New 200H owner - Honest opinions about 4.3 Gxi

motox88 · **Joined:** Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:17 pm **Posts:** 6

New to the board and a new boat owner. I found a really good deal on a 2007 model 200 with only 32hrs in near mint condition. After reading around I kinda feel like I may have rather waited for a V8 to come along. In any case I haven't even dropped it in the water yet so will I be dissapointed when I do so? What are other 4.3L Gxi owners opinions?

I really want to put a tower on it and wakeboard on it as well. I'm no pro by any means, but I'd assume I will want to change out the prop to help hole shot. Top speed really isn't that important to me.

Thanks for any feedback and look forward to being a member on the board.

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Mar 18, 2013 8:30 pm

I have a 25 year old original OMC 4.3 4bbl in my 88 H-200. It's not a rocket but I feel it has enough power for my use and the fuel economy is excellent. The older 200s were both a bit larger and a few hundred pounds lighter.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:15 pm

Great engine, awesome boat. But for wakeboarding? Very flat wake nothing to get air from hope you know that. Throw a high5 prop on there for good hole shot.

cabwizard · **Posted:** Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:25 pm

I bought my H200 Frenzy in 2010. It's a 2008 model, new left over. I think I got a good deal on it, with what I have learnt on this site I should have driven a harder bargain as I paid cash, but thats not the ? here. In the 2 years I have had mine. and my boating season is short late June till mid Sept. I have put 180 hours on it. It's my first boat and I cant fault it. I use it between Lake Erie and around Grand Island NY. Have done some tubing on it, not done wake boarding or skiing from it , but it handles real well in rough water and it can get a bit hairy out on the Lake. We have hit 4 footers coming back from Hamburg Beach to the marina where we dock. We sometimes put the bow cover on to keep water out. Its small enough to tow with our Highlander and big enough to have fun with, and it don't suck too much gas. I am sure you will have fun with it. I have just have spine surgery so I dont think I will get any use out of it this summer, and I am missing it already

. Have Fun,, Ray

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Why no wake??? Hasn't got anything to do with 4.3 vs 5.7...put one lightweight girl on the rear bench and weight is same. Wakeboarding is a slow speed deal...I hit 20 Max and that's nothing. I would get it propped a little better than stock and you will be fine.

chrisvs · **Posted:** Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:10 am

Congrats on your new boat and welcome to the forum.

Just looking at the data from Four Winns on your boat, the top speed on it with your engine is 51mph. The 5.0 fuelie V8 is only 2 mph faster!

http://fourwinns.com/content/assets/documents/catalogs/2007/FastFacts_2007.pdf

I don't think you will be dissapointed by the performance. As you assumed, the key is choosing the right prop for whatever your main use and load is. If you are planning on wakeboarding and watersports, the high five as ric had mentioned is probably the ultimate prop for quick hole shot for poppin' up wakeboarders & skiers. Even with a correctly pitched 4 blade aluminium, you will be able to tow and wakeboard without problem. We have a 3.0 4 banger in our H180, and my son will wakeboard all day long behind it, even without the tower.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Mar 19, 2013 7:48 am

TX H210SS wrote:

Why no wake???

Compared to a wakeboard hull, yes no wake. Sterndrive boat. are not designed for it. Its a family cruiser. That being said you can wakeboard behind a pontoon but youre just being dragged around. For beginners its fine but as skill levels rise its going to be boring as heck. Plus most wakeboarders are now wake surfing, which is deadly behind a sterndrive.

Ironically a guy on my lake just dropped 100k on a new G23. What does he use it for? Normally has at least 8 guys on it with no girls and all they do is pull around tubes in shallow parts of the lake.

www.iFourWinns.com

New 200H owner - Honest opinions about 4.3 Gxi

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