Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

[jbobbit7]

I went and looked at a 2000 Monterey 262 today. Very nice boat it had a 5.7 Mercruiser engine which said 250 HP on it. It also has a Bravo III outdrive. Boat looked very nice and engine looked in good condition with only 130 hrs. on it.
I thought that the 250 HP might be a little small for that size of boat. Does anyone have any opinion on this?
Lookin to pull the trigger on it but I dont want to get an underpowered boat. I am not going to be racing and I am just going to be tooling around on the Potomac with my family. Looking for all suggestions and opinions.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[JoLin]

Re: Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

Everybody's perception of 'enough power' is different, and much depends on how you intend to use the boat. It won't be a powerhouse, but it'll get you on plane and will top out in the mid(?) 30's. Enough 'oomph' for tubing, maybe not for skiing.

If you use it the way I use mine (usually my wife and I, maybe 2 passengers, and we 'cruise' at 25 mph), it would be fine. The dual-prop drive makes a big (positive) difference.

Are you planning to 'pull the trigger' without doing a sea trial first? Not recommended. Should have a survey done, too.

My .02

 

[dsiekman]

Re: Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

Very nice boat it had a 5.7 Mercruiser engine which said 250 HP on it.

A 2000 5.7 with only 250 hp??? Is that right? I have 2000 5.0's with 250 hp. Must be carb'd.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

A 2000 5.7 with only 250 hp??? Is that right? I have 2000 5.0's with 250 hp. Must be carb'd.

He's right. Are you? (5.0s with EFI were rated at 240hp, with MPI they are 260hp. In Mercruiser trim.)

A 5.7 with a 2bbl carb was rated at 250hp for a LONG time.

With a Bravo 3 it would be enough power, depending on what you plan to use it for. What exactly is a Monterey 262? Is that a cruiser or a deckboat or a cuddy? What style boat, I mean?

I also agree, DO NOT buy without a sea trial.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

It's a typical express cruiser type- like my C*C, Larson Cabrio, Crownline CR, etc.

 

[Philster]

Re: Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

That's an enormously popular/effective engine/drive combo for that boat.

The 5.7/B3 is a good setup.

To get on plane, you are going to have to push it. Once on plane, she'll be fine, you'll trim 'er up and pull back the throttle.

I would say that on a scale of 1-10, wherein 10 is max power/performance and 1 is the worst/suffering performance, you are around a 5 with that setup. If it were a lesser drive and same engine, you'd be around a 4.

It's good enough.

 

[jbobbit7]

Re: Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

I was under impression that if it was a 5.7 that it would be 260 hp or more but when i opened the engine compartment the engine said 250 hp on the engine. I am not sure if it is a carb or not. I definitely am going to do a sea trial before I buy the boat but was a little put off when I saw that it was only a 250 hp engine. The rest of the boat was exactly what I was looking for and very well maintained.

JoLin, I am gonna be doing the same type of boating that you are doin. Cruising with my wife and maybe a couple friends. Maybe a little tubing and beverage consumption. I just don't want to buy a boat that is inadequate and regret it down the road.

I appreciate everyone's input and am open to any other info and experience that anybody wants to send my way.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

If it's a 250 HP it is probably the 2 barrel carburetor. The engine will have a good amount of torque, which you need for that big boat you are considering. If it's really a steal you can repower it some time with a bigger engine. Or if you want to max out the existing motor it can get a fuel injection kit which gets you to 300 HP.
But I dunno, a 26 foot boat probably needs more motor.

 

[Philster]

Re: Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

B3 helps greatly. Makes fast, effective use of the power/torque.

See... You could find more HP and a single prop setup and not make use of the available power the way a B3 would. B3 = Nice efficiency gains, too. That's what balance is all about. Put the power to the surface effectively (B3), which means you can scale back power (250 HP setup) and you get a great balance of performance and cruising efficiency.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Is 250 HP enough for a Monterey 262

But I dunno, a 26 foot boat probably needs more motor.

A sea trial will tell the OP what he needs to know, but based on how he intends to use the boat, 250 HP should be fine. Ther biggest need for power is when trying to get on plane. The B3 will be a huge help there.

Based on my own experience (280 hp, but my boat is heavy for its length, and has 22deg. deadrise at the transom) I don't think I'd hesitate to buy it.