whats the most horsepower anyones put on a v?

Orlando · #1 08-09-2011, 05:11 PM

getting bored digging through the internet looking for info on my own engine issues so thought id take a break and satisfy my curiousity. was wondering what the most hp these boats can handle safely?

draglink · #2 08-09-2011, 06:15 PM

I have a little over 200 of them on the back now......I would love another hundred. Been 60+ on a cuddy a few years back(250 Yammie) and she ran great, not scary at all

Orlando · #3 08-09-2011, 06:17 PM

my cuddy has a 175, but i was looking at a i/o for sale and considering it, i got a 400 sbc i built for a toy and thinking of putting the 389 back in the toy and the 400 in a boat, it just got a bit, make that alot too many horses.

macojoe · #4 08-09-2011, 07:28 PM

200 is what most are rated for, but they do fine with a 150, with much better gas, and weight issues!

spareparts · #5 08-09-2011, 10:29 PM

I've beenjoking around with te idea of putting a pair of 200's on the back of mine just for fun, seems like theres a pretty center console in Fla and a sterndrive cuddy up on the Great lakes that are trying to make'm fast. Might have to mess with them a bit

Orlando · #6 08-10-2011, 01:16 AM

lol, my old man used to have a searay laguana with a pair of twin 225 black maxes on it. it did 72 by gps in perfect conditions. i bet a pair of two hundreds would make a v look like a quarter mile car when you gave the gas

RidgeRunner · #7 08-10-2011, 07:13 AM

Spareparts, the "60 plus club" welcomes your enthusiasm.

The 150 will do most anything the V was designed for. As for the most ponies in an outboard, I have heard of a guy with a 260 Merc 2.5L that made the boat scream. A few have the new HO E-tec 200 which is really near 235. Several sleepers with modded v-6 Johnnys or 225 Yammy hiding under 150 cowl. I am stuck on 250hp. I have the need for speed. Weight is a factor as is fuel consumption as MJ pointed out. The condition of the transom is a huge factor. If the transom is just marginal a big heavy motor may decide to finish it off, where a lighter 150 would work well for years to come.
UBHSTRY on here has put a 400+ hp (guessing) Stroker V-8 SBC in a I/O cuddy and has plain blasted past the 65 MPH mark.

Orlando · #8 08-10-2011, 08:01 AM

so the sbc 400 wouldnt be too much weight if i decided to get the i/o v. is there any reason a car engine wouldnt work without the sleeves and such a marine engine has if you fresh water cool it. i got ten grand invested in that engine, and ran out of funds to finish the car i put it in. decided fishing was more important. much more important

RidgeRunner · #9 08-10-2011, 10:51 AM

Look at the thread started by UBHSTRY http://www.wellcraftv20.com/communit...ad.php?t=16044

I think a few Cuddys came from the plant with v-8's. Not a lot of differences between car motors and marine engines. The gurus can chime in.

spareparts · #10 08-10-2011, 06:37 PM

400 small block weighs the same as a 350, biggest thing when you build a boat motor vs a hot rod motor is remember to build torque, keep the rpm under 6000, and use a specific cam shaft recommended for a boat, other than that, its pretty much like any hot rod motor. If you're running in salt, you will want to run a closed cooling system, salt will eat up an aluminum intake water passage and rot out aluminum heads. It will rust up cast iron as well, so if your sinking big bucks in a motor, you might as well protect the cooling system