26 Prowler question
 

What is the last year of the 26 prowler? I don't seam to find any beyond 2003... I am basically looking for one equipped with a MERC 525EFI. I believe the 525EFI was available starting in 2004

What were the options on a 26 Prowler?: Could you get AC, FRIDGE, GENERATOR?

Thanks guys!

Good luck finding one with that power. I've personally only seen 2. Most had 502, 496, 454.

+1

Not sure if you have owned a prowler or have bin on one but I wouldn't buy one without at least a 525 efi. That's just me personally. A guy that was on a poker run I went on last year had a 2003 prowler with a 525 efi and claimed it would do 75mph. I call b.s.

me to lol maybe 65mph:lolhit:

Thanks a lot guys!

I guess the big joke is that they are slow... I suppose I will be satisfied at a minimum if the 26 Prowler does 70MPH with a 525.

How come there aren't any after 2003? Did Sonic stop producing them?

They did make them after 2003. They are very slow. Used to drive me nuts!

I bought mine from Gary d and he hated the boat cause it was slow. I sold it for the same reasons and now the guy that bought it from me hates it for that reason.

you can make them fast with a little work my 28ss did 70mph 600hp with 3 people and 1/4 tank of gas. and hoping to hit 90mph with my new set up

How fast you wanna go? I'm getting ready to put my 1998 Prowler on the market. Only 300 hours on a 502 with a procharger/intercooler. It will touch 80 on the GPS. I replaced the heavy manifolds/risers with aluminum ones from Revolution Marine. Several props with the boat. Other than that, very stock ride. Annapolis area if you are interested.

Just out of curiosity, wouldn't 75-80 mph be a white knuck ride? Not sure if I would wanna go that fast on a prowler? Just asking.

Yes, it's an uncomfortable ride. When the tabs leave the water, there was a lot of vibration. It just felt unsafe. It was when I first got the boat and we were trying our different props on it. The boat comes with a 23p prop, but with the supercharger, it will put a 28p to the limiter. Generally, I never run above 60-65mph. Wife turns white as a ghost above that!

The 26' Sonic is still a 25' boat any way you measure it. It is however, a very solid ride. Like any boat, you can't just throw HP in it, and not expect to tweak anything else to match the new speeds.

The boat has a rocker to it, and the notched transom also complicates things. Very few have anything bigger than Bennett tabs on them. Then there is drive height, CoG, and prop tuning.

I had a 1999 with a 500EFI and loved the boat. The new owner has taken it to a high altitude lake, and installed a Whipple on it to get the speed back. My 1999 with a 500EFI hit a best of 72mph; and was never spookey. The later boats were lighter with the new hull infusion process, but that is a whole separate goofy story given the change in company ownership.

I believe Frisini still has the 26' molds and can build one.

You could make a small fridge and AC work, and the best option for a generator would be a Honda EU2000i on the swim platform.

I've seen only a few with 525EFIs; including OSO member '509 SC' who swapped his 496 out and put in the 525EFI. He traded it in on his new 33 Active Thunder a couple seasons back.

sydwayz... I have always enjoyed and respected your opinions and enjoyed your wealth of knowledge on the sonic and active thunder brands as well as others. I still don't know how you reached a speed of 72 mph with a 500 efi? Were you empty on gas? Had a lucky 500 with slightly more hp? I had eddie marine aftermarket k planes on mine, flush mounted gps to prove speed and a 496 ho. Myself and the previous owner were never able to get the boat past 63 on gps. Now mind you I always had nearly a full tank of gas but still the boat was god awful slow. Most of the time 60 mph was all she would do. So I always said the boat was a true 60 mph boat.

It's not like I sustained 72 mph for a kilo run. I could see 70 mph on SML and like-kind flat water. On a couple of occasions going across choppy water (windy Potomac) without a lot of fuel; I saw 72/72.1 mph as a best over. That was trimmed to the moon with a labbed 24P B1 4 blade prop; racing back to the trailers at the end of a weekend.

My 98 with a 525SC (recently rebuilt to 600hp), with a 25 1/2 5 blade. I see a tick over 70.
The 5 blade is a huge improvement over the 4 blade. You do scrub some top end off, but I don't run on the big end. I enjoy the cruising 55 - 60. At that speed the boat is a real blast. I also have k-planes, which is a must for the Prowler.
I run in the Gulf, & I can tell you that 3 - 4's in the Gulf is no fun. There is NO wave pattern or timing, you just gut it out. The Prowler rides the best in the mid 50's in water like that...It can be for sale!! Boat is in excellent condition.
Really wanting an 32 AT!!

I'd bet with a little prop work, you could be on your way to 80mph. The Prowler is a heavy boat and rides very solid, but I wouldn't consider it slow. I have never been disappointed with the speed of my boat. Maybe it was just one of those lucky builds, but I can't say. Your boat is very similar to mine year and power wise, and I run 70 all day long on a 26P Bravo.