Hi, I have decided that an older Formula 233 is absolutely the most perfect boat for me, and I am looking for one to purchase and restore. I would ultimately like to have at least 400 horsepower in the boat, and I am trying to figure out the best way to achieve that in this boat. Should I buy one that already has twin Merc 165's and try to squeeze more power out of them? Should I put in twin 350s? Can I put in a single big block? I've even thought about adding a bracket to the transom for twin outboards.

Twins are appealing for redundancy, in case I want to venture far from shore. If I am correct in my thinking, twin I/Os will also reduce the draft somewhat because the drives will be a bit higher. This would be a plus, since the chain where I boat 98% of the time is shallow. I'm thinking twins would be more expensive than a single big block, though, and cost is also a factor. The appeal to having the twin outboards is more cockpit seating space, easier repowers, no bellows to worry about, and redundancy. The drawback with twin outboards is that I lose the beautiful teak swim platform.

If anyone has any input that might help me figure these things out, I would greatly appreciate it!

--John