My love runs cold, my memory just been sold

I always loved that line from J Giles Band. 15 years ago this past April I bought a 1998 Grady 192. I got it from G&G Marine in Edgewater Florida. I paid about $20K for it and it was powered by a Johnson 150 Ocean Runner. The boat brought a sense of normalcy for my family. My disabled son Kyle loved it. My regular kids loved it. The admiral was happy. We spent most of our days plying the waters of the mighty St. John's River, the Mosquito Lagoon and the wonders of the Florida Keys. She was a grand boat for us and every now and then we would put in Ormond Beach and cruise to St. Augustine in her. I sometimes wonder why we left central Florida.

Tomorrow I drive to Columbia,SC and pick up the boat with her new motor. I am paying more for the new engine than I paid for 19 footer with boat, motor and trailer. Zonkers!!! Anyway, that hit me along with the memories of the 192. I love the 228 and have aspirations for a 30 footer,but the 192 was my angel in the center fold as it was back then. Before that boat I was freakazoid kayaker. My brother had a 190 a decade earlier and kept it till the late 90s. You always remember your first.

Here is to a great 2017 boating year. Our big trip is back to the Keys and a run with friends in another boat to Bimini in late July. Giddy up...

Doc, yes 3.3 liter on the old motor and I repowered with the 4.2 liter. The fuel economy seems about the same in the very short time I ran it today. It does plane the boat at a slightly lower speed though and the boat does perform better at lower RPMS. The displacement is bigger so I do expect a slightly higher burn rate ...assuming the injectors are increasing the fuel charge ? I don't know. I like the digital controls . I will do a more detailed recording of performance numbers .