Single engine in a Four winns liberator 261?
 

Hi guys and girls!

I´m 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 it´s 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.

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.

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

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.

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

hi.

that´s strange (i´m 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 don´t say this sites is trust worthy. but from 5500 pounds up to 8500 pounds (with trailer) is A LOT of difference with weight.

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.

yeah, it´s maybe like you says. it´s always look good on pappers, but the reallity after almost 30 years later, it´s 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.

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.

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