V6 or V8. If you had the chance to choose again?

[ClearCreekRdr]

I had posted this in the Four Winns forum, but I didn't realize there was a wakeboarding forum. Sorry for the cross post!

I am looking at buying my first boat and I am pretty sure I want a four winns. I have been looking at runabouts because I have a wife and two daughters. We are not bigtime wakeboarders or skiers, but we love the outdoors, water sports, and fishing.

I am looking at a Horizon 190 with the Volvo 225hp motor. I was talking to a buddy of mine who owned a 2003 Four Winns Horizon 200 (V8 Volvo) and he swears that if I buy the V6 I will end up selling my boat within the year and buy a V8. He says that if I have 5 or more people in the boat that, unless the person wakeboarding is REALLY REALLY good, people will struggle at getting up. He says the more power helps.

What are your thoughts? Which way would you go? I am concerned because my friend knows me well and if I am unhappy I would sell and buy the right one. Thats just the kind of person I am. But, from what I can tell the V8's are on average $8-10k more. That's a pretty huge price difference.

Thoughts?

Thanks for the help!

Edit: I would be putting a tower on the boat. I hear this can make a difference (in a negative way for an underpowered boat).

 

[SeanT]

Re: V6 or V8. If you had the chance to choose again?

I don't think a 225HP Volvo is anywhere near underpowered.

 

[QC]

Re: V6 or V8. If you had the chance to choose again?

It's not about V8 vs. V6, it's about power. A 225 V6 today is as strong as a 260 V8 of yesteryear, and there were a lot of 230s back then too. I used to pull out a slalom skier with a 140 4 cylinder and four people in the boat. This is not to say that you would not be happier with a V8 though. If you are comparing it to a 280 or 320 Volvo, then yes, major difference and simply more flexible, more fun and faster.

Sounds like you're buying new? I don't see 8 - 10 K difference on used boats. In this market I'd be shopping harder and looking for one or two year old boats with everything you want. Don't skimp as it sounds like you will second guess yourself.

 

[jkust]

Re: V6 or V8. If you had the chance to choose again?

Absolutly go with the V8 if you plan to board with a lot of passengers. My 19 footer is rated to 270hp but I only have the base 190 Mercruiser. For my needs with little kids, it is more than adequate but when I add 4 adults plus my two kids, it is lacking on hole shot. Last year when I bought, the cost of fuel entered my thought process a lot more than had I bought this year. All that said, buying used brings down the gap between the V6 and the V8 cost. Then locating a smaller, upscale bowrider with a mpi v6 much less a v8 and MPI proved literally impossible locally new or used. I did not address the fact that the mpi 6 has the same hp as the carb 8 since that has been covered in detail in lots of other threads. I assume when you say v8 you mean mpi v8 versus mpi 6 of the same year.

 

[Showtime22]

Re: V6 or V8. If you had the chance to choose again?

V-8 for boarding. Then get a speed prop and a stump puller prop.