18sf repower questions

[Snookerd]

The 18SF's deck will not drain above 400 lbs. of motor weight unless you raise the deck. Many people will go up to 425 lbs +/- and just use ball scuppers and interior drain plugs. IMHO, all of those 200hp 18SF's are lighter 2strokes around 425lbs. That 3.1L 200 Yamaha VMAX you mentioned is 509 lbs. and would not be a good match. We had a 1996 150 Johnson that went almost 50 and was well matched besides the marginal water sheading of the slightly higher v-6 weight. The 130 Yamaha on my 18SF was the best weight to power ratio IMHO