What Power to Pick?
 

I'm about to order a new ride and would appreciate your ideas on the power choice.

Boat: 39 Cig
Goal: 100mph+ in fresh water @ 650' above sea level.

I've been running 525's w/ XR's and enjoy the hassle free set-up but... I must reach the century mark.

From what I understand, 700-750 HP will get me there. With that I could run XR drives. But I guess my question is this, I would like to go with the Merc 850 or 1075 w/ #6 but wonder about the maintenance? I'm no mechanic.

How many hours will these motors go before they need to be rebuilt?

How do the #6 drives handle verses the XR's?

Any comments and/or suggestions would be much appreciated

Re: What Power to Pick?
 

Merc's new 700hp with new drive

Re: What Power to Pick?
 

You can't go wrong with Richie Zul power in a Lip-Ship boat.

Go for the Zul 750 N/A tunnel ram motors with your choice of drives. A friend has this same setup with Bravo1 XR drives in a 2003 Top Gun, not staggered. He has eaten a couple drives, but the motors are flawless and magnificent works of art.

If you go to VI drives, you will eat some HP up with those transmissions and drives; but your setup will be closer to bulletproof. It all depends on if you want to cross the large chasm between a Bravo boat and a Speedmaster boat. It makes the boat a different class, and the pricetag also shows the difference.

Re: What Power to Pick?
 

Will this be at the Miami show? Haven't heard of a new motor or drive from Merc. Wonder if the 700 is a pumped up 600 or a detuned 850?

Re: What Power to Pick?
 

850's with #6's is the way to go.

Re: What Power to Pick?
 

pumped up 600, there is a thread in General D. about it.

Re: What Power to Pick?
 

Do you know how many hours I can expect from the 850's before a rebuild? I've been told 50 and I've been told 100. I'm not interested in a 50 hour motor, 100+ would be OK.

Re: What Power to Pick?
 

Yes, there will be a new 700(Pumped up 600) with a new drive.
The 850 should be a 100-150 hr motor. Then just a top end. Everyone I know, including Skip from Cig, has gotten over 100hr on their 1075, and then just a top end.So the 850 should just go up from there.

Re: What Power to Pick?
 

Like 42MTI said, you should get 150 or more hours out of the 850sci. Pair that with a #6 and it's a bulletproof package.

Re: What Power to Pick?
 

Stay with Merc power...
Regards