ChrisO

Hi guys and girls!

Iīm new here on the forum. me and my friend isthinking of buying a four winns liberator 261 (we live in sweden). and none of us are not a big fan actually of twin engines. but we are in love with the 261.if we ditch the engines and put in a big block engine instead, would that work? or is the boat to heavy? IF itīs correct info i have, it would weigh around 3000 kg with twin and around 2500 with one engine? calculated with a 502 mag and bravo 3 drive. what would you recommend for this boat if so? 7.4 330 hk carb, 7.4 mpi, 502 mag efi, or maybe a 496 mag/ho. . we do not need a very high top speed. just want a good crusing speed instead with a descent fuel consumption.

Griff

I'd leave it with twin smallblocks and Bravo 1 drives. It will have better cruise speeds and will be just as fuel efficient as a single big block.

mike tkach

iTrader: (3)

like griff said plus with twins if one quits you can still get home.

MILD THUNDER

iTrader: (3)

I had a 241 Liberator. They were also available with twins, but mine was a single. Had a 600HP 540 in it. Ran right around 70mph. They are heavy hulls. I weighed mine at the scale once. Boat and trailer weighed 8500lbs. Or, in your case, 3850KG. The 261, is a big 26. Probably bigger than most modern 28-29's, and heavier. I'd stick with the twins.

SABER28

holy crap! my 28 saber with twin big blocks weights that! and they aren't known to be light.

ChrisO

hi.

thatīs strange (iīm not say that your lying, but just confused). because the info about the weight on a 261 can be from around 5500 punds up to 6500 pounds (with twin 460 s). IF i have calculated right with a single engine if the the weight is correct (6500 pounds). it would land aound 2500 kg with a 502 mag and bravo 3

http://boatspecs.iboats.com/Four_Win...89/bp/66b34142

http://www.boatshop24.com/en/-26-fou...wrFMoUmebFR.97

i donīt say this sites is trust worthy. but from 5500 pounds up to 8500 pounds (with trailer) is A LOT of difference with weight.

MILD THUNDER

iTrader: (3)

This was weighed on a certified cat scale. On paper my 38 fountain is suppose to weigh 8500 lbs. In real life, it weighs over 10,000. My fountain on a certified scale, was over 13k lbs with trailer.

ChrisO

yeah, itīs maybe like you says. itīs always look good on pappers, but the reallity after almost 30 years later, itīs a little bit heavier. so maybe it would weigh around 3000 kg with a 502 mag? if a calculated it right. the weight would drop with about 400-450 kg with a single engine. with sterndrives,engines etc.

79formula

Thats a big boat. To get decent performance out of a singe, it would have to be 500+ hp. Thats asking alot out of one drive. Share the load between 2 drives. Keep the twins.

masi242

I agree stay with twins, even if you went with a single 500hp you would probably only see low 60's at best.