Twin 200 for '78 25ft???

[Capt Meredith]

I have a '78 25 foot center console i want to use for charters. I have a johnson 225 on the boat now but would like to switch to twins. I found  a guy that will sell me a set of mercury 200hp for 2k each. they are 1989 models but they have been rebuilt...is this a fair price?
Thanks,
Meredith

[GoneFission]

That thing should fly with twin 200's!!!   :twisted:  Are those motors injected or carb models?  Fuel consumption could be 30-40 gallons/hour with twin carb model 200s - can you handle that?     You might want to consider twin injected 125-140s - V-4s instead of V-6s means less weight and injection means much better fuel economy.  Just an idea...  

Is the hull rated for 400 HP?  You could run into some real insurance problems if you are well over the rating...    

Regarding prices, check some of these out and see how your deal compares:  

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/_Boat-Parts ... 028Q2c6000

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/_Boat-Parts ... 028Q2c6000

Good luck!

[Keith Knecht]

That hull is only rated for 300 Hp.  Twin 150's max, especially if you are going to use it for hire.  The insurance company won't cover it if they know their stuff and if they don't, you could open yourself to some liability.  That boat will run fine on twin 130's or 140's and burn less fuel.  Also, 89's are still pretty old even if they are rebuilt.  Lots of other things to go wrong, especially if they have been used in saltwater. Many people also have very different ideas of what rebuilt means.

[ddd222]

can't exceed hp rating if u are gonna charter, was an issue for me on a 25 mako rated for 350hp, and was rigged w/ twin 200's. There is an argument to be made as older motors the hp was rated at the shaft, and now at the prop(or vice versa i forget), but for insuring a personal use vessel, an argument u won't win on a vessel for hire.
     BTW that particular boat would have been a good candidate for a single 300 or 350 hp yamaha or suzuki as the mako 254 and 251 had slightly less deadrise than the 241 or 261 rated for 400-450hp for the deeper v. If i were doing charters not too far from home i would consider it for a 25 aquasport. If i were going more than 20 miles routinely i would go with twin 150-175's