2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

[jasperboy]

Narrowing my search and have located a 26' with the above mentioned engine. Engine is 2003 has 200 hours, and outdrive was serviced this past fall with all records. Am I heading in the right direction?

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

I suppose that depends. Are you looking for a 26 foot boat with a big block and a bravo 1? If it's not a performance boat, a bravo 3 would probably be more desireable.

 

[jasperboy]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

26'10" cabin cruiser with a big block and a bravo 2. Claimed 330 HP and single prop.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

Narrowing my search and have located a 26' with the above mentioned engine. Engine is 2003 has 200 hours, and outdrive was serviced this past fall with all records. Am I heading in the right direction?

Hmm. I guess if you're looking for a 26ft boat with a BBC/Bravo Drive, then you have found it!


200 hrs in roughly 8 years is 25 hrs per year on average.......Might be a pretty nice boat!!..... I would look for corrosion and other "non-use", or damage due to neglect.....etc.


Is it a salt water boat or fresh? Has it sat in a marina all this time or on a trailer?

(If I was buying I would look for fresh/trailered boat with closed cooling that was stored inside........I am pretty picky!!)

If it doesn't have closed cooling, I would inspect carefully for a cracked block. If the maintenance has been done regularly, I would determine when (or if) the manifolds and risers have been replaced.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

What he said... Assuming there's nothing wrong with it, that's a decent combination. Not going to be a fast boat though. Expect a 25 MPH cruise and sub-40 MPH top speed. I think a Bravo 3 would still be more desireable, but I could be wrong. One nice thing about the Bravo 2 is that without all that stainless steel hanging off it, corrosion is much less of an issue on the drive.

 

[jasperboy]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

Freshwater midwestern boat. Summers in the water (which is May 15 to September 15th around here) and winters in heated indoor storage.

I know we won't be water skiing behind it, but hope we could pull the kids on a tube. 20 MPH for tubing is fast enough. Really like the wider beam after crawling around on some other 25-26' boats with 8'6" beam.

Corrosion is minimal, and boat has fresh bottom paint.

Did find this link for specs: http://books.google.com/books?id=7K...SxgryLp&sig=CQY6m503pnyWV60WtRbIl7nTKLY&hl=en

Should get about 35mph top speed which although not fast should be good enough for cruising.

 

[mkast]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

Corrosion is minimal, and boat has fresh bottom paint.

Why is there bottom paint on a fresh water hull?

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

You'll have no trouble towing a tube. Wakeboarding will be good too. Waterskiing would be possible but just awful so it's good you have no plans for that.

If you keep the cruising RPM at or below 3200, that engine will last a really long time and you should get peak on-plane fuel economy (probably in the 1.8 to 2 MPG range) as well.

Have fun. I have a Regal 2550 LSC equipped with a single 7.4 MPI Bravo 3. Not as roomy as what you are looking at, but much easier to trailer. Mine was also a mid-western, fresh water boat. Had to drive 2000 miles round-trip to buy it. No regrets.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

Why is there bottom paint on a fresh water hull?

To keep the growth down on a slipped boat. Same reason it's used in salt water.

 

[jasperboy]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

Thank you to all for your thoughts. Yes the bottom paint seems to be necessary for boats kept in the water on the Great Lakes. I do own a wakeboard, but was never able to figure out how to get out of the water on it Believe it was operator error Pleased to here that there will be plenty of power for "water sports" but also the ability to cruise economically.

 

[Don S]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

Words like economically, and 7.4 should not be used together.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: 2003 Mercruiser 7.4and single prop outdrive

Words like economically, and 7.4 should not be used together.

Um.....YUP!:facepalm:

Mine burns 10 gallons per hour on my wonderful fuel flow gage @3000 RPM, going 30 mph. (3 mpg)