New boat Mercruiser HP question

[andrewterri]

Finally got tired of always working on our current boat as monthly parts are quickly becoming a payment. We want new and after a quick trip to the bank we looked at a 2017 Chaparral 21 sport with the new mercruiser 4.5 250HP. This motor sounds like a good fit with the boat. Were the question lies is with a used boat I happened upon, it is a 2010 Chaparral 226 SSi with the mercruiser 5.0 260HP. According to my research that boat weights 3900 pounds. Does 260 HP for a 23' boat seem a little weak? There will be 6 six on it and for now 4 of them are kids ranging from 2-12 years old. The boat has 190 hours on it and that does not seem bad to me. I was wanting new so there will be no maintenance issues but this used boat sounds intriguing as they are asking 33k and it is in immaculate shape. What do you guys think?

 

[Paddichuck]

Looks like the 260hp 5.0 was the small standard engine with a 300hp 5.7 as the big one. Boattest.com has data for a 2012 model with the 300hp 5.7L, showing 54.4mph as the top end. I think the 260hp would still push it reasonably quickly. My guess is mid 40s. If it's in great shape I say go for it. Nice boat!

 

[tpenfield]

Finally got tired of always working on our current boat as monthly parts are quickly becoming a payment. We want new and after a quick trip to the bank we looked at a 2017 Chaparral 21 sport with the new mercruiser 4.5 250HP. This motor sounds like a good fit with the boat. Were the question lies is with a used boat I happened upon, it is a 2010 Chaparral 226 SSi with the mercruiser 5.0 260HP. According to my research that boat weights 3900 pounds. Does 260 HP for a 23' boat seem a little weak? There will be 6 six on it and for now 4 of them are kids ranging from 2-12 years old. The boat has 190 hours on it and that does not seem bad to me. I was wanting new so there will be no maintenance issues but this used boat sounds intriguing as they are asking 33k and it is in immaculate shape. What do you guys think?

A new boat does not guarantee no maintenance issues . . . often new boats have 'teething' pains that will have you going back and forth for 'warranty' work.

The new Mercruiser 4.5 / 250 HP is the new line of purpose-built engines from Mercrury/Mercruiser. They no longer use the GM blocks, and have designed their own engine from the ground up with the specific purpose of being a marine engine.

The 2010 Chappy is new enough so that it *should* not be a maintenance headache, but it IS a boat. . . the 5.0 260 HP is the GM based engine. I'd double-check the HP rating, since it is a 5.0

As far as the HP versus the boat size . . . definitely not over powered, might be better as a 5.7 engine for the number of people, etc.

How much $$$ damage is the 2017 Chappy ?

 

[Scott Danforth]

the 5.0 MPI is 260, however it isnt a 5.7 or 6.2

 

[andrewterri]

The 2017 is 38,000 but the dealer is willing to come off it some to make from for 2018's I think I can get him down to 35,000. The 2010 is 33,000 asking price on the internet. The 2010 is in great shape in the pictures but I will have to drive to look at it. I just got worried about being under powered. Is that boat reasonable to be used a lot for tubing or is it kind of getting to large to always be used for tow sports?

 

[andrewterri]

Do you guys think the 4.5 would make a better engine than the GM blocks?

 

[Paddichuck]

I don't think the boat is too large for tow sports. I have a family same size (4 boys) approximately same ages. You'll want that much boat if there are 6 of you in the vessel (or 5 with one being towed). I think the 300hp would by optimal but I'm sure the 260 will tow adequately, especially with young kids being towed (not like you're putting two 200lb water skirts on behind). I have no experience with the new merc 4.5 but there are an awful lot of GM 5.0L engines out there and lots of parts available.

 

[tpenfield]

Don't tell anybody, but we routinely did wake boarding with my 26 foot Formula w/ 330 HP 7.4L Mercruiser. 5,000 lb boat 5-6 ppl aboard.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Don't tell anybody, but we routinely did wake boarding with my 26 foot Formula w/ 330 HP 7.4L Mercruiser. 5,000 lb boat 5-6 ppl aboard.

Known to cause brain damage.

 

[blamtro]

Ted, do you do any water sports behind your 330? If so, how does it playout?

Don't tell anybody, but we routinely did wake boarding with my 26 foot Formula w/ 330 HP 7.4L Mercruiser. 5,000 lb boat 5-6 ppl aboard.

 

[tpenfield]

Ted, do you do any water sports behind your 330? If so, how does it playout?

Tubing only. We have not tried wake boarding, and I don't think the boat will be able to pull up a boarder as the props tend to 'blow out' if you give it too much throttle from a standstill.