Info on VP set up please

[pugetsounder]

"Hey all,
Can anybody give me

"Hey all,
Can anybody give me some info on this set up?

I'm thinking about buying this boat 1986 Bayliner Ciera 109 hours at a great price:

The only thing I don't like about it is the V8 fuel consumption. So I would think about a 4.3L swap. My questions are this:

What horsepower rating is this 305 chevy V8:

Will I need to change the gear set or outdrive going from this motor to a HP 4.3L? Or could I get away with just swapping out a different prop size?

Also the outdrive I believe is a VP 275, does this come with hydraulic lift or electric?

Am I crazy? Should I just keep looking for a boat with a smaller motor? I am not about going fast anymore I would rather cruise happily knowing I am not burning up a ton of fuel. What I like about this boat is low hours, clean as a whistle, comes with everything my wife and are looking for. Currently I have a 19' cuddy with a big 4 cyl with 170HP that only burns 3.5 GPH. I like that! But I got a case of twofootitus. I think this boat currently will burn over twice that what my current boat does. At $5 gallon at the dock and who knows in the future, economy is where it's at. Thanks for the answers."

 

[el_pescador]

"Pugetsounder, the rating of t

"Pugetsounder, the rating of the old 305s was between 200 and 229 HP, depending on the model, type of carb, etc.

You can definitely try a 4.3 swap, as the gear ratio in the outdrive is the same (1.61:1). But why bother?. Chances are that you will get a better fuel mileage with the 305 (and even a better fuel mileage with a 350) than with a 4.3, with the added benefit of the higher torque and reserve power. You would have to run a 4.3 pretty hard to get the same boat speed that you would get with a 305/350 at lower RPM, which means the V8 will last longer than the V6. As an example, the fuel consumption per mile on my 350 is steady over a long range of engine RPM (somewhere between 3200 and 3800 RPM), but to get the same power out of a 4.3 you would have to run it close to or at WOT. So I suggest do your math before you consider the swap.

Good luck whichever way you decide to go.

It seems to me that the 275 you have is just mechanical lift. In any case, I don't recall the 275 coming installed with hydraulic power trim."