What is your boat's top speed?

[hostage]

I am curious what people's boats top speeds are? Also list the style of boat and engine size etc. I am very interested in seeing top speeds of v-hull boats w/ 4.3L Mercs.

Thanks,
Hostage

 

[mphy98]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

The tracker an 18' with an 125hp on it does 48mph, the old 79 18' fiberglass tri hull with a 120IO does 42mph. That is by gps not speedo's.

 

[JimKW]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

My 2000 Crownline with the 4.3L V6 says it's going just under 55 mph on the speedometer. Have no idea how accurate that is though. It cruises very nice at around 30-35 mph which is where I'm normally driving it.

 

[QC]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

Ultimately . . . are you evaluating this boat: http://rochester.craigslist.org/boa/1736386240.html

If so, let's narrow that down for you. This other exercise will get you so confused it won't help. It is possible that it has a '95 or '96 4.3 in it, so I think we need to know exactly what rating it has. It could be anything from 160 - 205 propshaft horsepower. With that I will guess 42 - 48 MPH top speed respectively . . .

 

[jkust]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

Hostage, top speeds don't mean much without details to go along with them to make them relevant and even then they are a novelty. Prop material, pitch, dry weight, gas tank size, vented hull or not, rpm's, etc. Because I love novelties I will list details with my carbed 4.3.
21 pitch, Aluminum prop (kind of beat up), 2,900lbs dry, 18' loa, 33 gallon tank, full length hull meaning more wetted surface for a better ride but slower top speed. My top speed is 51.8mph but then the rev limiter kicks in so I am under propped. I can only get this speed with about 10 gallons of gas and two of us in the boat. The extra large gas tank slows me down a lot since it is usally full. Fully loaded with 4 of us, all gassed up my top is 46mph. All speeds are GPS.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

Full fuel, me and the admiral, smooth conditions about 54mph GPS. I am spinning OEM 23p 3 bladed aluminum prop. RPMs are right on at WOT. Boat is in signature. 4.3L V-6 190hp.

 

[hostage]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

QC - You are very perceptive, I was looking for a general idea. I am also looking at: http://rochester.craigslist.org/boa/1731885279.html

Most of the boats I am looking at have about ~180hp with the same/similar 4.3LX Alpha. It looks like the weights on many of these boats I am looking at are similar.

 

[RL Gman]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

I've got a 21 foot monterey (sig - pretty heavy boat) with a 5.0 carbed merc alpha 1 and I can tickle 50 with a poll about 3mph long...

 

[sickwilly]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

19 foot stingray, 190 carbed 4.3, I can hit 55 on the speedo.

 

[90sunbird]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

1. 98 chapparela 205 cuddy 5.0 v8 full fuel 36 gal. 3 men 23p stainless 50 mph @ 4600 rpm deep v hull
2. 90 175 sunbird 3.0 open bow (with engine work done to it by me) full tank 18 2 men gal 22p stainless 43 mph @ 4500 rpm v hull
3. 1974 16 ft lund 3.0 open bow (very light boat) full tank 12 gal 2 men 21p alum. 40.5 @4400 rpm tri hull

all info accurate and gps. sorry didnt realize you were just lookin @ 4.3

 

[Philster]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

63-65 MPH @ 5100 RPM w/ 25p SS Mirage prop; 502 Cubic Inch (8.2 Liter) Merc/Bravo 1, on a Scarab deep-V hull with 23 degrees of deadrise.

Previous owner claims 70, although he is an absolute idiot who probably used his GPS for the reading while heading out with the current/tide.

 

[koko1]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

2007 Tahoe, 190 HP 4.3 Merc.,Smart tabs and factory prop, hit 56 on Speedo and 54 on the GPS....

 

[QC]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

I like the Glastron, looks very well maintained. I saw the bellows issues with the Wellcraft although I like that boat as well.

No matter what you see here I would not expect to break 50 with either. If you do, then great!! 50, and then of course 60, are huge barriers, and you should be very careful about expecting high speeds based on other's results that might make you happy when seeing them here . . .

 

[Fireman431]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

24.9 MPH

Burning 1.44 Gallons per mile

That's 36 Gallons per Hour!

 

[RAT Attack]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

I can see you seem to be looking at smaller cuddy's with a 4.3 liter around the mid '90's range...
I have a 1988 Glassport, 19' sport cuddy, with a 5.0 ( 200 HP ), carburated, dry weight is listed as 2,600 lbs., so thought I would share my speeds with you.

Last Saturday I was on the lake with 28 gal. of fuel, and around 1,000lbs of people & gear ( 5 people, 2 coolers, ect. ). I have a aluminum 17" 4 blade prop. & smart tabs. The lake conditions where very smooth that day with very small chop. I was able to hit 44.8 MPH by GPS @ 4,900 RPM.

Last Tuesday I was on the lake with around 20 gal. of fuel, around 400 lbs of people and gear ( 2 people, 1 cooler, ect. ). The lake conditions where very smooth with very little chop as well. I was able to hit 48.9 MPH by GPS @ 4,900 RPM.

This being said, my brother has a 19' Rinker Captiva open bow ( '96 I think ) with a 3.0 & carb., and his speed is unsually very close to mine.

 

[QC]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

Now that ^^^^^ is good data

 

[Subliminal]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

My new Monterey 18 ft with the carbed 4.3 will do right at 50 GPS. That's, of course a guess as I think it's a big no-no to go WOT in the first few hours of break in. But at 4200 RPM on a GPS I was doing 48, so it just stands to reason that about 50 will be where it's at...and that's with a deep V, 2400 lbs. dry, with 1/2 tank of fuel and 2 people.

 

[cwhite6]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

There is a dealer near here that has a brand new 2006 Stingray cuddy with the 4.3l. I believe it is 20'. You may be able to get an awesome deal on it. It has been in his showroom since 2006 and never outside.

 

[karatejoe]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

40 mph in the bay, no wind.1986 Chaparral 215xlc chevy v-8
That was the test drive when I bought the boat 3 weeks ago. Since then I havent been over idle speed because I keep running it aground in the canals by my house. Currently docked while I wait on Iboat to send me another new prop.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: What is your boat's top speed?

Gee, it sounds like you guys are using JATO (Jet Assisted Take Off) Packs to reach speeds in the low - mid 50s with 4.3Mercs. My 19' SeaRay with a 205HP Merc 4.3L would only hit 45, at most, going downhill with a stiff tailwind, and only then if I didn't care that she might blow up.