I have a 1987 Carver Montego with 260hp and alpha one gen one drive, 14.75 17P vengeance prop. I just had a new remanufactured 260hp jasper installed ,rebuilt carb, and set timing to 8 degrees. I went down in pitch 15.5x15p aluminum prop.Now the problem is the new motor at WOT will only rev to 4200. It runs great in every aspects except WOT and feels like it has a rev limiter on it 4200. It has alpha one with 1.5 gears. The shop mechanic wants me to install 1.84 drive gears and reprop the boat. Any ideas why I'm not able to reach WOT 4800?

check timing at full advance. you should have 30 or so degrees total. initial advance isn't that crucial. that being said, if everything checks out, 87 260 WOT is 4200 to 4600. so you are in the range. that is a cruiser. you spend your life at 3500 going 25 mph. a boat like that has no business anywhere near WOT for extended periods.

yes im getting 32 total advance the mech. feels that going to the 1.84 drive and 17p or 19 pitch would help boat get on plane better and at the moment I blew the 1.50 drive so im ether at pulling motor and replacing with 383 but then again it is 26 ft cuiser and will the apha drive even hold

could anyone tell me what top speed and 3/4 speed on this size boat /motor package should be last time out top speed on gps 4200 wot 27.4 mph .

My parents had a 28' Carver Mariner, twin 260 HP Crusaders, V-drives, 10,900 lbs, 11'1" beam. Top speed was about 30mph, cruise around 24mph.

I believe the problem is the large diameter aluminum prop. Try a stainless prop and see how it runs.

there are a lot of boats in this class. 350-alpha in a 5000 to 7000 lb cruiser. they generally will do 35 flat out and screaming. my old dancer (24 ft 79) generally did 10 mph less than the rpm's with 15x15 prop. on the wishometer. is the bottom clean? or does this guy live in the water? that is a huge factor right there..,.

Bottom paint, Dirty Bottom, Over Propped, Beat up prop....... Just to name a few things to look for. Also its an old boat. Is it holding water? Wet stringers, wet transom, etc.

Again hitting 4200 puts you in the range. Not all motors are created equal and make equal power. Especially reman stuff.

So now you are up to 4200 r's? How'd you get there from the 3000/3600 wall?