Not intending to derail the thread but I gotta ask moose - how hard do you have to run it to blow it up and get a new one? And how fun would that be?

You're killing me Ken!! You get the "itch" for a new Garmin....waa la Merry Christmas from Mel, now you want a new 300 hp Zuki wookie, can't you just wait until Christmas again??? Jeeez...... :)

It's an interesting game we play... I start looking at a new boat project and Mel overrides the process by upgrading my current sled. It's a smart move on her part but either way I win!

I cut her no slack and use all her ponies when conditions allow. Not sure what it will take to cook her but someday it will happen. In all reality it's all the power I could ever use but the new 300 AP is considerably more efficient and only 6 lbs heavier. I also have to consider how far offshore I take an 11 year old single engine out. Last weekend I made a 180 nautical round trip overnight. She could probably do 100 more trips just like it without a miss but it weighs on my mind.