I've been lurking here for a while, gathering valuable information for my next boat purchase. Now there's something I'd like to hear people's (expert?) opinions about.

I'm about to purchase a 330SS, a clean boat, 454/330 MPI:s with low hours but maintenance has clearly been neglected. The problem is that there's some evidence of rust and freezing damage in engines - repower time. I'm considering twin 475...525hp, possibly even more.

o How much power can the 330 hull handle?
o How much can the drives (Bravo 3) handle in a boat this size and what are my options with props, assuming that I keep the drives?
o What other factors should I consider, trying to keep the amount of components to be changed at a bare minimum?
o Anyone broken 65 or even 70mph with a 330SS... yet?

I don't think Formula would put more than the 375 hp 496 in them. There is a reason for that.

Otherwise it is a great party boat and with a reasonable 40-50 mph high cruise, but if you boat where it's rough you might want to test drive one first.

Those are the reasons. Plus at a certain point that hull just won't go much faster.

Come on, if it's pointy at one end we can make it go faster, just need enough power, probably get over 100 with 1200s

whats speed does the 330 run with the 454/330??

I've heard it's a PIG with the 454/330's......BIII are regular bravos with a lower that gets a much better bite on the water (dual props). 500hp should be fine in that boat if driven like a little old lady is on board, and should hit mid-upper 60's once the props are tuned for it. (BIII will limit speed eventually but this package wont be fast enough to make a difference). If you like the rest of the boat look for 496/425 take-outs or if willing, tired 500's and re-fresh.

Thanks for input, this sounds like a good start.

Most of the water the boat will see is archipelago, no chop to speak of and I fully understand that we're not talking about an offshore race hull here. (Deadrise... 20deg?) I also understand that at high speeds that hull can get you in a lot of trouble if the driver doesn't know what he's doing.
A family man has to compromise between speed, size/maneuverability and room to keep wife and kids happy.

I think the stock 454/330:s are good for low 50's mph or something like that, which is IMO borderline pathetic for a boat that's supposed to have some performance. 60mph+, preferrably high 60's or 70mph flat would be just the ticket.

If twin 500's or so will suffice for that, I'm happy. Delta Performance's 600hp QSB diesels and surface drives is a high-$ alternative, that can't really be justified with estimated 40-50hrs a season.

My wife and I purchased a 2000 330SS about 6 years ago. I got a good deal on a pair of Bravo1's that I had installed. Boat went about 52.
A few years later we rebuilt the 454's into 489's. This got us to about 58.
Next we got a great deal on tips and diverters. That got us another .2 mph no the gps.
Next I took out some of the wedge on the bottom that gave us about 1 or 2 mph.
Next we installed some CMI headers. So far we are at about 59.4 if I remember correctly what the gps said.
There are some friends at the marina with the same year 454's. They ran some ethanal fuel as I did. The fuel lins are breaking down so they were replaced and it inproved the function of the motors. I plan on doing the same thing this coming spring.
I know this sounds like we should have purchased something different some time ago, however it is a bit fun working on the project. We like talking about it and making noise.

If high 60's to low 70's is your goal you really need to look for a different boat. The HP it will take to run that hull those speeds will be busting those Bravo III's left and right. Even if you can keep the drives together you start to run into cavitation burn on Bravo III prop sets at those HP levels and speeds.