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I/O guys... questions/advice?

BADBK

BADBK

Well-known member
Had a few nibbles on my 21' Pulsare... nothing too serious yet, but ya just never know.

What things can you I/O guys tell me to help if I have to make a decision on a bigger bote? Bunch of good lookin botes at very reasonable prices, optimally a 24-28' Convincor/ZT or ?? Any of you guys launch your bigger boats everytime you go out, seems like it will be a PITA-but prob something I would get used to. Bravo drives, how much power/speed will they tolerate? 496HO the mota to go with? I've seen a couple with the 496, 454mpi, and a couple 502BBC, one procharged... I'd like to find the best balance between speed/durability/fuel economy.


How many of you have gone from a "smaller" O/B to a big ole I/O? Happy or ???

:cheers:
 
Not that mine is a big I/O but I would not go back to a OB if the boat had the I/O version. I love the 2400 but not big on the OB only power option. I do know checkmate does have a I/O version in the works if the economy picks back up. I am considering a enforcer I/O in the future if I can find a good price on one. I would go with a BBC/ bravo drive only. Just my $.02 worth :bigthumb:

Also don't take it as hating on em eggbeaters!!! I do like the OB's also, just lean towards the I/O's:surf:
 
I've done the small o/b to i/o switch... the bigger boat is just as easy to launch and handle as my Exciter was. I trailer all the time... its no different than the small boats.

Power with a bravo... I'm thinking that anything much over 600 is seriously pushing it...I'm in the 500hp range with both of the SBs, but they are way light, so that helps. No drive problems at all.

As far as what you mentioned that you're looking at... I really like the 496 standard output... then upgrade with the Raylar 525 kit when you can, along with better steering.

I'm happy with my i/o boats... and I still love the outboards.
 
My first suggestion would be to find one that was winterized last year!!!! Cuz mine aint worth chit right now!!!!

I think for overall performance, durability, driveability, etc... Get a 502 with a Bravo outdrive and leave it alone. Oh ya, and don't forget to winterize it...
 
i would go for a convincor if i were you find a nice stock mag motor unless you really want to go then find a blue motor stock motors arent bad at all on fuel and pretty easy on parts they trailer well and launch easy i almost always launch mine alone in fact if your really interested we could probably work out a price 97 242 sharp boat fresh power custom 1 of a kind billet swim platform 70 mph decent on gas
 
i love my 26 zt. i trailer it about every 3 weeks and its very easy. no big deal.
handles the water very well and has lots of space for anything you want to do.
i have a mag in mine 496 and the boat runs between 60 and 62 depending on load. from what ive seen the extra few ponies from an HO picks the boat to a 65-68 mph range, guessing it lifts the boat up more and runs good.
i blew my drive up with my 375 hp motor so anything is possable, its a bravo 1 x and was pretty new. strange but it happens.
i think you would be happy with the bigger boat. you can go out in more conditions, hard water, new places etc etc.
good luck
 
I have my 1997 253 Convincor.....very easy to trailer (Eagle bunk trailer). Back it in, start it, and back it off. it loads dead center every time and I can actually launch it myself but I prefer me in the boat and someone in the truck.....makes it really easy. As far as the motor, it depends on how new you want to go. The 454-502 MAG MPI motors were very nice and reliable.....not too shabby on fuel either. These generation motors were mostly in front of Bravo drives and that is just great......A bravo can handle 500 hp well, more if you ease it out of the hole, and Bravo X or XR drives are reliable to around 600hp. Like NOYZEE mentioned, it is possible to blow a drive with anything. It falls back to maintenance and how you treat it, or it was just a bad unit doomed from the factory. I would steer clear of the old 454/alpha I combos but those have not been produced in a long time. The older MAG MPI motors supercharge very well because they contain forged rotating assemblies where as the 496 motors are all cast rotating assemblies. If you are planning on modding the motor, I would look for the older generation MPI MAG motors because they still can interchange parts with other generation BBC's and parts are more readily availible whereas with the 496 motors, they are ann ll new head, intake, distributorless ignition. Most of your options for those are the Raylar kits mentioned above. Plus, with the discontinuation of the 496 blocks from GM, parts may become scarce/expensive in the future.

Once you get a ride in a larger ZT or Convincor, you will be amazed with how well they handle and how well you can skip over some big waves. If you boat in a lot of rough seas, you will wonder why you never had one of these in the first place.

I completely modded my 97 502 MAG MPI motor so if you have any questions about these 454-502 MPI, give me a shout, and I will tell you what I know. There are not too many parts on mine that I didn't mod.
 
the only thing i wish is that my boat had the ho in it just for that little extra all the way around few mph on top, few mph cruz and a good reliable stock motor.
ive heard some say the 496 is a bad motor, unbalanced and will only run for 250-300 hours etc etc. i think its all in how you care for it and how you treat it. if your out running wide open all the time with junk oil and never change it etc etc then sure anything will be bad.
i have about 340 on mine, i run it hard some times and easy other times. the gauge shows some what low oil pressure but its been like that since i got the boat 3 years ago. i change the oil every 30-50 hours, use merc semi synthetic and lucas stabilizer and treat it good. outdrive is done every season and stored in my heated garage, all is very well maintained and i hope will last as long as i own the boat.
so far im happy.
but the 454 and 502 had better parts in them which is good for a blower etc. they also had a little more power, i run the ocean, so fresh water was nice to have on the 496 saved me a couple grand putting it on an older motor without it.
but the bigger boat i think you will love it
 
Hey Josh, I've had both outboards and I/O's. There are + and - to each. The I/O takes up room inside the cockpit and they're generally a heavier boat..but ride smoother in choppy water due to the weight. It takes more to make them run fast..but they sound better than an outboard!! There's also something really cool about raising an electric hatch and seeing a dolled out car motor under the hatch!! They tend to me more expensive to fix than the outboards..The Bravo drive is good to about 600HP...if you run it hard with more than 600HP you're playing with a grenade. One of the best motors you can get used is the old Mercury racing HP 500 carb motors. They were extensively used for F1/F2 racing in the late 90's/early 2000's. They put out 470HP plus and look great under the hatch. If you truely want a great rough water small I/O boat you need to find a 25' Active Thunder. Small enough to easily trailer, can handle any water you throw at it, good sized cabin, tall freeboard, built like a tank and runs fast!
 
sorry but if your looking for a wave crushing fast ass hull that still is a true v the 26 foot sutphen is bar non the way to go. biggest 26 out there and 26* dedrise is like no other. probably the best rough water 26 money can buy. if i could sell my boat tomorrow i would buy the 26 for sale on e-bay. 35k buys the boat it runs in the mid to high 70's and is in great shape.
this 26 is right up there with panteras 28. both great boats.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...rksid=p2761.l1259&item=270599245264&viewitem=

i would do it if i could sell my boat tomorrow. i know it wont happen so im gonna hold off but best boat in the 26 range.
but if your looking for newer updated boats this isnt for you.
 
BADBK said:
http://baltimore.craigslist.org/boa/1778631360.html

Looks interesting... several youtube vids make them look good too. Be interesting to compare to a 25-26' Convincor/ZT. I've found a bunch of 25' O/B Active Thunders too, but the I/O looks and sounds pretty badass!

Come on Pulsare buyer :)
Click to expand...


That's one of the Original Active Thunders I sold!! It's a great boat and has the right motor!! Go for it!! As far as outboard A/T's...the only one I can remember was built for Mike Livorsi and has been sold a few times over. I know it's currently for sale somewhere...it was listed on Offshore Only for a while....
 
I personally like to buy stock motors. Unless you know the people that did the modifications. Stay away from the Pre-1988 bigblocks with the alpha drive. Buy a stock one....run it for a summer.....then put a supercharger on it. Your fuel cost will virtually stay the same...unless you do WOT ALL the time. which no one does. I'd blow any big block in a boat:cheers:!
 
That 25' AT is sold, 25K!!! They were nice enough to send me a few pics anyway and man it looked NICE! Top speed of 80mph, big cuddy, nice layout etc.

Lots of good info in the thread for anyone considering big boat with big power, keep it coming. Thanks!
 
screw it just disregard everyones advice and find yourself a nice newer 39 top gun unlimited with a pair of merc 1075's every part is the best money can buy will run in any water i mean absolutely any water i think they run about 115 i mean if your gonna step up you may as well really step up my only condition is that if you by one i want a ride ill even buy the fuel(as long as its not a really long ride) i wouldnt even hold it against you that it wasnt a checkmate
 
Hahahahah! Its easy to spend other peoples $$$ for sure! $100k aint even in the same country as what I would be willing to spend although I'd LOVE to have the $$$ to own/operate something like that. Wife and I were out and about and saw a 36' Gladiator that was sick, says why don't we get one like that? I asked her how she felt about either working 2 jobs or living in it, needless to say we still have the Checkmate!


jazzy said:
screw it just disregard everyones advice and find yourself a nice newer 39 top gun unlimited with a pair of merc 1075's every part is the best money can buy will run in any water i mean absolutely any water i think they run about 115 i mean if your gonna step up you may as well really step up my only condition is that if you by one i want a ride ill even buy the fuel(as long as its not a really long ride) i wouldnt even hold it against you that it wasnt a checkmate
Click to expand...
 
BADBK said:
That 25' AT is sold, 25K!!! They were nice enough to send me a few pics anyway and man it looked NICE! Top speed of 80mph, big cuddy, nice layout etc.

Lots of good info in the thread for anyone considering big boat with big power, keep it coming. Thanks!
Click to expand...


the 25 AT is a great riding boat for sure. ALso thery are a very well built boat but the cockpit and cabin are much smaller than a 25 Check. I spoke to that owner last year when I was shopping and he told me it just broke 70ish. My close friend has a 25 AT with a 502 and he runs 70 on a good day. They are a GREAT boat for sure but very hard to find.
 
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