If you want to keep going fast when it gets choppy the difference is enormous.

+1000

I had a 226 Larson with 21 degree deadrise. I thought it was a decent size boat until we did a poker run across Lake Maurapau. I had to keep the nose up and go slow to not break our backs or beat us to sh!t!

THEN, we bought a 25ol. Wasn't the fastest, but cruised easily at 50 and my lil kids (3&7 at the time) were not too scared. Will make Tight true 2fts smooth.

If your in any rough consistently, get a deep V!! You will not believe the difference, I was always jumping cruising wakes and am always impressed on how soft it lands. Think pillow... The Larson or any other V less than 24 will slap!

As a comparison related to this thread. I had a 225 Crownline that I had built a 600 HP engine for back in 2001. I subsequently sold the boat and kept the engine. I bought a new Nordic Heat and put that engine in it. The Nordic was 3-4 mph faster than the CL even though it was 6 feet longer and 1500 lbs. heavier.

For those of you questioning building a big engine for your existing boat. This is a good example. Boats have been sold but the engine keeps getting refreshed and put in new boats. That engine is currently making 1000 HP and lives in a different Nordic. I can think of probably a dozen boats(engines) that we've done the same thing for. Just keep recycling them. LOL.

The project build will pretty much be for a sleeper. I'm keeping the stock engine complete for when I sell it. The water I normally go on is 1-2 foot waves so it rides pretty good, but doesn't slice through them like my old liberator. I'm thinking my next boat after the CL will be a cat (ss24 HTM) so my hp500 will be a good candidate for that.

The low speed Top End even with good power with Crownline , Searay etc... Is due to there wide beam (big water resistance) and there ratio of size to weight.

You are better off finding a narrow beam boat a Vee Pad style hull to get a good portion of the hull out of the water.

There was someone who actually used to race a Crownline here in NJ years back. It always surprised me that the boat held up in those conditions, considering the one I owned basically turned into a pile of rot.

I think that was Dick Sheipline. (SP).. Like Bob said, some boats were'nt meant to go fast. I had a CL225 w/496 mag and it would hit low 60s but was like a squirrel on crack in anything but glass. Wanted to go a little faster so I sold it and got a 32 ft w/twins. Never looked back. The cost difference betweeen the two was less than half of what it would have taken to make the 225 go 75 and I can do it in anything now!!

Update: put motor in and runs 87 mph!!!! hahaha just kidding. Sold the boat and bought a cat!!

Sound wisdom . Pics please !

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