272 Captiva - For Waterskiing?

[boonsur]

Looking at a 272 Captiva CC.  Is it reasonable to waterski/wakeboard with young kids behind this boat?  I'm sure it has plenty of power, but is it maneuverable enough to pick them back-up after a fall, etc.?

Could you describe the wake it makes?  Is it really rough during take-off?  How big are the side waves, at normal skiing speeds?  (any pictures/videos of the wake?).

How much fuel might it burn during a "normal" afternoon of waterskiing?  Will it require half of a tank for the day?  How much do you usually use?

[Rinker342]

All your questions depend on the size motor in the 272.  The 272 is typically a great running boat, maneuverable and very suitable for skiing, etc., but size of wake and getting on plane is a factor of the size of the motor.

[boonsur]

Both of the ones I am looking at have the 7.4L MPI - Bravo 3.

They also both have captain's choice.  Does this make a big difference in performance?

[frodo13056]

I had a 1999 272 cuddy with the 350 magnum MPI motor / Bravo 3 for four seasons and it was a great boat for skiing / kneeboarding / tubing.
With 4 people and around 75 gallons of gas, it would plane out at about 18 - 22 MPH which was great for kneeboarding and wakeboarding. It was a bit slow out of the hole for slalom skiing but once you get used to the time to plane, it wasn't bad.
The wake was nice about 50 or so feet back and was about 12" or so high with a nice curl and between the wakes was a nice flat table with little turbulence so it was easy to hang on when hitting other boat's wakes.
With the 350 magnum motor, I'd go through 30-40 gallons (easily) in about 4-5 hours of water sports - the 272 is a big heavy boat and will burn through some fuel with all the stopping and starting. With the 454, your fuel burn will be close to the same - the big block weighs in around 100 to 150 pounds more than the small block and the horsepower is rating for the 7.4 MPI was 310 prop shaft horsepower (PHP) and the 350 Mag MPI motor was rated at 300 prop shaft horsepower so the difference is only 10 PHP with an additional 100 to 150 pounds of weight. The real gain is in the torque – the big block produces more torque at a lower RPM than the 350 Mag MPI motor.
The open exhaust vs. closed exhaust – the actual performance gains on the 272 will be marginal at best – the open exhaust just reduces exhaust backpressure and allows the engine to breath a bit easier than having to shove all the exhaust through the prop. Less backpressure = increased air flow and increased air flow =  more HP but on this style boat, you really won’t notice much of a difference (maybe a mile per hour or two faster with the exhaust open) but it’ll sound cool as hell! Nothing like the sound of open exhaust on a big block Chevy engine!

http://www.perfprotech.com/store/catalog/Mercruiser-Marine-Technical-Product-Specifications-and-Diagrams,5886.aspx

Here’s a link for what the wake on the 272 will look like at about 25 MPH.

http://s968.photobucket.com/albums/ae167/frodo13056/?action=view&current=272Tubing.jpg

Steve

[boonsur]

Thanks huge for the reply(s).  That picture really helped sell me.  The wake is a lot smaller than I imagined (don't think it's much bigger than my 19' boat's wake).  And I like (hadn't thought about) the idea that the bigger boat will "flatten" the other waves/wakes.  Extra gas is going to hurt, though.

[alswagg]

The silent choice will make absolutly no more speed or power for you,   on the 272 the exhaust came out the back just under the swim platform.  This can be anoying to a person while skiing, the noise.  The silent choice does sound kool when runnig WOT but it does not provide any more speed.  The 282 is a great unit for all around fun.  have a great day.  Allan

[Gene]

I love my 232 but I want a 272 for more room. 7.4 big block has great power. As the kids get older they want a bigger wake.

[alswagg]

If you could find a 282 with a 496 Mercruiser, this would be the engine of choice.  Much better performance the the old 7.4, 454.  Allan

[Gene]

Hey Allan I am looking at a 272 with a 502 26props and 2.10-1 gear ratio. How much umph of a hole shot will I get around 3500' elev and what could I expect to see for top speed?