Here's a clean open bow family truckster that's designed to run at speeds above 80mph. Seating for 8, ski tow, 691HP=not too shabby.
http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/47440

Guys thank you for the feedback. The steering is concerning. At what speed is external hydraulic necessary? I agree price seems steep. It is an original owner boat and he spent time with the cobalt factory engineers tuning both the SC and selecting props with the Mercury rep. Internals upgraded and HD drive coupling installed. Owner swears it will do 80's at sea level with 30P props on it and pushes 75 at Elephant Butte on 28P props. Is this just impossible? Boat seems extremely clean and I don't mind paying a slight premium for something that has all of the gremlins sorted. SC has been on it since 2004. Could the drive be replaced with an xr?

I'm really looking for a family friendly boat in that price range (open bow or MCOB) that will do 70+ and can comfortably cruise at 45mph. Any recommendations? Love the idea of a sleeper.
I've also looked at several Sunsation 288 MCOB's. I really like the more classic lines and more subtle graphics (ideally lack entirely) To each their own. Thoughts and advise welcome. Thank you!

Above 60 it starts, and 70 you better have it, IMO

Have him take a vid holding a GPS with it doing that speed

Sure, just takes another 12 to 14K

Driving a 70mph plus single engine boat of this size is much smoother and safer with a good air entrapment hull design IMHO. The wetted surface on the single engine V's when trimmed for top speed can get rather small causing some undesirable handling characteristics. I've owned both (single engine V 26 ft and single engine air entrapment 26 ft) 70 plus mph boats and like the latter much better at speeds over 70. Now with that said driving back to the condo after the LOTO Shootout event on a Saturday I'd take the V at 45mph all day long.

Check out my avatar. 5 years newer, 80mph, XR drive, hydraulic steering, seating for as many as you want to cram in it. Not much more $$ than what you are looking at.

Yeah, and no pine tree air fresheners required to get the Elephant Butte smell out of the interior!

(Couldn't resist, my inner child pretty much runs the place)

I have had some fountain skanks in there though. Might need to be aired out a little

Hard pass way over priced. That's like trying to make a corsica a Camaro. Can you do it yes. But why would you? At the end of the day you still have a corsica not a sports car and you wasted a ton of $$ if it was 20 or 25k it would be different.

I'm not sure why he went to the trouble of adding a Whipple looking for speed and decided to keep the Bravo III. That boat is not so big and heavy that it would be a pig stock with with a Bravo I, let alone after adding the Whipple. Worked with Cobalt engineers tuning the Whipple? Really? I bet Dustin Whipple would like to hear this story. You wouldn't need a Mercury rep to select props. They only made so many pitches in the Bravo III prop sets so you would pic props based on your target Max RPM. I wouldn't be dazzled by such stories. If there was so much involvement by experts then explain the absence of hydraulic steering.

Not to mention the guys name but there is a guy here which in several discussions has had boats above 80 mph on a B3.