Is 3.0 L enough power

[Philom]

I want to get a newer boat and would like to go to an inboard. I can find quite a few mid 2000's with 3.0 L engines in it but not sure if it is enough power after talking with a few people. Most say if you want to pull 2 (one person) tubes and have 4-6 kids/adults in the boat you need to go to a 4.3 L engine as you won't have the power. I don't know anyone who has a 3.0 so wondering other peoples thoughts, experiences.

 

[MacPointMan]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

I haven't pulled anyone yet on my boat. But with 4 adults and one child on board my 1988 Mercruiser 3.0 with an Alpha one drive and an old prop gives me upwards of 35 Mph GPS. Not bad for an old boat that needs a new prop and needs to have the Hull Wet Sanded, Buffed, and waxed.

MacPointMan

 

[JimKW]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

I would get at least the 4.3L V6. I understand the 3.0L is more economical to run, but I like my boat to have power. I have the 4.3L and went out both days this weekend and used about 15 gallons of gas. I don't think that is bad at all. The V8 will, of course, give you even more power, but will use more gas. I thought the 4.3L was a very good compromise. If I would have got something over 19.5' I would have gone V8.

 

[sltintexas]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

I have a 3.0LX. It is all that I have had and I don't know what having more power is like. I am sure it better..but...

I can pull tubers, skiiers, and wakeboarders all day long. I have had the boat overloaded weight-wise and still didn't have any issues.

I am 200lbs and I can get up on a wakeboard. I have had others we have taught to wakeboard and they got up on the first time (former skiiers).

I have one tube that gives us problems submerging but I think that is more an issue of tube design or that I don't know what I"m doing. I have another 3 person tube that I can pull with out issue.

I am sure more power wouldn't be a bad thing.

I have never burned more than 1/2 tank (about 10 gallons) in a day... and we run fairly hard all day long.

My boat is 18 ft and is rated for 8 people.

 

[Chaparralboater]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

I have the 3.0 as well and don't have problems. Top speed 38 in mine. 19 p prop. I would love the v6 tho but can manage with the 4 banger..

 

[tschmidty]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

Gas mileage isn't much of a concern really, maintenance costs are more of the factor when going to a larger motor.

The 3.0 will do fine really for what you want to do, tubing is not super demanding. But more power never hurts really. If I were looking again I would look for a 4.3 with MPI, fuel injection is much nicer than fiddling with a 22 year old carberateur.

 

[maharg]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

I love mine, I don't go faster than low 30's so no need for more power there. It pulls tubes just fine, and I can go a long ways on very little fuel. last time out we ran WOT for 4.5 hrs and I only burned 16 gallons of gas, my dads 4.3 with a 4 bbl goes through double that. Most of the new 3.0s will get over 40 mph, and have no problems getting skiers out of the water.

That being said, if my next boat is 18ft or less I will get another 3.0, if its over 18ft I will get a 4.3.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

we ran WOT for 4.5 hrs and I only burned 16 gallons of gas

That's typical for a 3.0.

 

[oops!]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

i have owned both a 4.3 and a 3.l on two seperate 19 foot boats.

the 3.l is just fine. cheap on gas......and at 5 bux a gallon here....that is a major concern.

i ran a 19 p prop on both....and mo worries with pulling any thing....

as mentioned above.....i pull skiers, tubes, wakeboards, huge logs and what ever else you can imagine, i even towed a 45 foot house boat across a huge lake with the 3l.

most of this with 4 football players and there gf's on board

the 3l is fine

 

[JimKW]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

I will make a guarantee here: If you buy the 4.3L, you will never say I wish I would have got the 3.0L. The other way around not so sure.

 

[Etd]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

7 on board, pulling a tuber is doable, but not as nice as only 3-4, don't kid yourselves. IF we are talking 3 kids/teens, way different than my 280 6'4" frame and 3 of my buddies all same size. That said, does everything I have asked.

But I wish I had the 4.3 at times, not often however.......

 

[maharg]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

You must have a very special 3.0L. All the others on the planet burn 10 to 12 gallons per hour at WOT.

Seems to be the norm with the other 3.0 owners I spoke to. I went 2 hrs up river, and 2 hrs down. The 30 minutes comes in from going around in circles for a bit waiting for the other parties toon to catch up. By WOT I was running 4400, I only have a 16 gallon tank and I did not refuel.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

We had a 16.5 foot SeaRay with a 3.0 for ten years. Great boat, no issues pulling tubes but not fast by any stretch at 40 mph top speed. Although then (as now) my cruising speed is usually about 25 mph. I'm an inland lake boater so don't need to rocket to a fishing hole 20 miles off shore or cover huge coastal distances. We're just motoring along, enjoying the scenery or heading to a beach no more than 10 miles away.

The boat was economical to own and operate and I really loved it. I will admit, however, that whenever I was out on a friend's boat with a 4.3 or bigger, the oomph and rate of knots available was nice. Like last weekend heading out of Parry Sound to an island cottage, it really shortened the ride to be able to do 50 mph. This was a Mercury Verado 175 on the back of a Crestliner so not an I/O but the point is when you want to just cover ground...er...water....having that capability was great.

So, really just two factors to weigh - mission requirements and budget for purchasing and operating.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[642mx]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

I will make a guarantee here: If you buy the 4.3L, you will never say I wish I would have got the 3.0L. The other way around not so sure.

Exactly! You can never have enough. I wish my big block had more power....lol.

My last boat was 18 foot and had a 4bbl 4.3L. It was great on gas (but really, who cares?) and it had all kinds of power for watersports. I couldn't imagine owning one with a 4 banger.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

Seems to be the norm with the other 3.0 owners I spoke to.

Yes, it is.

 

[QC]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

Guys, these fuel use threads always get testy, for some reason especially 3.0s . . . What 45Auto posts is accurate and although some experience of yours may seem to contradict the rules of thumb (laws of physics in this case) these are pretty close to hard rules with very small percentage variations; generally less than 10%

Fuel efficiency of Otto Cycle (4 stroke, spark plugs and an intake throttle), diesel engines, two cycle gasoline etc. are somewhat fixed. Yes carbed two cycles are significantly less efficient than their EFI brethren, and carbed 4 strokes are less efficient than their bros too. But like for like, they are ALL pretty close. There are no magic engines, and no magic gas pills and there are no magic fuels.

There are also variations of hull design, but if you search out the data as suggested, and compare, compare, compare, you will find that there are some bookends to variability that preclude WOT operation for four hours with 16 gallons of gasoline to work with. It is very difficult to delicately tell someone that they are wrong. Buuuuuut, fuel use is a major safety issue and needs to be well understood. It serves no purpose to allow erroneous information to pleasure boaters, so I for one strongly support amending anything regarding fuel use that is inaccurate. And frankly, 4 hours at WOT in even a 2.5 120 MUST burn at least 40 gallons. This generality is just not debatable

 

[scipper77]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

All fuel consumption issues aside...

I have a 3.8 Mercruiser (only used a couple years then replaced by the 4.3) and my friend has a 4 cyl volvo penta. The six cylinder is way better in my opinion. you can pull a skier just fine either way but the added power is very nice. When I drive his boat I can't believe the difference even though I never really use the added power I have. Both boats are 17' open bow design of similar weight.

I primarily cruise around and fish so I don't care about the added power, but it's definitely worth paying a little more for the hp increase. After you make the purchase it will cost a whole lot more to get there.

 

[maharg]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

That's why it's good to have sites like Boattest.com, etc, so people can look up real test data instead of having to try to decipher what is real or not on these forums.

You're right, I have lied about it, I stopped and got fuel 2 other times on the trip, I must have forgotten.

Seriously, what benefit would I have for lying about this? I ran my boat from 2pm until 9pm stopping at the Manchester islands in the Ohio and stopping again for dinner. It is 80 miles round trip and as stated above I had to do circles in the river while waiting for my buddy to catch up in his toon. I was running around 4400 rpm avg. so I was doing about 26 mph.

OP, weather you believe me or not I like the 3.0.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

Nice boat.

 

[sltintexas]

Re: Is 3.0 L enough power

I'm not going to jump in the middle of the discussion above, but I'll post my data. I believe it to be fairly accurate..or at least as accurate as my tach is, all speeds are GPS.


I can run WOT at about 4600 RPMs, with only me and get 39.9MPH (seriously can I not squeeze another .1 ) I do that very seldom..if ever.

My cruising RPM is 3600 RPMs at 29MPH usually with at least 4 people on board.

I am happy with my 3.0L but I am sure more power is always better.