engine question 2bbl or 4bbl carb

[bigeasy1]

Ok,my family and friends think i've gone nuts,as i just bought another boat,which now makes four.

Actually i bought it for the engine and drive,for use in my 23 Tsunami.it's an 18-1/2' Chris Craft scorpion with a 350 cubic inch Mercruiser engine with an Alpha 1 outdrive.

The engine was put in about five years ago,along with the drive and have only 200 hours on them.
We took it out for a test drive,and everything runs and works perfectly.

I paid 1,500 bucks for it,so i figure that's a lot better than spending 11-13 grand for a new package.

"Anyway now my question; the engine only has a 2bbl carb on it which makes it approx 230hp.
It pushes this boat at a top of 50mph,but of course it's a smaller lighter boat than the Tsunami.
I'm wondering if will it be enought to push my 23 Tsunami at a reasonable speed with the 2bbl carb.
I have a nice Edelbrock 4bbl marine carb at home,and was wondering if i should put it and a new intake on it now, which would give me around 260hp,or try it with the 2bbl first,and see how it go's,and then go the 4bbl route if necessary.
Any thoughts would be welcomed.Thanks all.

[BigLew]

I run a V/P with the same block but w 4bbl-260 HP. I get about 23-24kts @ 31/3200 RPM; 15x17 wheel and 32/34 WOT. I'm thinking about a new engine in the 3-330 range with a chnge in prop.

I would like to know if anyone who sees this knows if a Crusader engine can be mated to the trans/outdrive I have from Volvo.

[Miles Offshore]

personal opinion but i would go with the 4 bbl. better fuel economy, performance maybe and that edelbrock is imo a better carb than the holley- for marine use anyway. I did the same thing as you mention on my old 351 i had in an old mako. was well worth the trade-off.

[eggsuckindog]

Before you put it in I may checkout any additional HP items than just a carb. I would look into a different cam as well, its easy when its out of the boat and may give you another 40 to 50 HP, a 4bbl version may have come with a different one than the 2 bbl. anyway and I bet it did, thats a heavy boat you can't get toooo much HP in it. I would even go a high performance cam instead of just a standard manufactuer.

[bigeasy1]

Thanks all.I want as much power as possible,but i also want a smooth trolling speed out of it.
I'don't want to get too radical,and end up with an engine that idles like a race car.
It's primary use,other than getting me to a fishing location quickly,will be to be able to troll at 2.5 to 3.5 mph smoothly for several hours at a time.

[duffy3126]

Is a fuel injected engine worth the xtra? iam looking myself for a complete package.

[warthog5]

thats a heavy boat you can't get toooo much HP in it.

But you want it to make that power at low to midrange RPM.

Think about it. You want it to make max torque at around 3000 RPM. That will keep you out of the secondaries on the 4 Brl and give you decent fuel millage. Something in a RV style camshaft.

[eggsuckindog]

They make cams that make the power all thru the RPM range, yes he would want one that makes it at the lower end.