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To Upgrade or Not ??

B

Bigmoss

Member
Most of you know I am running a Pulse 186 right now with a new 2004 Merc 200HP Opti. I love the motor and the boat rocks !! It buries the speedo and just about all races with Hydros, Bajas etc I usually win.

It has gotten to the point where the top speed of the boat is boring and I was thinking of upgrading the motor to a 225 or 250. I have been told by many to forget about a 300 as it is just crazy. I am not new to boating and have been driving for years but mostly inboards until I came back to this mate.

I guess my question is will I really notice a big change going to a 225 or 250 or for the hand out of more money am I really just throwing it away ?

Lokking for some thoughts from the outboard long timers.

BM
 
Not being familiar with your set up, it is hard to say. Before providing input, it would be helpful to know the following:

Does your lower unit have a nose cone? Are you running with a jack plate? How high are you running your lower unit? What style of prop are you using? How much trim do you have to run for max speed?

I used to run a 16' Laser (a Roard Summerford hull, before he changed his company name to STV, wish I knew how to post a picture) w/200 hp Evinrude.

When I first installed the engine, it ran 76 on RADAR, and I was dissappointed. I had the boat running 68 with an Evinrude 140, and hoped to pick up more speed by bolting on the 200.

But, by the end of the summer, I had the same engine and boat running 87 RADAR mph. I see you are running a 25 pitch prop. I don't know what your lower unit gear ratio is, but with the stock gears in the Evinrude, I was running a 31 pitch cleaver with the bottom of the gearcase level with the pad to get 87 mph. It was very drivable at that height.

Without knowing your current set up, it might be possible to get more speed out of it with the current engine.

If you know all this, and I appear to be a dummy, sorry, but I don't know the specifics of your boat. And it always amazes me the vastly different amount of knowledge there is amoungst the go-fast outboard group.
 
I would think it would be cheaper to have the motor you have built up. There are a ton of mods that can be done to that engine for a lot less than a new motor.
JSRE is the man for upgrading the 2.5. 230-240 out of your current motor should not be a problem and still be reliable.
 
Almost impossible to hot-rod an opti motor Gus. Probably cheaper to sell the almost new 200 opti and buy an almost new 300X than mod costs anyway.

If you upgrade from a 200 opti to a 250, you're theoretically gaining 5 mph without changing the setup (other than prop). Is 5 mph worth it? Probably not, when setup can be maximized and gain that much. Trouble is, when set up for maximum top speed, everything else will suffer.
Time to dump the whole rig and get a 2100BR with a 300 Yam HPDI or 300X
 
I agree with JW.

Time for a bigger boat.

It'll keep you out of insurance trouble too.
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Hey Guys thanks for all the replies I appreciate it.

Right now the boat is rigged without a jack, I was looking into getting one, but figured by the time I bought the jack and nose cones for the water pickup etc I might as well get the bigger motor.

The bottom of the gear case is lever with the pad as well on mine and I tried about 5 different props before deciding on this one. Over all it was the best, fully trimmed I only have a small rooster and most of the power is staying at the prop and in the water which is a good thing. Other than that the total package is bone stock and came as rigged by the marina.

Like I said the boat is running A1, and does win most or really all to date over the last 2 years with boats in it's class was just getting a little more need for speed
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Changing the boat right now is not really an option, in the middle of 2 new houses and the wife would FREAK !! So maybe the best option is to try the jack and cone as those are accessories she would not notice hehe
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I also know what Chris means about the insurance as I am getting killed as it is, when I bought the boat I was only able to find one company that would touch it with a top speed like that and I am paying $1500 a season with NO water sports aloud. But that being said even a bigger boat with a new motor would still show the possible top speed in their computer and the price might stay the same who knows.

BM
 
Hey Bigmoss,
If that boat is boring, then buy my little MX-15 and crap your pants! For 2500 bucks it will make 55 mph feel like 100 as you go airborne nearly every time you take out. Drop an old 200 on it and have all the excitement you could ever want, given you survive.
 
Supergenius74

I like your comments my 74 mx-16 was is ruff on the kidnys too, but my dads 1960 lonestar is even worse at wot and just enough speed to kick the crap out of a nautique, the checkmate's bounce his really goes airborn, he even broke the bench seats because of it, suffice it to say those original seats have been replaced
 
1,500 bucks for insurance. OUCH!

Geez....

I pay 450 tax in.

How fast did you say it runs?

I think they estimated mine around 60ish. I said 50ish and they said....uh uh....we know it'll do 60ish. I said news to me....but I needed the insurance, so you have to pay the piper.
 
I Love my predictor. It is the fastest thing i've ever been in. It shold be close to 80mph once i have it set up properly. I will NEVER sell my predictor, It's just too fun to drive. i plan on restoring it to showroom cond.
If you crave speed get a boat like Illmattic's or mine.
My advice is to Keep your pulse and get a smaller boat for the same amount you would spend on a new motor. my whole rig basicaly cost under 3K! what a deal!
 
BIG MOSS, I KNOW WHAT YOUR SAYING. AFTER 11 SEASONS WITH THE STARFLITE THE THRILL OF SPEED IS JUST ABOUT GONE. ONLY ON THE PERFECT DAYS WHEN I GET TO DANCE HER ACROSS 1 TO 2 FOOTERS AT 60/65 MPH WHILE I'M ALONE (WHICH DOESN'T HAPPEN MUCH ANY MORE WITH THE MISSES) DOES THE THRILL STILL EXIST. BUT THAT IS TUFF ON THE OLD HULL ANYWAYS. MORE TIMES THAN NOT ITS ABOUT TOOLING AROUND LISTENING TO MY MUSIC (400 AMP KENWOOD SYSTEM) AND GULPING I MEAN SIPPING A COLD ONE. BUT I'M COMFORTABLE KNOWING THAT I'M STILL FASTER THAN 90/95 % OF THE BOATS WHERE I BOAT AT.

1500 BUCKS FOR INS. IS CRAZY NEED TO SHOP AROUND. YOU NEED TO SHOP WHOLE PACKAGE CAR,HOME AND BOAT AROUND. THRU THE YEARS I'VE HAD APX. 24,000 IN CLAIMS, YES 24,000 IN CLAIMS AND MY INSURANCE BILL IS STILL AT 350 PER YR. DON'T ASK MY WHY BUT IT STILL IS.GOOD LUCK MERC245
 
Ya the insurance is crazy, I shopped around everywhere and the people that have my car, house etc would not touch it.

Basicly every I called had the new system, you give them the lenght of the boat and the HP of the motor and the computer spits out the possible maximum speed no argueing. I am going to start shopping again and see what I come up with but did not want to run no insurance so I took what I could for now.

BM
 
Try Premier Marine Insurance. They are in Vancouver, only do marine insurance and have no problem with fast boats. You are paying way too much!
 
BTW, I agree with the others that think trading the whole rig is probably a cheaper way to buy more speed. I can't even imagine the price of a new 300hp in Canada!!!
 
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