I'm finally getting my 272 Islander sorted out and scooting into the mid 60s with a N/A 502. I have a Vortech supercharger for it, but it has become apparent that this might not be the right boat to hot rod in such a manner because right about 50mph things start flying around and out. It's a great boat that can handle more speed, but it just doesn't seem like the right boat to reinvent with big power. I still have a few tweaks left to do that may get me into the upper 60s and I'm thinking of calling that good without paying $6k to upgrade the outdrive etc.

So I'm curious how fast others have pushed their Islanders?

You wont have to do a $6000 drive upgrade if you don't drive like your in the offshore world championship. I'm putting 600 through each of my stock bravos and a buddy of mine is putting about 900 through his with zero issues whatsoever.

If you watch how you drive you'll have no worries. And I know it doesn't exactly answer your question but I've seen regular 272's running in excess of 90 mph

Good to know, Bajasport. You read everything from hot sparkpugs will blow up a Bravo to 1000hp working just fun if you're gentle with it.

I guess my question is is the Islander really enjoyable at 70+? Is it cool? You betcha! But my question is more of how far to take an Islander performance wise as the lack of shelter and storage to stash stuff can be a nuisance at 50+.

I love the boat and love it for what it is. I'm curious as to what others have done specifically to an open bow.

I had a 2000 252 Islander about 5 years ago had a 502 w/side mount whipple and a BBlades labbed 28P bravo1 prop best I ever saw was 74mph. Eddie Young did a fair amount of work on it for me to get It sorted out the original install was not done correctly. I can tell you it took a lot of trim to lift the boat enough to hit 74 and it was not a fun 74mph the boat was on the edge of out of control. I sold it to a guy in Iowa who kept it on LOTO.

I'd say if you are doing mid 60's with a stock 502 you are doing great!

Our 252 is a 60 mph boat but seems to be suffering from some sort of hesitation wide open. I have not identified what this is yet. It just feels like it quits pulling (e.g. like a lean condition or retarded timing might feel). I blame it all on a Merc "update" to the PCM, but perhaps that is not the case.

In any event, the best we have seen (prior to the reflash) was 62-63. At that speed (and anything above 58 actually) we get a mild porpoising motion. Otherwise the boat is fine. The 272 carries more weight forward than the 252 as well as being longer so you may not run into this issue.

We have zero issues with things "flying around" and run in a variety of configurations. One thing I love about the Islanders is that they are so versatile. While we never run with the cockpit door in place any more, we regularly run with the center portion of the windshield removed. It makes for great airflow and easy bow access when cruising in the 30's and 40's which is where we spend the vast majority of our time. In sloppy or cold weather, we will run with the bow cover on and the center portion of the windshield in place. It is just great to have a boat that you can easily reconfigure to the needs of the day. One thing to watch is that you may have issues with the engine hatch trying to open if you remove the door. With airflow through the cockpit, that hatch becomes a nice airplane wing. We put double hatch rams in ours to solve that problem.

In any event, we do not have problems with things flying around except in "big" seas. And by that I mean the boat is leaving the water. Then some of the seat bottoms in front will start trying to open and then bang shut. I have some winter plans to put some rubber latches on them such as these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Buyers-Pro...NWtRFJ&vxp=mtr

In any event I am probably not the best to ask since we rarely run WFO. I would love the boat to go 70 (because my friends keep putting more power in theirs and none of us wants to be slower than their buddy), but at the end of the day that is rarely how we use the boat even if those moments are important.

Cold weather configuration:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]560266[/ATTACH]

Open configuration with 272 for comparison:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]560267[/ATTACH]

Sounds like you are trying to make sense of spending more money on a boat that will not be worth the investment. No boat is worth the investment (well, there are a few). If you enjoy it, go for it. If you think you would enjoy something different more, then it is probably better to get something different rather than try to make what you have into a different type of boat.

I still want 500hp.

Yea, Dan, I'm getting up to 63 now with a carbed crate motor. It has a ZZ502 cam which is less than ideal and a cam change may get me up into the upper mid 60s with a few other tweaks. I think that's good enough and rock solid power for this boat. It's so rare that I get to wot anyways. It's been my dream to make it rip, but to go through that expense, time, and wear for a gain where I live at only 5% of the time is just not effective. This is going to stay a simple family boat and maybe in the future I'll trade it for a thick gold chain and Fountain Fever lol.

I had good luck just using Velcro on the seats to hold them steady so that's been a vast improvement.

I still want 500 hp.

And then 550...then 600...then 700

Thanks for the input on the ride quality. The 272 is still rock solid at top speed now but probably not far from needing full hydraulic steering.

find something better than them eBay cooler straps
and that Tinker Toy is a fine looking boat but what about the one next to it with the purple

That's the one that makes Tinker Toy look so good.