Hello guys, new to the whole boat side of life. Grew up around them but never knew a whole lot about them. Too busy with cars and motorcycles. Anyway I got a mirage trovare 202 for a great price from a friend. Why the great price? Cause it has no motor! The original motor was a 5.0 with a alpha one.while looking for a new motor I found a fellow with a 496 ho and a bravo one. In a bobtail config. So basically everything I need to put a new school big block in to this 21' boat. All for $6500! My question is would it be ok to put a 496ho in a 202 trovare? It seems to me like putting a hemi in a valiant, and that wasn't such a bad idea. Or a 150 black max on a 17' cougar, insane, but not bad. So please those who know about such things tell me if I am going to cause myself great happiness or pain.

Blackscout the boat isn't set up for that amount of hp. so be care full due to the twisting of the engine stress on the mounts could start structure problems. Try to get max engine size for that boat .

Thanks Dave I will find out max engine size for the hull. Since mirage no longer exists that is a little tougher than usual. Anyone here know?

The weight of the Big Block/Bravo One vs The Small Block/Alpha might be a bit much of a difference for a small boat that size....... Granted there are smaller Jet boats with bigger/heavier motor setups, but they are designed that way. Your boat was set up for the weight of a small block, so weight may be as much of a factor as the extra torque of the big block.... But if the total price you are paying includes the 496 and Bravo one, I think it would still be a great buy, just keep the motor and drive for a bigger boat.

Low_psi that's a great point Blackscout you could even use as trade seems to be a lot of 496's out there.

Blackscout the boat isn't set up for that amount of hpBlackscout the boat isn't set up for that amount of hp

Do it. Checkmate built a bunch of small boats with big blocks. Just don't put any fat friends in the back seat. As far as the structure of the boat, don't go jumping every wave. Small boats will stress and crack no matter what power is in them if abused.

I has 437 HP in my 185 sea ray, I didn't sweat it and as long as the 496 physically fits, go for it. Mirage isn't exactly a bayliner as far as build quality so I would expect it to be OK. Post a picture of the bilge to see how the Motor mount stringer area is.

If you are worried about weight, faint a set of edelbrock alum heads and intake and some alum exhaust manifolds and you be close to the small block weight.