www.iFourWinns.com

Let start out with my disclaimer that I know nothing about boats. With that said, if a person was going to buy a 19-21 ft. boat for skiing/wakeboarding and carrying 5/6 passengers. Would the 4.3 be adequate or is the 5.0 worth the money? We're talking used boats here. It seems like i see alot of 3.0, 4.3 for sale and I'm wondering if it is because they are underpowered. I understand boats are sold for many different reasons.

Thanks,
Dennis

I am of the school you can never have to much power. That being said I know a lot of people that are happy with the 4.3 option. I would stay away from the 3.0 with a boat that size, but that is just me. I say go as big boat and motor as your wallet allows.

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Todd
1988 Four Winns Horizon 200
AKA "Summer School"

The only way to tell if a particular motor in a particular boat will suit your purposes is to drive it. Too many variables. Boat weight, hull shape, horse power of the motor (I think some V-6's can have more HP than some V-8's), etc etc. But my gut tells me that anything less than 260 HP in a typical 21 footer is going to be a bit sluggish with a load of 5-6 while trying to wakeboard.

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

While I was shopping, I drove a 5.0L 21' boat. That was underpowered with only myself and the salesman in it. My previous boat was an 18' with the 4.3L. As long as we didn't have more than 4 in it, we did just fine. My 6.2 easily pulls 2 skiiers, with 6 people in the boat.

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

I had a 21" Chaparral with the 5.0 Volvo with 220 hp. In 6 years, I never once felt it was underpowered to do anything we wanted to do. I always had a crew of 8+ on the boat and never thought I needed more.

I'd get a v8 in anything over 18'

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-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

There is no replacement for displacement......Go V8. I was at a local Ford dealer looking at 2 Mustangs a V6 and a V8.......The window stickers showed that the V8 had better fuel economy than the V6. I'm on my fourth boat and every time i had regrets that I didnt go the max hp the boat allowed. This time I maxed out and no regrets. Better its there and you dont use it than you need it and its not there.

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2006 F150 FX4
2008 H210 SS
5.7 GXI SX
Compass
Ratchet cover
Bow and cockpit covers
Bow cushions
Q&Q

My boat has the 5.0 V8. Skiiing or wakeboarding (which we dont do a ton of) has never been any issue for us. I am of the opinion that bigger is better. If I could do it all over again, I would have gone with the 210 over the 200, and would have gone with of course either the 5.7 or 6.1.

I am sure you could be happy with the 4.3, but here is a scenario that I would be unhappy about. I boat with several people. Its common for us to meet at one spot on the lake and then head to party cove or another cove. So, what you have is 5 or 6 boats, all heading the same direction. I wouldnt say anybody is racing to the spot, but at the same time, you can sure tell who has the power and who doesnt.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

v-8

You will buy your first boat because it's pretty. You'll buy your second boat based on the motor.....

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

You won't be disappointed with the bigger engine, but at the end of the day you need to answer one question.... Can I afford it?

Jeff

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2009 H180 3.0 Volvo Penta

I'm one of those that would sacrifice a couple cylinders for fuel injection. In fact I took a pass on a 5.0GL that was in stock, and waited on an order for practically the same boat with a 4.3GXi. Mine's a 200, not a 210, but no problems pulling with the 225 horses the 4.3GXi kicks out.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

There is no replacement for displacement. Unlike cars boat motor are under the load all the time so you want to have torque and not necessary HP. V8 provide a much better torque range than V6 (in stock form)….
I would always recommend to not getting a smallest engine available for the specific boat………. Bigger is not always better but for boat it is still a rule of thumb..

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

Hey Dennis,
Good luck on your new boat search it is a blast, although at times overwhelming. My 1st boat was a 19ft Glastron with a 4.3GL V-6 190hp.....it was a great boat and I never had a single complaint about the power....I weigh about 240lbs and I could still come up on a slalom ski in deep water with 4 adults in the boat no problem......having said that when I bought my second boat the Four Winns 210SS I still got the 5.7 300hp...(you know bigger is better)......well looking back...not so fast! The new 210SS is awesome and I love it more speed, more power, and a lot more options, but from 0 to GO! my little Glastron could get it movin' faster out of the hole. So, the motor, like someone else already stated is only part of the evaluation. The weight of the boat and hull design are important, but in your case .....I have no doubt that a 4.3L V-6 in a 17-19ft boat would be perfect. 20-22ft boat I would step up to at least the small V-8......BUT just to confuse you even more you will discover that having the RIGHT PROP for your boat/style of boating, will make as much difference as a V-6 or V-8...

so in my opinion: 4.3 V-6 or bigger....but PROP, PROP, PROP!!!

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Paul F.
So many lakes so little time!!

2008 Four Winns 210 SS -- Red
5.7L Gi/SX - Volvo - 14 3/4 x 21 ss prop (62 mph)

Neither, I want a FW with a 200-225 hp outboard! Seriously they used to sell OB models as big as the 200 Horizon/205 Sundowner. They are expensive but keep in mind that an outboard weighs about half as much as stern drive. That does good things for performance.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I think I understand how the pitch on a prop works( like threads on a bolt only travelling through water right) I am going to look at a 210 with a v8 this weekend.

On another note. I noticed some of the boats here in this thread have what is called a swim deck on the rear. Is it possible to retro-fit this to a boat?