Everyone's input has been very helpful. I have lagged the connection between the boiler and the group (gooseneck) I also lagged the group (with a bunch of rags (temp., fix) and I can now almost burn my shots. I give it a couple of good flushes then make a shot with the used puck to hold water in there, then just before my shot I flush again. I am going to get another pressure gage to x check my p gage, work out a way of lagging the group or maybe get fancy and set up a external thermo syphon for the groups.
BTW it sounds like a lot of trouble but I am getting really god shots now, and the spring levers once installed in my kitchen are going to make mornings a lot nicer. Cheers, Patrick.