Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

[wink37]

Hi There

I've been scanning the forums for previous threads on the boat I'm looking at right now but haven't found much.

Right now I have an 18ft BR with a 4.3 Merc in it. Runs well, but its rated for 6 people and a bit small when we have friends visit.

Here is the boat I'm looking at:

Its a one owner boat and been serviced by the same chap dealer that sold it new and always been stored in a boat house - so solid.

The only concern is that at 2ft longer than my current boat (and about 450lbs more) - will the 4.3 be underpowered? I don't care too much about top speed - its about getting on a plane and pulling skiiers / wakeboarders.

The guys at the Marina say the Chap's "Chaparral's extended V plane hull" makes a big difference in this regard and that there are a lot of these out there / 4.3 is a solid engine.

Any thoughts?

Note - boat is 2550 lbs with a 7.4" beam

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

It wont be underpowered, even when loaded. If you dont care about top end, put a 4 blade prop on it and it will plane out lickety-split.

Source: owner and operator of a 2734lb (dry) 19' 6" boat with a 4.3L VP

 

[wink37]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

It wont be underpowered, even when loaded. If you dont care about top end, put a 4 blade prop on it and it will plane out lickety-split.

Source: owner and operator of a 2734lb (dry) 19' 6" boat with a 4.3L VP

Thanks for the input!!

 

[Augoose]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

My 20' Caravelle with a 4.3 3 blade prop was faster out of the hole than my current 20' with the 5.0 and a 4 blade prop. I really enjoyed my 4.3 - its plenty powerful.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

and they also want to sell it

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Note - boat is 2550 lbs with a 7.4" beam

No you won't be. That is Chaparral's "entry level" line of boats from that era. SSi was the heavy, better finished, and more expensive boat line back. At that beam and weight, you will not be underpowered. (I almost bought the 205 cuddy version of that boat, with a 4.3)

 

[drrpm]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

That boat is pretty light and has a narrow beam. The 4.3 should be fine even with a carbureter.

 

[V153]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Something about the 4.3 is it runs outa hp before it runs outa torque, great motor for pullin toys. And if'n that's yer objective, then yes go with a four blade prop.

Fwiw my lil bro has a 19' Stingray w/4.3 that'll run 52 or 3 with a light load. Wouldn't call that underpowered?

 

[wink37]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Thanks everyone !! Much appreciated

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

My Dad had a 4.3 in his 21ft Tahoe deckboat that weighed in at about 3500lbs. I would say it was a bit underpowered, but was fine for running around the lake and pulling tubes. It topped out at about 40mph. If your boat only weighs in at 2550lbs, you will be more than fine. When I first read the title, I was thinking of my old Chap 21 footer. It was very heavy and a 4.3 would have been horrible.

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Fwiw my lil bro has a 19' Stingray w/4.3 that'll run 52 or 3 with a light load. Wouldn't call that underpowered?

I've had my 195, which is a bit heavier then the open bow version, over 50mph on GPS with a three blade 23P prop as well. Can't remember what the exact speed was since that prop didnt stay on long and it was just one run; something like 51 or 52 mph. I greatly prefer my four blade prop even though the boat tops out around 48 mph now.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

...Fwiw my lil bro has a 19' Stingray w/4.3 that'll run 52 or 3 with a light load. Wouldn't call that underpowered?

Comparing Stingrays and Chaparrals, even at simliar weights is not a good comparison. Stingrays are known to be faster due to their Z-Plane hull design. (And their really light weights).

However, as stated a few times, with this Chap's beam and weight, a 4.3 will be fine.

 

[V153]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Ya Stingray's 'Z plane' hull is light & fast. Compared to a Chaparral.

Don't make no difrence to me, I can smoke em both

Chase boat in these pics was a 21 Chap w/260 IO.

Granted those boats are probly a lil more comfortable ...

 

[jkust]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

My sig Chaparral is a hair under 3000lbs dry and has a 33gallon gas tank with a wider beam powered by a 4.3 liter. The optional engines went all the way up to 270HP. After having owned it for several years now here's what I'll say. It will hit 51.6mph on GPS with just me in it and maybe 10 gallons of gas. Loaded with the family and a full tank of gas plus a lot of equipment it will do 46 right at the edge recommended WOT rpm's. That is with a basic 21" aluminum prop. The 270HP would come in handy when I load 6 people in there which I rarely do. While the boat you mention is a Chaparral, it is the old school/pre 2002 hull design and is lighter than most of the small bowriders they made up until 2009. Chaparral made a huge leap forward with their boats with the new hull design inside and outside and made that same boat for the better part of the decade.
Pretty much every other boat out there will be faster than my boat. I can second that the 4.3 has a suprising amount of peak torque albeit the curve isn't nearly as flat as the basic carbed 5.0 which is considered anemic by v8 standards. End of the day, for me, I wished I had the 270hp option. For your subject boat, I think you will be satisfied.

 

[90stingray]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Op, something to think about.... looks like it has the 1 PC exhaust manifolds.... the batwing manifolds. Do a little searching on those. Might turn you off. Might not. I bought a boat with those and i did change them out to the traditional manifolds, risers, and elbows last year.
Also the price says does not include a trailer. Do you have one? Or are you going to buy theirs and does it fit the boat well?
Good luck!

 

[jestor68]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Ya Stingray's 'Z plane' hull is light & fast. Compared to a Chaparral.

Don't make no difrence to me, I can smoke em both

Chase boat in these pics was a 21 Chap w/260 IO.

Granted those boats are probly a lil more comfortable ...

Does the lack of windshield make it faster?

 

[jkust]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Ya Stingray's 'Z plane' hull is light & fast. Compared to a Chaparral.

Don't make no difrence to me, I can smoke em both

Chase boat in these pics was a 21 Chap w/260 IO.

Granted those boats are probly a lil more comfortable ...

The comparisons are getting father and farther apart. Maybe someone will pipe in with a v8 berkley jet next.

 

[fireman_54]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

I Am going to chime in for question if that's all right.

here is a picture of one of the boats I have been looking at its in a 89 vip valiant.
My question is where is a good online store for motor parts other than ebay lol that i can look for mods.
thanks guys

 

[V153]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Does the lack of windshield make it faster?

Yes, by about .7 mph. But after a golf ball sized bumble bee smacks you 'tween the eyes @ 55 ya might wanna reconsider ...

 

[jkust]

Re: Chaparral 20ft BR with a 4.3 - will I be underpowered?

Yes, by about .7 mph. But after a golf ball sized bumble bee smacks you 'tween the eyes @ 55 ya might wanna reconsider ...

Sure and snapping the bow cover on will increase speed a tad too.