all std drive: what do you think is the max hp exceptance?
400? 500?

I think size and weight of the boat plays a big factor in this equation also.

yes you are completely right.
lets say 30 v bottom single engine.7000lbs

You can also get away with more if you don't catch air and no straight arm hole shots. A friend of mine has a 30 Webbcraft with t/468's and ALPHAs . What finally caused them to go was corrosion...he leaves it in the water. He never had a problem mechanically

I have a 29 Warlock, fairly light, with a 496 blower motor about 700 HP. I am pretty easy on it and have broken my Bravo one two times in three years. First time the top gear and the second time it took out the whole lower unit. The sun shines on the left coast!!!! Was out yesterday for a spin and it is in the high 70"s today.

Had a 25 Daytona, 500 HP, 240 hrs., run pretty hard...no problems. Light boat though.

Racing offshore 500pshp got 9 races approx 425 miles, all depends on the service and how much air and how good you are on the throttles . 9 races is pretty good

I had twin 330/454`s in my 28' Baja. I was not easy on it and firewalled the throttles all the time. Sold it this summer with 750 hrs on her. No drive problems and still going strong.

I think they are fine in a light boat with low hp.

Tim,
Your boat sounds really close to what my friend runs. His is a 31 Larry Smith Scarab I think it weighs about the same.
He has two N/A 565's that made 700 on the dyno.
He never broke a gearset with the standard Bravo. His problem was if he didn't stay on top of the throttles it would lock up the clutch. All he would have to do is take it apart , hit it with a hammer and it would fine.
He now has a set of Bravo ones that have been converted to use an XR gearset. He had no problems with these all summer. This guys driving style is aggressive. His idea of a cruising speed is 80+!
Although he broke everything else this year the drives seemed fine.

His thoughts about why Bravos fail is
1) Heat, when the case heats up it distorts putting an added strain on the bearings and gears.
Which will eventually fatique and break.

2) Lack of proper lubrication to certain bearings.
3) Staying on top of the throttles .

SuperV has owned his 28 Challenger 8 years and has 500+ horsepower engines in it the whole time with no problems. He had one drive apart for seals and had the guy look at it for any potential problems. He said it looked like new inside.