Hi all,
I am repowering from a 96 Vindicator 225 [200 upgraded].
I think the boat on the spec plate was rated to 245HP.
The boat is overseas and once it is safe I am prepared to exceed that rating.
I would like to do 80 GPS with a lite load, and am wondering what motor(s) will do this as i have been told this hull is heavy.
Will a 2003 Yamaha 250 HPDI do the trick ?
Please let me know what my options are other than getting a new boat ...........
Thanks
It definatly will if you hydrotech it call wayne worthy, he might have rebuilt motor avaiable as he posts them for sale from time to time
Ok, so without something exotic, what will it do with a 250 yam or 250HO ?
contact todd c and o he will know what t takes
Sorry, but who is todd C, can you send me his contact info ?
Thanks
Todd is with C&O marine. Smart cookie on Stratos rigs. You can find him in the set ups forum.
Stroker 21
Mercury 250 PRO XB
TN Bluewater dealer/rep.
BBO
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ep72 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Todd is with C&O marine. Smart cookie on Stratos rigs. You can find him in the set ups forum.</TD></TR></TABLE>
+1 Todd has been a top Stratos Dealer for years. He will get you the right setup, prop and jackplate recommendations and know if any mods are needed
Hydrotec does mods from mild to wild. Stage I, II and III, somehow they are able to keep even a new motors under warranty with the mods.
Good luck on getting a 21 S/F to run 80 mph by GPS. Sure there are some that may show that on the speedometer but the S/F is one heavy rig buddy. I am not saying it can't be done but it would take some serious horsepower to make it work. Just to much weight in the front of that boat. The fastest i ever had one was 68 mph with a HOT 225 Mercury on a Triton 21 s/f empty with a 8 inch jack plate.
OK,
I gather this is no normal task.
So I thought about it and what i really want is 8-10MPH more than what i currently get.
Let's say I get "X" with my Vindicator 200/225
Wouul the newer 250HO 250HPDI etc etc give me 10 MORE MPH ?
Figure whatever you may that i currently "can" get. I don't want to start a truth or dare discussion about what i currently get [I can tell you best done is a speedo 69] Figure that at 64 GPS or whatever.................
Thanks all.
I would say STOCK you would have to go with a 300 VMAX Series 2 just to get close. Sorry, but NO 250 from ANYONE will do it IMO. I think the Yamaha will runn better than the 300xs for no other reason than the Yamaha Lower-unit. The Sportmaster on the 300xs would be HORRIBLY slow on that rig and the Torquemaster cant go quite as high as the Yamaha L/U.
You would have to take all the seats out, remove the TM and batteries, and put a splash of gas in it and you would proabaly be close with the 300 HPDI IMO. You would also need a 8-10" plate as well (amongst other set-ups)
But, as has been mentioned. C&O are tops on stting up a Stratos, they may come on here and say something totally different
One thing for sure, the 250HO/VMAX/Proxs will run LIGHT YEars better than the Vindicator. Don't get me wrong, those old 3.0L OMCs are great old motors, but they are gas and oil hogs comparitively and cold-natured.
Rodney, you should know a 201FS Stratos will SMOKE a 21SF Tritooon!. Not even a close comparison IMO
Good Luck
I have just put on a 6" jack plate.
I do not have TM or batteries in it.
Would you think that a 300 would may the boat unsafe or unstable [ I know that faster you go it gets out of water more etc..... that is not what I am asking]
But can it damage the stern as it said 245 max on the plate.
So with the above and a 300 VMAX series 2 , should I see a comfortable 72+ with full fuel and 2 passengers ?
I would say you would definatly see that (and more) with the 300 Series 2 on the 201FS. You sre sort of contradicting yourself with the worry of being "unsafe" when your asking for 80 mph speeds
IMO, that boat would handle the 300 with no problems. Insuring it would be a bigger concern for me.
EDIT: I just realized you are talking about an older 201FS. I was estimating off of the newer ones. I do not know how much of a difference the old ones are from the latest ones. Todd Morgan will know for sure.
The 250 HO will get you 75 by yourself....you'll need an older 1.86:1 gearcase over the new L2 that's 1.71:1 or you'll never get it out of the hole.
The wind drag from that windshield is bad......and sitting cab forward in the boat is bad. You should be about 64 with your 200.....the wildcard is that you are at sea level in Florida. The detractor is that temps down there as well as humidty can be rough on an outboard trying to make fast passes on a sled.
A 300 Phase 3 Yamaha would get you close to 80 by yourself.....not with a load. The 250 HO ETEC will get you your 72 with 2 onboard if you do some common sense setup things. You can also buy another BIA plate to change the 201 to 250 HP max.
No contradiction, that is why i qualified it in the line below about with stern breaking off.
Meaning if the structure of the boat will be good for it.
I will seldom run at WOT 70+ but i want an easy cruise at 65-68 and if the occasional jet ski tried to give me a tackle, i should smoke em with ease.
So basically that 300 will gime me at least 10MPH more.......... correct ?
Todd, are the 1996 201FS any different than the later ones? I assume they were a wood boat which may affect weight slightly but what about the hull design?
Yes, I would say you would see around 8-10 mph going from a Vindicator to a Series 2 300 VMAX (and a perfect set-up). You mentioned 64-69 mph. I think upper 70's with a 300 is doable. As far as the transom. My guess it has wood in it. I WOULD MAKE DANG SURE its sound. Now, before you get all giddy about this, remember about the liability and insureance risk you are looking at. Todd gave you specs on a 250 (becasue with a new rating plate thats what would be "legal")
Thanks Todd
Not sure but it is a layered fiberglass hull. No wood i do not "think" How can i check ? It has a sticker saying hand laid hull.... does this mean anything ?
I think I remember once reading it was a 13 [or close] layered fiberglas hull with no wood in it ....... NOT SURE of this.
Also, no insurance or liability issues as i am in South America and .............
I was assuming you were from florida.
I would bet that it was built with wood (being a 1996). Looking at a 14-15 year old boat I would ensure the transom is ok before doing anything. You are putting a 6" set-back on which gives the motor more leverage to lift the hull. This in turn adds more Stress to the transom. Also, you would be going from a realatively light 3.0 V6 (450lbs) to a bigger 3.3L V6 (539 lbs) with a lot more horsepower. Assuming the 201 is relativley the same as the newer ones. The design can handle it. I would just make sure ther is ZERO problems with the integrity of the boat.
The hull design itself is very similar. The difference comes in the weight and the way it is all distributed on top of the boat. As long as there hasn't been any damage to the hull/rear, the transom should be good (have it checked). If there were any issues, he should have seen them when he put that plate on (still, have it checked). There would have been some seepage coming out of the bolt holes.
Jason Phillips
I had a 1996 201FS with a 225 ficth and it would run WOT at 67 loaded. However, it did have a wood transom at the bottom of the boat would start to flex pretty bad at high speed in rough chop. If I where going to put a 300 hp motor on it I would add some stringers in the bottom and replace the wood in the transom. Good luck.
PS. I wanted to go fast too, there for I purchased an 08 201 with a 250 hammer from C & O and 80 mph is doable now.
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