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    VP Factory Reman vs. Marine Power Factory New - Opinions?

    Does anyone have any experience with new engines from Marine Power? Specifically interested in a comparison of a VP 5.7L Gi remanufactured long block vs. a new long block from Marine Power. Good, Bad, Same? I realize they are both GM 350 based engines. But wondering about quality...
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    Update: Finally Bought It. One more time (hopefully) - Which Boat to Buy?

    First weekend on the water! First weekend on the water! Let me start by saying thanks to everyone who offered advice on this and several other threads I started with questions about boat buying over the past several months. I gotta say that folks on the forum truly offer some great...
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    Vensura prop - educate me on bow lift

    I'm in the process of buying a Chaparral 220 SSi, 5.7 Gi VP/SX. It currently has a 19P 4 blade Vensura prop. It's my first boat. When I did the sea trial, I immediately felt like the boat had a bunch of bow rise out of the hole AND while on plane. Messed around with the trim at various...
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    Gi compared to GXi?

    I've been looking to buy a used boat and have limited my choices to fuel injected engines. Are there some basic differences in these two models. I've seen 4.3 and 5.0 GXi engines and the boat I'm looking at now has a 5.7 Gi (no "X"). Not asking about the size obviously, but is there something...
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    Update: Finally Bought It. One more time (hopefully) - Which Boat to Buy?

    So I finally made a decision on buying a boat last weekend. Went with check in-hand to take the sea trial and finish the transaction. Well, after hooking up the trailer ready to head to the lake, the owner's wife comes out an announces while crying that she doesn't want to sell. Agh!!! That...
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    Gel coat scrape on the keel

    I'm considering buying a Chaparral 220 after my Monterey 214 purchase fell through. It's in really oustanding shape except for this scrape on the keel. For perspective, the pic is shot from under the boat looking up. The scrape is about 8 inches long and appears to be from beaching - it's...
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    Extended Swim Platform - Must Have?

    My previous boat purchase fell through so I'm back looking for my first boat - a 20'- 21' bowrider. I found a really perfect boat locally. Everything I've been looking for except 1 thing: no extended swim platform. I've got 2 kids, 5 and 10 years old. Am I making a mistake getting a boat...
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    Alpha vs. SX vs. Bravo III - buy decision everything else equal?

    So after months of searching and learning, I've got my sights set on 3 boats that I consider to be a flip of the coin as to which to buy. Here's the stuff that's all equal: 21-23 feet LOA. wide beam - 8'5" to 8'6". 5.0 MPI engine. 50-150 hours. mid-2000's model year. 2 owner boats (I'd be the...
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    Sea Ray 200 BR - Excessive Bow Rise?

    Looking at purchasing a 2002 Sea Ray 200 BR and read an owner review on boattest where the owner felt that the boat was excessively stern heavy, beyond being an annoyance. I know trim tabs might help solve, but I'm not sure I'm interested in a boat inherently unbalanced. Does anyone else have...
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    Slightly bent skeg and Engine Alignment

    Looked at a boat today that I'm seriously considering buy - a 2006 Monterey 214FS. This would be my first boat. The entire boat looks really clean and the current owner seems extremely meticulus. Two things struck me as a little odd. 1. The bottom inch or so of the skeg is slightly bent...
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    Deferred Maintenance on 1st Used Purchase ??

    Do you do routine maintenance and keep records? As I've been looking around I've noticed that the boats I'm looking at have little to no maintenance history. Specifically, I'm looking at 18-22 foot bowriders with 4.3l to 5.7l merc or volvo engines, 5-10 years old, and 50-150 hours. All the...
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    High altitude - carb vs. fuel injection

    Posted this in the general discussion forum, but thought there may be more insight in the engine tech forum. Planning to buy my first boat, 19-22 foot bowrider. Engines under consideration are 4.3l carb 190 hp, 4.3l FI 220 hp, and 5.0l carb 225 hp. The lake elevation is a bit over 7000 feet...
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    Newbie choices - Sea Ray, Yamaha, Maxum??

    Arghh. Can't believe my first post is a "what are your thoughts about these boats" post. But what the heck. I've been researching like mad for a couple months now, prepping for my first boat purchase. Usage will be family runabout with 2 kids under 10 years old plus the occassional...
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