I wouldn't get rid of the 496 and closed cooling for where you are running the boat.

For the people poo poo in the checks construction I would beg to differ.

I have an 87 251 that had a 590 horse stroker 454 in it at 82 miles an hour when I bought it.

It now has 225 Evinrude’s and runs the same speed.

Been through transom, stringers, floor bulkheads and found ZERO rot/delamination.

Have core samples of all of the above for anyone doubting my word.

The 253 in my shop was a 95 and also spotless and rocksolid!

I have a onboard video of it coming out through 6 foot waves in Lake Erie where you can count the number of seconds before it lands in the trough between wave crest for that side of the argument as well.

I boat on lake erie also and would LOVE to see your onboard video of the 253 flying through 6 footers on the lake! PLEASE POST!! :boat:

Won’t let me load it from my phone.

I’ll have to find it on YouTube later.

Honestly it was a mistake on my part.

We should’ve stayed for another night. We were at Middle Bass Marina Island State Park for the weekend.

Was questionable whether to even go over but not too bad.
Forecast was for it to stay the same all weekend Which is always a risk on that lake and a small boat.

My wife has been with me many many times in as severe of water and a boat that size or smaller and has been fearless.

This time we gambled Sunday morning that it was going to settle down if we waited and left the island later that day which is what the forecast was for.

But it did not change.

She was nervous as many boats were coming back in and abandoning the return trip.

My idea was that it would be some cool video to get and might keep her preoccupied and it did the opposite.

Scared the dog **** out of her!

Its a Short 38 second video of us coming out of the entrance to the marina. The first half mile was semi protected but once we got out of the shelter of the island it hit the fan pretty solidly. The first two big waves we hit you can hear the boat drop before it hits the trough.

And the second one she screamed and that was it, we went into survival mode to make it home.

The little boats are a beast in rough water if you know what you’re doing and your careful.

Have a similar one of our old 22 foot formula and 4 foot waves but it was longer video.

She was OK doing that one :-)
It wasn’t pounding though and that’s what scares her.

Vi-dee-ohh!!
Vi-dee-ohh!!
Vi-dee-ohh!!

;)

If looking for votes... keep the Velocity.

I don't see the reason why you would want to switch...both are similar boats. Ride will not be drastically different unless you increase the length by 10'.

They've completed a couple with 450's now. A silver 290SC that ran 1-teens, and the latest is the VR1 with 450's that is expected into the 20's. They're still testing props on the black one.

The other 290SC's have been either 400R's or 300R's, low 100's with 400's and low 90's with the 300's. Bad ass with full cabins and the amenities.

Couple of videos of the black one running on their Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/126165477406359/

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...bf76599142.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...eeb6439cb6.jpg

Actually, tagged the video as 8’ waves, not 6’s.

Remember, we were just heading out, so the the last two waves that scared the Mrs, were the first real waves once into the lake.

should I be the first to say it…

Yes.

Just remember before you guys get all preachy, at 13 yrs old I built a 8’ three point hydroplane and ran it across Sandusky Bay, on the weekends for yrs!
Ask around about that water.
Stuffed it a couple times but never swamped it.

Crossed Lake Erie many times, and weekended on the boat, in a 19’ cuddy.

Spent my Entire childhood crewing on my dad’s cabin cruisers on Lake Erie which included a three week vacation every summer up into northern Lake Huron.

Starting out with four of us on a 26 foot plywood, single IB Chris-Craft.

And all was before electronics.
We plotted a course and ran compass, the entire trip.

The old man went on to be the commander of the local power squadron and Coast Guard auxiliary.
Same for my mom.

Ain’t my first rodeo.

With knowledge, experience, and enough power you can do amazing things with a little boat if you’re on your toes.