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Top end speed


WakingMeHappy

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I have a 99 Sunsetter with about 560 hours. Boat runs great and am having no trouble. Sometime a little white smoke when I start the engine but it goes away quickly. Engine is the 325hp Monsoon.

Two questions:

1. What is top end speed on this boat? I’ve had it up to 42 with throttle left over.

2. The kids want to top out the speed to see what she’ll really do but I’m scared to do it. How would the engine and tranny hold up under top-end speed?

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Hammer down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just don't stay all day.

It tops out and holding it open for a long time is not going to make it go any faster.

I have never hurt one.

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I have a 99 Sunsetter LXI with the Monson. Top speed is 46 mph wtih 4600 rpm. I run mine wot alot for barefooting. Have not hurt an inboard engine yet. Go fast.

TLC

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I clobber the throttle at least once a day and keep it there for a good min. just to clean up the carbon in the engine.

Boat is a 2000 WS VLX w/monsoon. I think I get close to 48 these days. You won't hurt anything.

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Malibu's don't go fast enough to be considered reckless when you are on a good size lake. Drop the hammer and see what you got. That's part of owning a boat. Just don't think you are going to outrun many other boats. Most I/O and Jet Ski's can still outrun me. That is when I slow down and start surfing, lets see them do that.

  • Haha 1
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Every boat is made for WOT (Wide Open Throttle) operation, the issue is whether it over-revs. Assuming it is propped correctly, your boat won't do that when your are on the water boating, it's under load. Same applies for your snomobile. Your car will, and that's when you shift.

Everything I own gets hammered at some point, I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Throttle down- if you have a rev limiter, no danger in over-revving. Even if you don't, your top speed on a ski boat will be severely limited by the prop, as it's sacrificed for low-end torque for pulling.

Speeds in the low/mid 40s won't be reckless on a decent-sized lake. Ever driven a bass boat to 80 mph? :rockon:

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I have a 99 Sunsetter LXI with the Monson. Top speed is 46 mph wtih 4600 rpm. I run mine wot alot for barefooting. Have not hurt an inboard engine yet. Go fast.

TLC

I was able to get a just over 46 mph in my old SLXI w/o a biminy or tower. Running a boat at WOT is perfectly normal and in fact Indmar recommends about a 15 min WOT once a month is good for it.

I got our VLX up to 43 but that was with a bit of a tail wind, only me, no ballast or wedge and no biminy.

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:cry: my 247 tops out somewhere around 36 and that is only on smooth water with no one else in the boat. It may have more, but it bounces off the rev limiter at that point.

I prefer to run no more than 25, otherwise I can't keep the fuel in the tank. :crazy:

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Cry.gif my 247 tops out somewhere around 36 and that is only on smooth water with no one else in the boat. It may have more, but it bounces off the rev limiter at that point.

I prefer to run no more than 25, otherwise I can't keep the fuel in the tank. Crazy.gif

Dang, that's true man at WOT you can see the needle move....Cry.gif

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Your Monsoon has a rev limiter...no worries there.

The engine manual for the 325 Monsoon (same engine as is in my boat) says you should be turning 4800-5200 RPM at Wide Open Throttle.

I get about 50 RPM shy of 5000 RPM and 47 MPH indicated when at WOT.

And one more thing...while WOT operations will do no harm to the engine, I saw a boat test from around 2002 that said the Monsoon will be burning in excess of 30 Gallons per hour at that setting...OUCH!

Edited by rts
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'97 Sunsetter LX, Monsoon 320, GPS 43MPH@ 5100RPM top end with 2 people, OJ stainless 4 blade 13x13 prop...

Edited by YJim
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I have a 99 Sunsetter with about 560 hours. Boat runs great and am having no trouble. Sometime a little white smoke when I start the engine but it goes away quickly. Engine is the 325hp Monsoon.

Two questions:

1. What is top end speed on this boat? I’ve had it up to 42 with throttle left over.

2. The kids want to top out the speed to see what she’ll really do but I’m scared to do it. How would the engine and tranny hold up under top-end speed?

My last BU was a 98 Sunsetter LX 325hp Monsoon. I went WOT many many many times. I have the need for speed :crazy: !!!! Never had any problems. Topped out at 47 with the right conditions. Have fun and go WOT

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Saw 51 once with a tailwind GPS-verified. On calm, flat water, about 48 is typical with our 17.5" pitch prop (v-drives tend to be faster than direct-drives). As others have said, let her sing at full cry every once in a while. It's good for the engine, but bad for your wallet as it's a great way to go through a lot of gas in a hurry.

Edited by UWSkier
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I have a friend who never ran his 2000 MC at full throttle. Someone told him it is good to run WOT now and then to blow out the carbon. The engine blew the first time he tried it. I don't know any of the details. Just sayin'.......

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That's a warning light for the V drive.

...no no no it's the wallet warning light. Warns you when your wallet is about to get lighter. :crazy:

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...no no no it's the wallet warning light. Warns you when your wallet is about to get lighter. Crazy.gif

So does it illuminate when you start the boat and only turn off when the battery is disconnected or the bulb goes out Bash.gif

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  • 12 years later...

is there any performance chip or tuner kit for the 1999 sunsetter?? We dont do alot of skiiing or boarding but love the manueverability and ride of the smaller malibu like this and would like to go faster with it!

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24 minutes ago, Hambones said:

is there any performance chip or tuner kit for the 1999 sunsetter??

The easiest way is to upgrade the pitch of the prop, higher pitch is higher top speed, it just takes longer to get there.

There is no performance chip, but you can upgrade the cams, and ultimately put on a car intake manifold and fuel injection kit. 

But you have the wrong boat. Sell your boat to someone who wants to ski or wakeboard, go buy a runabout inboard outboard or outboard for ½ the price. The straighter drive will be more efficient for high speed, the hull won't be tuned for only 36mph.

Edited by smileysteve
  • Like 2
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