[OspreyVic]

Bigmall, you are correct.

I retired in November 2004, so when we got the boat home for the first time in April 2005, I had the time to devote to her. My family wanted a boat for years, so if you read the fist article, you know that we spent years finding the boat that was right for us. We built the home we live in, our retirement home, with a garage for our boat in 2002.

The boat had the console cover you mention. It is in my attic now, just in case we need it in the future. We went with the larger electronics because as I get older, my eyes are just not as good as they used to be. I have been without a boat for about 40 years, and this will be our last boat. The 2006 215 with the bow pulpit would not fit in our garage, we are not going to a smaller boat, and for sure we will not start polishing a glass boat. We figure we can replace engines as needed, upgrade electronics as needed, and our trailer should last as long as the boat.

This boat was my retirement dream. While I enjoy fishing, the wife and I also enjoy exploring the area we live in from the water. The Raymarine electronics in the console are easy to remove, so when we start traveling with our boat, it will be easy to move them under lock and key for the night. Sometimes we tend to forget that locks are for honest people. If someone really wants what you have, you had better stay awake guarding it.