Hello everyone and thanks for reading as this is my first post....as almost born on Water and only 6 years old the first time I was dropped in a sailboat on my own Watersport has been a part of me. For many years I have wanted to attend in Poker Run...and now it's about time!! not getting any younger :-)

The big question is what should I go for as a newbe in terms of offshore racing and when it comes to engines in high speed on distance for up to 3hours...

First I was thinking BIG and fast as HELL but then again money plays a rule, so after a cold shower and a clear head...I was thinking how about a 29 Fever with a 525 Mercury racing engine..

To small a boat?? to much hard work for one engine going 70mph for hours??....

Do I need to step up for 10m and double engine, something like a formula 312 with 2 x 496ho....

Budget is $70k

Some input would be great....

Greetings from Europe

Go as big as you can afford to. Take into factor if you have to tow the boat also. The 29 are a great all around boat, good towing size, big enough to do runs and have fun with. As always the bug will bite you to go faster and bigger. For 70k I would look at a 35.

I agree. 35 Fountain or 38 Fountain. Don't hurry too much. Search for a good deal. Lots now good used boats. 33 or 35 Baja is also a fine boat with 496 or 500efi motors. The 525 if in good shape will easily run 70 mph all day long. Notice we are suggesting you go over 30 ft length...

Thanks to both of you, the Fever is a great boat, good size and performance, but I will also be in rough sea from time to time, when it comes to towing there is limit, max. 33feet - beam 8.2 - weight ca.7700lbs....more than that and it's on and of a Truck...

35 Fountain or 38 Fountain absolute one of my favorite choices, but just a little to big, If I was in the US no doubt, but here the harbours slipway are just to small, and same time having rules for towing size.

What about the engines.....how much can they handle...Mercury 500/525 - mercruiser 502/ 496HO....can they just go on and on for hours.....both single and twin.

Let's say that the boat has a max speed of 80-85mph, then going for the long run, what average speed can I achive without breaking the engine/ engines.

When you are talking 80-85 mph boats you are into high speed category and I personally would not sustain those speeds in anything shorter than 35 feet particularly if there is risk of offshore rough conditions or the occasional cruiser or tanker wake. Denmark has a lot of smooth waterways but on the outside it gets rough just like anywhere. What conditions will you go out in?

I had a Baja 33 for almost 3 years and loved it. Only weighs 7500 lbs. Very stable boat super easy twin engine to learn to drive. Will go 60-70 mph all day long with 496's. Very easy to dock and trailer.

http://www.boattest.com/boats/boat_video.aspx?ID=296

A friend of mine had a year 2000 Formula 312 with 454's. VERY ROUGH riding boat. My 33 Baja was much better and same speed.

I can say when it was time to buy our 1st boat we had the same questions. I just got my Sonic this past Oct, all 35' 8" of it.

We kicked around a smaller boat and this and that but in the end we opted to go with a bigger boat to grow into and not out of. I am very happy now we took this path.

Is that length just for the boat or the boat on the trailer?? My 29 outlaw is 34 1/2 on the trailer for what it's worth. As on time said bigger is better for the rough, but if the length thing is going to make you go smaller I would look at a 28 active thunder, 28 pantera, or a 28 apache. That should get you the length you need, decent in the rough, and still be within the limits. I would go 525, 500, or 502 over the 496. That way if you want to make it go faster you already have a good base to start with. It seems to me that it's hard to find a boat that is fast like your wanting and can handle rough water well. Any of them will run 60-70 till something breaks.

Maybe activator?? Aren't they supposedly good rough water boats yet still pretty fast?

We have the Baltic Sea which is Inland Sea, surrounded with Denmark, Germany, Polen, Litauen, Latvia, Estland, Russia, Finland and Sweden...can be rough.....then the North Sea surrounded with Denmark, UK and Norway, can be very rough, 3-4 meter/second offshore is enough for me...

It's the max length of the boat only...

The Pantera is popular in Sweden, but mainly used in there inlets...

I was also told that the 502 is better than the 496 also when it comes to upgrading the engine???...

Even over here in the US unless you have access to lots of parts, lots of time, and lots of money, its better to stay with factory engine configurations. 500 or 525 efi engines are both excellent in the 525-540 HP range. 502's and 496's are both excellent in the 375-425 HP range. All run normally on 87 octane r+m/2. If you think you want a bigger engine buy what you want to start with.