Hot Rodding a Family Cruiser (No replacement for displacement)
 

New guy to the forum. I expect similar topics have been fielded here, but I'm hooping my query and it's specifics can be indulged. I don't have the greatest credentials in the high-performance boat world, but past boats include a 80 mph Sea Ray Pachanga P-22 (stock 330/Bravo 1 built under my direction to an estimated 450 hp of fast, economical fun) and a fire-breathing Baja Outlaw 25 that had the h.p to hit the 80's, but I never got it dialed-in before family needs dictated its sale. I'm tired of going slow. Thinking of getting something that is practical, can cruise a distance at an easy 45 mph, and get into the upper 70s at least. This just hit my radar: 1990 Cobalt 243 Condurre with a seized 454 and a functional Bravo One. I've ridden in an identical boat, that with the stock 330 was a blast in two foot chop. The points I really like are comfortable cockpit seating for 5, easy, and two side saddle seats in the cuddy, perfect for the kids riding home on a chilly evening. Speaking of comfort, it has engine coolant-sourced heating that blows under the captain and copilot's feet, and into the cuddy. The cuddy sleeps two very nicely. I'd call it a sporty-ish family cruiser. I believe it weighs around 4600 lbs. It's a solid, high quality boat. I have a separate line on a XR 1.50 ratio drive and I have a friend ready to build a 502 for me. Any thoughts on achieving my above stated-goals with this set up? I'm looking for around 550 h.p. with the hopes of keeping the XR intact. I'd appreciate educated guesses into the speed and fun-factor this build might produce. Thanks!

As a cross between family cruiser and performance boat, that conudurre is one of the better ones. Generally a dead engine is a nice price limiting factor. Just make sure hull and interior aren't also a bunch more work than you want to do.

The Condurre of that era is nice. Was considered very luxurious. The owner of the company used to hang out on Grand Lake o' the Cherokees in OK. The Condurre was his favorite boat at the time. He loved to talk about it.

Went through that curve. I'm gonna say , going for more than 70 is going to likely start sacrificing reliability unless you spend big bucks or lock yourself away in a room wearing a lab coat blue printing parts. Wife and kids might lose interest if you always tinkering with it or it breaks alot.
The early bravos seemed to have the nice gears.
Keep it for a spare if you want to run the xr.
Think about a 540 gen 4 . Esp .if your original block is decent. Maybe captn call exhaust .
If they haven't asked you to go out and find your old outlaw , ease back into it . Or sneak back into it ..lol