320 Sundancer with 5.0 Mercruisers and Bravo 3s

gigreg2

New Member
Jul 19, 2010
15
Connecticutt
Boat Info
2000 215 Express Cruiser
Engines
5.0 with Alpha drive
Does anyone have this setup? What is performance like? Is this boat underpowered?
 
I bet she'll be a bit if a handful around the docks. With outdrives I bet she'd be okay out on plane though that must be about the smallest engine option you can get in a 320??? That's a lotta boat...what year?

Plenty of folks will tell you a gas 7.4L is way, way too small for a 400. I find it perfect. So take what you hear with a grain of salt in some cases. Your overall happiness with the power plants will depend substantially on how you use the boat. Lots of long distance running with 18 adults aboard, mostly no-wake cruising with 2 dogs running around, dock queen, etc and so on...
 
That was base power - sea trial it loaded like you will be using it (full water, number of people, full fuel if possible, dinghy, etc) - I can't image it performs any worse than the v-drive 5.7 boats - I have the same power in my 300 (less weight and beam) and fully loaded for cruising it performs great - and with the B III drives its great around the dock too
 
I would think on a inland lake the Great Lakes excluded it would be ok but anywhere you would have to deal with big seas you might need the extra torque that the 5.7 deliver.
 
Is this the 5.0 MPI or 350 MAG? the MPI I believe only has 260 hp, the 350 mag puts out 300. Like I said, my twin 6.2 at 700 combinde is as small as I would go
 
The outdrives should perform with 520hp about the same as the vdrives with 600 or 640. Maybe even a bit better.Except for around the dock. They went to 21* deadrise
On this generation of hull ilo 18*. It was deemed acceptable that small block power was efficient enough.☹
 
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I have v drive 350 5.7L, 300hp, on my 320, seems fine to me. Loaded with adults (8), yes, takes awhile to plane, just the wife and kids, no problem.
 

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