top speeds of these checks?

[yellowfiero88]

Have you thought about running something other than the 525 and then procharging it? IMO, I would think you would be way ahead money wise and performance would be the same or better. Reliability on the procharged motors is proven and most setups only run low boost. Its easier on the drive as well as it builds boost in higher RPM's after your on plane!

 

[SippyRat]

Reliability is huge for me and i just assumed that a 525 efi stock would be more reliable then a smaller mill with a charger. Idealy my next boat will do 80 any time i ask it to and last a for many hours. I dont want a boat that will do 80 but will need to be babied or a lot of maintenance. I dont beat on any of my boats but i want it to perform for a long time. This is huge money for me. This is why im here guys. To pick the brains of the ones who know. I appreciate all of the help

 

[JW]

For the next couple years, the biggest problem with new I/O's will be the catalytic converters and re-tuned EFI systems. Both cost and reliability.

 

[SippyRat]

For the next couple years, the biggest problem with new I/O's will be the catalytic converters and re-tuned EFI systems. Both cost and reliability.

Can you clarify on this please?

 

[jln]

the new 8.2 502 merc has a catalytic conv. in the exhaust manifolds . it is something new and not sure if any one makes replacement manifolds or has any real world info on any ecm changes its only be available a year or so .The 525 i believe is still a non cat exhaust , CMI headers. from what i understand the 525 has great mid range punch. there are others here more knowledgeable than me but i kinda doubt a 525 in any of the boats listed on your list would run 80 under normal conditions, 2 -4 people , plus gear, plus 500 lbs fuel. i have a 496 ho (425) in a ZT280 and get an honest (normal conditions, 500 lbs fuel , cooler all gear ,2 people) 64 to 65 so an extra 100 hp cant equal 15 mph .

 

[SippyRat]

From what ive heard so far the convincor 300 with a notched transom and 525 will run 80. Im not spendin that kind of cash if it wont. So now i need some hard proof!

Ill drop it back off at the dealer if it wont run what they claim

 

[jln]

it seems that 80 mph is very important to you , and i would hope that any dealer and Checkmate would want you to be happy with your purchase. I would go for a ride in the boat and bring a hand held gps. Most boats are tested with little to no gear and light fuel loads and maybe just one person. Not that there is anything wrong with testing a boat with a light load it means that a boat can go a certain speed. but if your the normal type of boater and load your boat with full fuel , all kinds of gear and tools , coolers , 4 -5 people than i think you can easily subtract 5 mph of what most test results show. Fountain water tested every boat made and they gave you a nice printout. no body could ever duplicate those speeds on those reports , seems always about 5 mph less.

 

[yellowfiero88]

All merc racing engines are exempt from the EPA so no cats. If you work with the dealer, they can get a non cat 502 put in but it would take a little work. Merc has to sell "X" amount of emissions motors per non emission motor.

Check into the service guidelines on that 525. I think they might be more intailed than you think.

 

[Big Red]

I bet a 100 bucks that 300 hundred with a notch will out run that ZT280 with equal power an load in 2 foot of chop.

 

[keith4216]

http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13829&highlight=convincor+test

Might be of interest to you SippyRat.
Its a little old but from the man himself!

 

[SippyRat]

I bet a 100 bucks that 300 hundred with a notch will out run that ZT280 with equal power an load in 2 foot of chop.

now thats what i like to hear because we always have 2' chop where i boat.

i had a couple go fast friends tell me the same thing today and i also read that thread of yours with the picture of the notched 300 which backs up your statement. i hope you guys are right because i really like the 300. now if i can just get my wife off of this OPEN BOW garbage!!! shouldn't be too hard.....i know which buttons to push. LOL

 

[CheckmateFever]

Powerboat Magazine tested a 300 Convincor with a 525 a couple years ago, March/April 2009 issue. They got 76 mph during that test, but also said it was not the best of conditions. I remember Kip saying that they had got 80 mph out of that very boat before they took it to the PowerBoat test session.

I gotta tell ya SippyRat, i envy you man!! That is my one of my ultimate "win the lottery" dreams, walking into a Checkmate dealer and ordering up a brand new Convincor with a 525 efi!! I'll be looking foward to see what you end up getting, gonna be one hell of a boat!!

*Edit* I just saw the link to the thread about the PB Mag test, didn't catch that before, i thought it was kinda funny no one had brought that thread up lol!

 

[Big Red]

You might enjoy this thread I created

http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19324&highlight=official

Theirs nothing wrong with putting a pro-charger on a 496 or 502 with light boost and hit 80 in a 300. Im talking around 3-4 pounds of boost on a stock engine. If set up correct it will run a long time trouble free.

Kunkles marine has been hot rodding Checkmates since the sixities and also is a big fan of pro-charging.

Talk to lcboater on the board he is running a 300 Convincor pro-charged 496 set up by kunkles and it is 100% user friendly and trouble free. To tell you the truth I would not waste my time on a 525. If I wanted a cool set up I would have the merc 600SC in a 300 Convincor The 525 is a killer engine but the 600 is a awesome power plant.

The way to win your wife over is let her spend the night on the water in a cove. She will forget all about that bowrider and fall in love with a cabin.

 

[ndaniels]

It also might be worthwhile to look into a high performance Ilmore v-10. They are awesome motors from what I've heard and supposed to get great milage.. even make thier own drive now. I've always wanted to see one in a 300, but I have no idea how they compare price wise to mercs... sure sound cool, though.

Also, I agree- the notched 300 is the best performing i/o hull that CM makes.

 

[Big Red]

Powerboat Magazine tested a 300 Convincor with a 525 a couple years ago, March/April 2009 issue. They got 76 mph during that test, but also said it was not the best of conditions. I remember Kip saying that they had got 80 mph out of that very boat before they took it to the PowerBoat test session.

You are correct, on the way to FL to powerboat test they stopped here on Lake Norman and ran in the fun run.

4 people in the boat, never prop tested to get the boat 100% dialed in.

 

[jln]

I bet a 100 bucks that 300 hundred with a notch will out run that ZT280 with equal power an load in 2 foot of chop.

i would agree with you on that , in a true 2 ft chop with the wakes of cruisers thrown in only because the ride should be smoother due to the extra 2 ft of hull. I feel in calm water and a true 1 foot of chop the ZT280 should be faster (wildman had the posted speeds a few posts back) . its got a notch and a step and is lighter. actually as you well know , the actual winner of that race between these two boats in rough water with equal power will come down to the size of the balls of the drivers as with most boat races. i was just looking at the picture you posted of the speedo , thats an eddie marine unit and i have the same exact one it has a pitot multipler setting and can be adjusted to read anything you want , unless its set to a gps its not accurate . i also know for a fact that my last 2 brand new mates that came from the factory with that exact eddie marine gauge were not adjusted to gps speeds by quite a bit . eddie makes a gps speedo also but it labeled gps on the dial.

 

[jln]

please dont get me wrong i also love the 30 , it a great boat its my favorite checkmate, but the ZT280 has really been a great boat and of course im slightly biased . but were just having a nice friendly debate on hulls,speeds and hp. In the end who ever buys a new Checkmate will get the best built fastest hull in its size range for the money on the planet.

 

[Big Red]

To tell you the truth about the step in the ZT its useless. I belive it was just stuck in their because at the time boat builders started the step thing. Checkmate decided to stick the step in their to compete with other builders and say they had one to. If that step was so awesome and helped Checkmate hulls out I would think they would have added that to a Convincor.

That notch in the back of a 300 helps more than that step does.

 

[jln]

i think the step helps when your in chop and the hull is in and out, all new top performance boats have a step. there must a good reason . the ZT 280 hull is a later nineties vintage . so its a newer hull that is faster. if you look at a 27 kryptonite hull the step is very similar to the ZT280 step.the reason why i mention that boat is because 2 of my friends have them and i am amazed at what they can do on an offshore race course. its a sit down boat and not for me.i have pics and can post them . as for the 30 hull not having a step i think they would have to re do the entire mold and its really not something Checkmate wants to bother with because in all honesty that is not checkmates market selling offshore race boats. I know your a fan of the old school non step hull as am I , but the step does work.

 

[WILDMAN]

Doug and Kip told me today that this boat now is running 82 mph.

You are correct, on the way to FL to powerboat test they stopped here on Lake Norman and ran in the fun run.

4 people in the boat, never prop tested to get the boat 100% dialed in.