the engine that may net another 15-20HP, but I have lots of little things to do/fix before getting to that... :cool:
The work BBlades did to my prop is right on the mark so I don't think there is much more to be gained there, but I'm going to try a 5 blade at some point.
Is 80mph in the cards?
Probably not but you never know... :D

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Pat it's time to.................WHIPPLE !!!!!!

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Naaa... I don't need a Supercharger to run 80+... :p
I do have in my stockpile just about everything to convert my 415HP/502Mag to a HP500EFI; cam, intake, throttle-body, injectors, larger valves, roller rockers, and... :D
The engine ran so sweet last year, I just didn't want to mess with it... :drink:

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Pat, Great numbers. Sounds like you got the boat set up just right.

What is the "little mod" that will gain you 15-20 hp???

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Pat sounds great!!!
Interesting how off that speedo is.

I guess those volvo's you can get are a great deal!

Re: First Boat Ride of 2006
 

Brought my boat home from the marina yesterday; but we had to run her again before trailering... :D

1997 24' Superboat, 2 people, 1/2 tank of fuel
502MagMPI, 1.5 Bravo 1 drive, modified 28p Bravo 1 prop from BBlades

Test Conditions:
CT River
6pm, 5/1/06
Temp. 55°F
Wind 10-15mph with gusts to 25
Seas 1' chop

Max speed 77.1mph running south, 75.8mph running north, 4900rpm
:cool: