Boats with a four cylinder 3.0 inboard/outboard?

BeaufortTJustice

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 8, 2009
Messages
248
Re: Boats with a four cylinder 3.0 inboard/outboard?

I have no complaints about the VP 3.0 in my 18' Stingray. It has enough guts to pull a two-person tube or a skier easily. GPS top speed of 45 mph in ideal conditions...still over 40 with heavy load. I love the efficiency as well. My 21 gal tank lasts all day and then some. Mechanics I have chatted with have all commented that this motor is solid and reliable and has been around a while in one form or another. That gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
 

gtochris

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
742
Re: Boats with a four cylinder 3.0 inboard/outboard?

The 3.0L is adaquite and I'm pleased with it in our VERY lightweight (2,300lbs) shallow draft 19ft Stingray. I ski behind it (155lbs me) and she gets out of the water just fine with a full load as long as the passengers are distributed (same with any small boat).

We had a 19ft Regal that was quite a bit heavier and with a deeper V which had a 4.3L and it was a good match, a 4cyl would have been a dog in that boat.

I have driven other 19-21ft boats with a V8 that were a dog as I felt the extra weight of the V8 affected the acceleration.

It all depends on the boat, hull, weight, prop, Most manufactures now are offering adaquite engine packages standard.
 

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
4,603
Re: Boats with a four cylinder 3.0 inboard/outboard?

anyone seen any stats on sound levels at the helm between same boat 3.0 vs. 4.3?
Having repowered my hull to a V6, I can say the sound and feel is very different. Quieter at cruise. I don't know if db's or just the pitch.

The old 3.0 turning 4K was somehow a huge issue for me. I felt "edgy" or something with an engine at that continuous pitch... drove me batty

I found the 3.0 was ok for power if it was running absolutely 100%, but with my Mercarb, that was wasn't very often. ... if you lost 5% power, you noticed... so I was tuning all the time....
 

jmcknight

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 4, 2010
Messages
38
Re: Boats with a four cylinder 3.0 inboard/outboard?

I just picked up a 1997 Sea Ray 175 with a Merc 3.0 for $100 (huge score besides the huge hole in it)

Growing up I was around boats a lot, but never really knew more than how to drive them and how to ski behind them.

But, now that I am an adult, I don't have the money to pour into a boat (hah, yeah i know it's going to happen anyways) but I am hoping mine is as reliable as people say and as economical as people say.
 
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