We started up the engine today !!!  It was a great feeling to actually move the boat.  We ran into a small operator problem when getting the engine started.  There is a little button next to the engine stop on the Ford Lehman engines.  A little covered button that has some sort of rubber boot over it.  It had been pushed and stuck in.  I think it is an emergency stop button, and it got stuck.  We were bleeding and bleeding the system thinking we were not getting fuel.  Once we got pushed in the button and let it snap back out, the engine has started instantly every single time.  The gauges work, the helm and rudder work.  We did run into the problem that when attaching the throttle cables, I didn't know which was was reverse on the engine.  I am sure someday somebody will mention that "Well, obviously...this is always forward and this reverse".  But I do not have that answer yet.  So when attaching the throttle cable, I took the 50/50 chance and as my dear loving daughter says "so that means you got it wrong I guess".  I did.  So the first cruise out was a bit challenging.  I was concentrating so hard to steering the boat, that I had little brain power left to remember the throttle was backwards.

Easy to fix tomorrow.  

Anyhow, we left the Marina, did a little circle, and came back and docked at our slip.  Not too exciting a maiden voyage, but it was successful and spirit lifting after so much time an effort has been put into the boat.

Special thanks go out to Dan for his engine work.  It ran great!

P.S.  If you have read this....definitely ask Tara Where/What Phoenix's Landing is.  We discovered it on our little voyage.