Go Saints!!! Yeah, My basket has a little rust on it and seems to be warping a bit. I've used it quite a few times more than yours but it has me worried a bit. I think you will find that it will be alot easier to get the temps up if you don't use water.
How much do you load up your basket when you start your fire? In the beginning I used to use 3/4 chimney and a decent amount of fuel... Wasn't enough. Now, I probably waste some fuel but I load it full with 3/4 chimney and since I've been doing that I haven't had many issues with the temp.