Personally, I think carbs are better than EFI on boats. The fuel burn difference seems undetectable. The difference is in the COST TO FIX IT.

EFI is very difficult to troubleshoot. Boats, unlike cars, WILL HAVE PROBLEMS.

Carbs are very easy to trouble shoot, and very easy and cheap to fix if anything goes wrong.

On boats, most of the money goes to the cost of repairs and maintenance.
The second biggest chunk is the fuel.
The third is the purchase price (the payments).
The big fourth is insurance.
And storage is a bit of coin for some people.

So I think that 42, with staggered, carb big blocks, is probably a real good one for the cost to repair and maintain.

Personally, I'd do two things right away with that boat:

1) Replace the head with a vacuflush, with an overboard macerator.

The problem with the head in that boat is that it uses a LOT of water to flush. That means the holding tank fills up fast. And worse, it pushes the waste with a LOT of pressure, so the plastic holding tank can (will) burst when it gets full. Give some girls beer to drink, and you'll soon have sewage all over.

A complete vacuflush system will cost about $5K. Best $5K you'll ever spend on the boat.

2) Replace the V-berth with a real mattress. http://www.boatbeds.com/ built the one for my boat. Its more comfortable than home! About $1500 or $2000, but you'll find you'll use the boat a LOT more.

Thanks everbody!!! I really apprieceate all the advice. I have a deposit on the boat and cant wait to get her home

one more thing,what size is the holding tank and can I just add a macerator/overboard discharge?

Watch the laws concerning that...I know around here if you are caught with a functioning overboard discharge, they stick you with a MONSTER fine. We just pee in a bucket and dump it overboard!

Ya,I think its a new law here to.Just curious though.

Great looking boat! I had a 99 42ft Lightning with 500 carbs and Patriot graphics. I loved the boat!!! Congrats on the new boat.

thanks mcraymond3, I wish it had the patriot graphics.what did you get for fuel consumption if you remember? thanks

Don't forget the valve train will need to be rebuilt on those HP500's around 250 hours.
Loaded boat, looks good.

Pretty trivial to hide the overboard macerator system. Its not illegal to use one most places, just some places. Where it's illegal to use, you just need a way to prevent it from being used, like a lock on the thru-hull handle.

You really want it so you never have to hassle with sh*t (literally).

Is this boat sold???? It was "Deal Pending" however now it is not?????