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Thread: 525 too big or 496HO too small?

  1. #1
    Chipster27
    What's your opinion?
    On a 24 foot vee hull - say an Essex Valor - is a 525 too much motor for that boat? Is it useless to put a 525 in a 24 foot boat? Not knowing much about hull design etc...would the 525 create any "drivability" issues? Would a 496HO be better?
    So now step to a little bigger boat, say 26/27 footer. Same configuration vee hull; for example a Lavey Nu Era 26. Is a 496 HO too small, would a 525 be the right size? Would a 600 or Ilmor 625 be the best choice?

  2. #2
    ChumpChange
    I know that Dana slapped a 525 in one of their 23's. The boat ran insane fast for a boat that size. Their standard is the 496.
    I don't think there would be driveability issues as long as you only put the throttle down when conditions were accomodating. It's about the driver behind the wheel when ample power is available.
    Where you going to do most of your boating? Bigger is always better.

  3. #3
    talbert450r
    Im going with the 496 mag in my new 24 Stealth. I have heard the 496 HO is not worth the money, you only get a few mph's. I think the 496 mag would be enough, but you do realize you will never have enough power. Its a mans never ending search for more power. :rollside:

  4. #4
    Devil's Advocate
    umm...hmmm....I'd go with the pretty blue one!

  5. #5
    Beer-30
    Im going with the 496 mag in my new 24 Stealth. I have heard the 496 HO is not worth the money, you only get a few mph's. I think the 496 mag would be enough, but you do realize you will never have enough power. Its a mans never ending search for more power. :rollside:
    Oh, I think you will end up eating those words. Multiple peeps here that have Mag are always looking to bring it up to HO standards. Now, the HO is not some super-motor that works great in every single boat for every single person. The extra torque, more than the fitty HP, moves boats around better.
    To answer the man's question, I have a 30-footer with an HO. It moves the boat, 8 people, 3 ice chest, gear, and full fuel just fine for me. Plus, I can go an average weekend and not fill up. I can launch at Windsor, hang in the Channel. Fire up and head to Topock at 40-45. Come back to Channel. Finish the day. Launch next day. Hang in Channel. Run over to Copper. Run WFO to Springs. Eat. Run WFO back to Channel - and still not put gas in. Mind you, it's down to 1/4 in each tank, but still goin.
    Now, would I love to have a 525? Sure! Do I NEED it? No. The boat will do 60 with a full load. That pretty respectable for a 7500lb single.
    If I were buying a brand new boat, I would still get an HO. 525s are excellent motors, built with some very nice components. They are just a little overpriced, though. One could rebuild an HO to 525 specs for less money - and have it whatever color and specs YOU want.

  6. #6
    Chipster27
    ....but you do realize you will never have enough power. Its a mans never ending search for more power. :rollside:
    I saw the pics of your boat, very nice!
    Belive me, I know the power thing. I've bought 3 versions of the same car in the past 5 years. Love the car, but always want more power!! My dirt bike is a 525 and my quad is a 700, street bikes were always liter bikes. Obvoisuly you have to have some disciplin between your ears and the throttle. Knock on wood, no tickets in almost 8 years.
    Most of my boating will be from Needles to Parker, possibly Mead/Powell and Mojave once in a while. That's why I'm leaning towards a 26. I was with my neighbor in his 21 Hallett this weekend and it struggles in the chop. Runs great in light chop and glass. I'm just afraid that a 24 might be enough to cut through the soup on Havasu or Topoc. But if I go with a vee in a 26 with a 525 I'm somewhere in the $120k range. Not a decision I'll be making in the near future so I have some time to ponder all these silly questions.
    Thanks everyone.

  7. #7
    INSman
    In a 26 footer or more, a 496HO will be boring and you will be wishing you had at least a 525 if not more.

  8. #8
    Chipster27
    umm...hmmm....I'd go with the pretty blue one!
    I'll leave the colors and design to my wife...I have no creativity. An all white boat with a blue stripe and the word BOAT would work for me....

  9. #9
    Chipster27
    In a 26 footer or more, a 496HO will be boring and you will be wishing you had at least a 525 if not more.
    I did talk to a guy selling a 26 Lavey. He had a 496HO with a procharger on it. Said it would run mid 70s, but wished he had done a 525.
    I'd really love the Merc 600 or an Ilmor 625, but $40k for the motor plus the hardware to support it is a lot of $$$

  10. #10
    Devil's Advocate
    I'll leave the colors and design to my wife...I have no creativity. An all white boat with a blue stripe and the word BOAT would work for me....
    I was talking about the 525, it's a pretty blue...

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