Well I've been on two more water tests; one last night just as the sun was going down, and first thing this morning before it started getting hot. Both times the motor fired up instantly, which makes me believe there IS a siphon issue when the car sits around for a week or so.
So after running the boat on the Cumberland yesterday morning on Cheatham Lake out of Commodore Yacht Club, I transported it home, fed the dogs, chilled out a while, and then headed to Mt. Juliet, TN (Cedar Creek Yacht Club on Old Hickory Lake, Cumberland River). Janet was at the lake house with a friend, they didn't know I was bringing the boat. I launched it and headed toward the dock and gave them a call. I said "guess where I am"? So when I rounded the bend I saw two gals walking down to the dock for a boat ride, and off we went on a sunset run.
I didn't leave it in the water overnight, launched it again at first light, and we went for a long early morning cruise. When we got back to the dock there were some of our neighbors on the docks who had only heard about the boat, seeing it for the first time. It created a sensation in our cove. One guy said he saw us last night from a hilltop cottage, and did a double-take because the hull looked so different and the sound of the boat got his attention too. Another couple came over and looked it over very carefully, and I asked them if they wanted to go for a ride, and they lit up with big smiles, and off we went again. I love my 38 Commander, but it is great fun having a smaller classic glass runabout too.
The 327F gives good indication it is going to perform well. It never so much as missed a beat, and Once it started first thing Saturday morning after considerable cranking, it started every time thereafter at the twist of a key.
We got a chance to run the boat out on bigger water this weekend, used the GPS to maintain the commercial shipping channel, just starting to refamiliarize myself with Old Hickory Lake.
I'll upload a photo later this evening when I get home to a real computer!
Regards,
Paul