Doh! I could have had a V8

sojodave

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Sep 26, 2011
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I am shopping for an I/O and I'm looking for something that will pull me up on a wakeboard. I'm 6'5 230ish and one of our local boat dealers said that I have to get a V8 in order to pull me out of the water. He said if I got a V6, I'd be wanting a V8. He suggested at least a 5.0 or a 5.7. I have a friend with a 4.3 and he claims it will pull anyone up. I'm looking at used 19'-21' I/O's, we boat in lakes, and we cruise, wakeboard, kneeboard, and tube. Is it true that I shouldn't look at V6's?
 

chriscraft254

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

I am shopping for an I/O and I'm looking for something that will pull me up on a wakeboard. I'm 6'5 230ish and one of our local boat dealers said that I have to get a V8 in order to pull me out of the water. He said if I got a V6, I'd be wanting a V8. He suggested at least a 5.0 or a 5.7. I have a friend with a 4.3 and he claims it will pull anyone up. I'm looking at used 19'-21' I/O's, we boat in lakes, and we cruise, wakeboard, kneeboard, and tube.

Will totally depend on the boat. How it is set-up. Prop and strength of motor. Tabs or not. All that said, I would want V8. 6 cylinder, may get you up, but a V8 will do it more efficiently than the v6 on the same boat set-up.
 

Pete104

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

See if you can buddy up with somebody in your vacinity. Talk to them & see how it goes.
 

QC

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Mar 22, 2005
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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

My experience is the only watersports application that needs a lot of power is single deepwater slalom ski starts. And a good skier of your size could get up behind a 4 cylinder. Order of power required:

1) slalom deepwater
2) wakeboard deepwater (drastic drop)
3) tube
4) double skier
5) kneeboard
6) shore or dockstart of any
 

tpenfield

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

I have a friend with a 4.3 and he claims it will pull anyone up.

Yup, most of my friends with 4.3 engines say that too. On a 21 foot boat a 5.0 would be good and a 5.7 would be great. Aim for a V8 and there won't be any remorse
 

Don S

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

No one complains about having too much power. We also get a hundred posts a week about how to squeeze more horsepower out of 4 cylinder and V6 engines.

Engine size is the difference between getting the job done, and having fun getting the job done.
 

QC

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

Engine size is the difference between getting the job done, and having fun getting the job done.
Despite my comments about getting a large skier up with a 4 cyl. Don is dead on. Hadn't heard it put exactly like that before. Very good counsel.
 

Trooper583

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Sep 19, 2010
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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

I'm about your size and I would say, go ahead and get the V8. I have a 21' open bow powered by a 4.3 with a 21 pitch prop and smart tabs. Gets me up on two skis no problem, one ski, not so much. I'm sure I could pitch down and get up on one ski fairly easy. However, the water sports aspect of our time on the water is second to destination cruising so I need to get good fuel economy. Don S. did put it quite well...
 

bnicov

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

A 21ft boat with a 4.3 is underpowered. A modern 5.0 with 260 ponies would be fine. A 350 with 320 ponies even better. All depends on the deal you get on the boat. A 19ft with a 4.3 is fine esp if it is a fuel injected 220 pony motor. Don't underpower your boat!!! You will regret it and will end up spending a lot of money trying to tweak it and end up buying another boat that has the right power package.
 

achris

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

A 21ft boat with a 4.3 is underpowered.

What?!?!?!? Horse-hockey!!!! My old 4.3LX (V6 producing 1800hp) got dropped into a 23' cuddy and it pushes that along at a crisp 36knots, in the ocean! The original 305 V8 engine could only just muster 30knots on a nice day....

bnicov said:
A modern 5.0 with 260 ponies would be fine. A 350 with 320 ponies even better. All depends on the deal you get on the boat. A 19ft with a 4.3 is fine esp if it is a fuel injected 220 pony motor. Don't underpower your boat!!! You will regret it and will end up spending a lot of money trying to tweak it and end up buying another boat that has the right power package.

All things aside I do actually agree with more is better, to a point. If you power up a boat too much, then your normal cruising speed is going to be outside the power-band and the boat will be a dog to drive.... (Been there, done that!!!) Best power for a boat is towards the top end of what the manufacturer recommends as the maximum.

If you do go with the V6, there are propellers that will have your arms off. Try a setup with either a Laser II, with the vent plugs out, or a High-5. Both those props are designed for exactly the job you have in mind....
 

1980Coronado

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

If you are primarily wakeboarding, the 6 cyl will get you up just fine. A slalom ski might be a little different story. With a wakeboard you have a wide planing surface and it doesn't take a bunch of HP to get you up....you may have to wait a bit for the boat to gain speed, but you'll come up fairly easily. With a slalom ski you have a narrow planing surface and you may drag a little longer. I was 6'-4" 190 in high school and used to slalom behind a 140 hp 4 cylinder (16' Starcraft)....had to learn to drag my back foot to help the boat up. Would a V8 do a better job? Yes...you'll be able to have more people in the boat while you're wakeboarding. With the 6 cyl....you may have to limit passengers.

Just curious....if you're wanting a boat primarily for water sports, why not look for a straight inboard? They are much less maintenance intensive than an I/O and they are considered by many to be the best choice for the types of water sports you list. I'm partial to the Century models like the Coronado or the smaller Resorter, because I like the classic look, but a 90's Nautique, Mastercraft, or Supra ect..would be a great boat for your type use.
 

91rr

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Apr 21, 2011
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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

What?!?!?!? Horse-hockey!!!! My old 4.3LX (V6 producing 1800hp) got dropped into a 23' cuddy and it pushes that along at a crisp 36knots, in the ocean! The original 305 V8 engine could only just muster 30knots on a nice day....

Dude I would like to see a 4.3 that puts out 1800hp! I think you put an extra 0 in there. I would have to agree that 305's are just outright dogs.
 

John_S

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

I would have to agree that 305's are just outright dogs.

I would agree that the pre-'98 versions were not much, especially the 2brl. '98 and up vortec versions arn't bad. To some degree, that applys to the V6 too. The vortec versions are more potent.

You notice that the V8 guys didn't have to justify their choice. ;)
 

John_S

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

Just curious....if you're wanting a boat primarily for water sports, why not look for a straight inboard? They are much less maintenance intensive than an I/O and they are considered by many to be the best choice for the types of water sports you list. I'm partial to the Century models like the Coronado or the smaller Resorter, because I like the classic look, but a 90's Nautique, Mastercraft, or Supra ect..would be a great boat for your type use.

Yea, but they run V8's and mostly 350's. :)
 

1980Coronado

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

Yea, but they run V8's and mostly 350's. :)

Mines a Pig Block 454 :D.

All joking aside, the OP wanted to know if he needed a V8 as the dealer suggested....most agree that he will eventually want more power....why not just buy a boat designed for the purpose of water sports right out of the chute?
 

jkust

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

Here's my two cents. I have an 18 footer powered by 190hp 4.3 liter v6 but it is the heaviest 18 foot bowrider you will likely ever find. 3000lbs dry plus 33 gallons of fuel, gear, people and it is really heavy (heavier if it had a v8). Most 18 footers are substantially lighter with that engine. The optional power for my boat was a 220hp 6 cylinder or a 270hp v8 which I would love to have. That said, I'm not a prop guy and have a basic 21 pitch aluminum. Power-wise I am actually surpised how well the v6pushes the heavy boat loaded up. It will pull up a 200lb deep water slalomer ok with 5 onboard but you can feel the need for a 19 inch prop when you do. I'm a skilled skier and a lesser deepwater slalom starter would likely fall sideways. Do I wish I had the v8, yes I do. I could improve with a better, lower pitched prop. Think about it like this, the difference between my boat and most 18 footers is a couple of 200 pound guys plus the weight of the 10 or so extra gallons in the larger gas tank. The mere fact I can gps at 51.8mph is amazing with a tiny 6 cylinder with that much boat. I'm a realist and don't drink the 3.0 koolaid and so suggest you get a v8 for more appealing, all day performance. My 51.8 is with the wind, alone, with little gas. Summarizing then the carb 4.3 is a bit more than adequate, even in heavy applications but the v8 will likely not have any week spots (don't need the wind, etc). I searched high and low and but couldn't find my boat with any of the optional engines at the time. I'd have gladly paid a few thousand more for a 5.0mpi v8. I bought in a harder market when everyone had the wealth effect and now, I see optioned up nearly new, boats all the time.
 

sojodave

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Sep 26, 2011
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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

"Just curious....if you're wanting a boat primarily for water sports, why not look for a straight inboard?"

...I just sold my Yamaha Jet Boat. I had a XR1800 that was a 18footer with 310 hp. It drove like a corvette on water. My wife hated driving it because it didn't have power steering. She couldn't dock that boat to save her life. V-drives scare me because reverse is not the easiest to master and you can't beach them. I do love that v-drives have the prop under the boat and you can wakesurf, but if we get another boat my wife can't drive, I'm in trouble.
 

southkogs

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

Here's some experience that I've had that might help a little: In my teen years I weighed in about 180 and learned to ski behind a 1958 12' runabout with a 35hp motor on the back. You could get up on two skis, but it took some effort. Next boat was a little bigger (I was about the same size :D), 15' trihull with a 65hp motor. I could get up real easy on two skis, and I could get up on slalom - but it took a little more doing. That boat was near perfect for kneeboarding behind.

The two boats I've skied most behind in the last several years have both been 19' boats (Four Winns and Bayliner), both have 4 cyl. I/O's (I know the Bay is a 3.0l). Both of those have been fairly easy for me to ski behind (I'm now in the 220 ranks). I haven't tried wakeboarding, but another guy who was with us did behind the Four Winns. He said it was okay, but not great. Plenty of power to get up, but wakeboarding requires a bigger wake and that boat just didn't produce it (note: if wakeboarding is your plan ... you need a boat that you can rig with ballast fat saks).

By far the best ski boat I've been behind - probably a testimony to Don's point - was a Mastercraft (late 80's model) with a V8 inboard. Can't beat it.

A good ski boat is much different than a good wakeboard boat. You can find many boats that will be reasonable to do both, but not excellent at both. Depending on the size of the boat a 4cyl. I/O will do reasonably well for someone of your size (a 3 cyl. OB will do okay too) , but the more power the easier you'll be able to ski (especially slalom).

Hope that helps a little.
 

AZSenza

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Mar 11, 2008
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521
Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

V8, 5.7 or better, you wont regret having one. Fuel costs are only a slight issue especially if its fuel injected. A 5.7l weighs slightly more than the 4.3, same engine with 2 more pistons. As a boat owner, I've only had 5.7s but when younger I rode in a few 4's and 6's. Tough to get up with a load of passengers, fuel and snacks. I've got a 22 foot Larson with a big heavy Bravo III and love the combo but I'll go to a 383 when this engine wears out. No replacement for displacement. I also agree with the watersports boats, if thats all I used mine for I would have opted for one myself, they are designed to pull. My bow rider does everything good but nothing great other than float. She holds 12 people and thats what I needed. A lot of the bigger ($$) Watersport boats hold that and more.
 

joewithaboat

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Re: Doh! I could have had a V8

I have a 19 foot bow rider that empty weighs 2600lb. It has a 1996 4.3 V6 4brl.(190hp) I was looking for a V8 powered boat when i found this at a price i couldnt pass up. It came with a 3 blade 19p ss mercury mirage prop. First two times to the lake i was ready to get rid of it. Took forever to plane off. I was going to stick a hydofoil fin and give it another try. Upon researching fins, i went with Smart Tabs instead. Love them!! Now the boat planes quickly, pulls two tubes, big guy on slaolm ski with a little effort, Anyone on two ski's. All this and uses so little fuel, i am amazed. It will also run nearly 50 with 4 people and a full 30 gal tank,cooler,and tons of tools,fishing gear,etc. Same prop...
Does it mean i dont want a V8 ..... NO but im pleasently pleased with this little 4.3! Most of the time i dont run over 30mph anyway as i have a small child.
Hope this helps:)
 
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