bertram31.com

My Friend is looking at a 29.8' 03 Sunsation "Go Fast".
He asked me about it, best I can offer is...looks nice, clean boat.
I really do not know much of anything about them.

It is a Single 496 HO/Mag Mercruiser @ 425hp with Bravo 1 outdrive.

Any thoughts, advice I can pass on before he goes to look further...

Aside from Speed Costs...

Thanks,
Carl

425hp is pushing the limits of the standard bravo one. Unless he has a rev limiter when coming out of the water and dropping back in, that torque will strip the teeth off the upper gears. Throttle control is important.

The bravo XR drive is more suitable I think on these instances.

Thank you Bruce.
That's something I never would have thought about...till towed back to the dock.
Then everyone comes around and says...hmmm,,,Bravo 1....a bit light duty for all that power.

I passed info on.
Carl

And make sure it has a drive shower to keep the upper bearings cool.

Yes. And not a single port shower but a multi port shower. Single port showers are a waste of money. Temps get over 220 degrees on drive oil.

Bob Lico is our resident go fast expert. You might ask him.

Yea but can anybody understand his answer?

Bruce:

Of course I can -- put 425hp cummins under the hood, prop pockets and new shaft logs, tricked out props and the B31 cruises at 40kts.

I'm just not brave enough, nor wealthy enough to do any of the above!

Tom

Bruce wrote:Yea but can anybody understand his answer?

I can usually grasp most of them.
Some parts go over my head.
The rest is an answer similar to what my dad would give...usually consisting of
a middle and an end in no particular order followed by the beginning of a prior answer or the end of the next answer.

If you want to learn the secrets you really have to work for it...
but worth the effort.

Amazing how some minds work...

Proof is in the pudding...Bob seems to be able to go faster and burn a ridiculously less amount of fuel then anyone else.

Did anyone pony up yet to build the 31 that will do 80 knots?

I love Bobs posts! I get out the Ouija board and my book of Paleolithic cave paintings and get to work ciphering.

Carl: Back to your question, I had a friend who had a custom 38' Bartell with triple 501's that were producing a little over 500Hp each in their later renditions that used regular Bravo's. We never blew one up but did have to replace the bearings occasionally. We put drive showers on it and that helped some. We were very quick on the throttles though when she came out of the water.

He then bought a 40' Awesome Cat when we were at the Miami Boatshow around 2003 and that had the same engines, but Bravo XP drives. Now that was a fun trip to the Boatshow!!!! Nothing like shopping for go fasts at the Boatshow on someone else's nickel!!

Rawleigh- thanks. I originally thought you were pulling my leg about drive showers... But looked around the internet and behold, it is an actual product. If he does get and does not have we will install them I am sure.

We were very quick on the throttles though when she came out of the water.

And there lies an important key that most cannot grasp.