Greetings!!!
Just bought my first boat (2008 Bayliner Bowrider 185 Fish and Ski) at Cabela's up here in Hartford, Ct. I stayed with the stock Mercruiser 135 hp engine, but have a few questions regarding this choice: Will it be sufficient to pull tubes, skiers, and wakeboards??.......As I didn't want to spend the additional 3k+ for the 4.3L Alpha, I stayed with the stock powerplant hoping it might have enough power.
You should be OK. I had a 16' Rinker with pretty much the same engine. It was a 4 cylinder rated at 120 HP and I had no problem pulling a skier or people on a tube. Did not try to pull a wakeboard though but I would think it would not be a problem. BTW one of the skiers I pulled weighed 270 lbs and I got him up and out of the water with no problems.
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Rick Grew
1999 Bayliner 3055 Ciera SE, Happy Together III
Out of Bolles Harbor, Michigan
2004 Past Commodore
West River Yacht & Cruising Club
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Rick Grew
1999 Bayliner 3055 Ciera SE, Happy Together III
Out of Bolles Harbor, Michigan
2004 Past Commodore
West River Yacht & Cruising Club
"Will it be sufficient to pull tubes, skiers, and wakeboards??."
Sure.. try your stock prop first, but you may want to get a 19" pitch prop for watersports. More pulling power out of the hole at the expense of some top-end speed.
Keeping experienced tubers 'entertained' is hard work on the boat (slinging them out of a 'hole' in the water).
Pulling up wakeboarders is easier than skiers... count 1-2-3 as you roll the throttle on. A smooth application of power is the key. You don't want a slammin' holeshot or you'll pull the line right out of thier hands.
Hardest thing will be pulling up an adult single skier with 4 or 5 passengers in the boat.
Whatever prop you get, invest in a good quality one... do some research.
The 3.0 will be no problem at all. If I were to buy another capri I would get the 3.0 again as it is a work horse and absolutely cannot beat the gas mileage at cruise. I cruise it at 3500 RPM.
I run a 14.25 x 21 prop on my 1950 Capri as this is what gets me my proper RPM at WOT (Wide Open Throttle). Be sure to check yours on the boat as it is very important). Prop Not a problem when pulling the young kids on the tube but it is a little over proped when my daughter takes all her adult friend on the boat.
As Wotam states you will have to fool around with props to get the best set up. Fortunately the props for the Alpha drives can be had for under $100. Got the Michigan wheel prop mentioned above from boatfix for $72 a couple years ago.
I have the 07 185 basicly the same boat except mine has the 4.3
I hat the 3.0 in my old webbcraft ( wellcraft clone ). It was a bigger heavier boat and the 3.0 did fine back then rated at 120 Hp.
It was a great little motor and I could tell that it woul have pulled skiers tubes and what not just fine. I did start getting the cravign for more go power after about a year with the boat but it did do 40~45 MPH.
My 185 does 55 MPH with a 23" pitch SS prop. I think youll be fine with the 21
New Bayliner Bowrider 185 questions
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