Having been busy/out-of-town the past few weeks (a trip to the Galapagos islands), this week was finally the chance to take the new boat out. I picked a nearby (50 miles away) small reservoir knowing that this was a test run with possible complications. The boat performed well; however, there are still adjustments to be made. In a few spots at the transom, the red bottom paint came off. I don't expect it to be difficult to repair; probably just a light sanding and thorough cleaning to improve adhesion. The engine RPM topped out at 4200 which is below the recommended range of 4500-5500. I was using a 17" pitch propeller and will need to switch to a 15" or 13", both of which I have on hand. The indicated speed was 35+ mph due to the speedometer only reading to 35 mph. I need to decide if I should replace the speedometer. We had three people and 8 gallons of gas on board with the bimini top up. The boat accelerates quickly with very moderate bow rise and vision is good from the driver's seat.
I want to view and photograph the boat at speed, but we will need a second boat for that. On this lake the shore areas are "No Wake Zones". The reason for the "What a day!" label for this entry is because when we arrived home from the lake, and I was putting away the boat, I developed some stomach discomfort which quickly worsened into acute appendicitis. We went to the emergency room, and within a few hours my appendix was removed. Now no strenuous exercise for the next six weeks.
I want to view and photograph the boat at speed, but we will need a second boat for that. On this lake the shore areas are "No Wake Zones". The reason for the "What a day!" label for this entry is because when we arrived home from the lake, and I was putting away the boat, I developed some stomach discomfort which quickly worsened into acute appendicitis. We went to the emergency room, and within a few hours my appendix was removed. Now no strenuous exercise for the next six weeks.
