The trip I've been waiting for!

Subliminal

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
555
Well, I finally made it out on the boat again...4th trip of the year...and the first trip where both air and water were warm.

Two buddies made it to my house yesterday at 8:00AM and we headed for the Delaware River.

Got there by 9 after gassing up and getting snacks and hit the water...nobody was at the ramp yet, and the tide was all the way in...easy launch.

We headed down the river and got to our normal ski spot and it was dead calm, sunny, and there was one other boat making the rounds (the water always gets calm around this one area). We jumped in and the water had to be close to 80. It was beautiful.

It was also the first time my boat has pulled anything, and I've got to say I think my 4.3 is out of adjustment. It hesitates when you hit the throttle and seems to have more issue pulling up a skier (with only two other people on the boat) than I feel it should. Motor has 8.6 hrs on it now...

Anyway, other than the slight motor issues, it was a GREAT day. We spent the majority of it with life jackets on, in the water, holding onto ropes and floating down the river without anchor. A few people stopped by to see if we were ok, since nobody was on the boat...

Of course, my back is lobsterfied right now, but small price to pay, I say! ;)

The wind started picking up in the afternoon and the river started to get 1-2 ft rolling swells with white caps on the top. I tell you that was some interesting boating. Fun, and I think I got the boat entirely out of the water more than once, but it surely said it was time to go home after a great trip.

There was a guy dropping in a 17 ft boat when we left, with his wife and kid, and we tried to deter him from going out. It was crazy by then...but he went anyway...hope he made out ok. :)
 

BTMCB

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
761
Re: The trip I've been waiting for!

Sub,

Glad your trip went well and was all you expected. I was watching your posts about getting the new boat and know how excited you were....that was me last August!

I am by NO means an expert and am NOT preaching - just some humble advice - - when I bought mine new I was told (by dealer, by salesman who did sea trial with me and mechanic I hired to look things over and finally in the Merc manual) to break the engine in for the first 20 hours. No continous long term idiling, don't run the same rpm for extended periods, no WOT until at least 10 hours and then very rarely until 20 hours and no pulling skiers until after 20 hours. Just thought I'd mention this to you.

Good luck and continue to enjoy your new boat (which is a nice one BTW)....
 

Subliminal

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
555
Re: The trip I've been waiting for!

Hey Brian,

Thanks for that. I probably did pull the skiier a little premature, but thats pretty much what i bought the boat for, so i couldn't help it on my 4th or 5th trip out.

The rest of the guidelines I've been trying to follow, though... ;)
 
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