25' Sea ray questions. Underpowered?

[Fordiesel69]

Looking at a 1982 25' Sea Ray Sundancer. It has the 260HP 350 chevy / mercruiser in it. It is a MC-1, R, or MR outdrive as it is not the shape of the alpha.

Looking for a best guess weight, estimated cruise / top speed, and if this is enough engine for a boat of this size. I can tell you the boat feels very heavy duty and has all original floors. So I assume it weighs a lot.

Can a E-350 single rear wheel passenger van haul a boat of this size safely up and down the ramps? Or do you need to have a dual rear wheel axle?

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: 25' Sea ray questions. Underpowered?

Looking at a 1982 25' Sea Ray Sundancer. It has the 260HP 350 chevy / mercruiser in it. It is a MC-1, R, or MR outdrive as it is not the shape of the alpha.

Looking for a best guess weight, estimated cruise / top speed, and if this is enough engine for a boat of this size. I can tell you the boat feels very heavy duty and has all original floors. So I assume it weighs a lot.

Can a E-350 single rear wheel passenger van haul a boat of this size safely up and down the ramps? Or do you need to have a dual rear wheel axle?

The drive is a 1 drive not an R/MR/Alpha. 1983 was the first year for the R drive.
Boat weighs 4650 without the motor. probablly 5300 lbs total.
25 mph seems like a good guess.
It should be enough engine. Its never going to be a speed boat if thats what your asking.
You E-350 should haul it fine. You dont need a dually. I haul 11,500 on a single wheel F-250. Its a little twitchy sometimes but works well.

 

[lime4x4]

Re: 25' Sea ray questions. Underpowered?

I have a 1986 268 weekender with a 350 engine. With the original engine it wasn't a speed demon. topped out at 27 mph. Took about a minute to get up on plane. Switch out engine to a 1999 350 vortec engine with a 15 3/4 x 15 mirage plus ss prop. Get up on plane now fully loaded in under 15 seconds. Perfect water conditions and drive trimed just right i can hit 39 mph according to the gps

 

[Fordiesel69]

Re: 25' Sea ray questions. Underpowered?

What HP rating is the vortec?

 

[lime4x4]

Re: 25' Sea ray questions. Underpowered?

around 300 hp but it makes around 350 ft lbs of torque esp at the low end where it's needed

 

[Fordiesel69]

Re: 25' Sea ray questions. Underpowered?

Lime,

I have never been on a 25'. When you are cruising in the 20 's does it feel real slow on a boat that big?

 

[Tommy Monsoon]

Re: 25' Sea ray questions. Underpowered?

Lime,

I have never been on a 25'. When you are cruising in the 20 's does it feel real slow on a boat that big?[/QUOTE

Actually it feels just right on a hot summer day/ evening!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: 25' Sea ray questions. Underpowered?

my 26' carver cruiser with flying bridge would hit 30mph on gps with a tired 2 barrel 305 (mercruiser 898 rated at 200hp) in it. I run a 16x14 prop and it planes almost instantly and cruises very nicely at 17-25 mph.
Factory test chart says 40 with stock 260 mercruiser and 15x17 prop.... I'll know soon enough as I just built a 350 for it...

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: 25' Sea ray questions. Underpowered?

sounds about right- 1984 26ft Wellcraft 1996 w/7.4Mercruiser /Bravo3 runs 43mph at 4600rpm- cruise 3600 rpm 30mph- you gotta dog 28mph .