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Black Boat? Engine size?


Derekc

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Hoping I can get some help here. I really like the looks of a black boat but wondering if they are to hot and look to dirty with water staining? Also, I am looking at a VLX and was wondering if I routinely have 10 people on board should I upgrade the engine from the standard 350?

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Our boat is predominantly black in color, and it takes a lot of work to keep it clean. Any dark color requires a lot of upkeep to keep it looking great. The top side of our deck is white, so temperature is not an issue. Our swim platform is black, and it gets very hot if sitting in direct sunlight for extended periods.

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If we get the topside in black do you think we would have problems with it being to hot when touched and become a bother?

Thanks a bunch for your response BTW

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THe black areas are alwyas hot. But it can depend on where you live. I am in canada and on the hot days we have here it feels like you are sitting on a blow torch if it is in the direct sunlight.

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Our previous 2012 black vlx had a black hull and other black areas including swim platform (see uploaded pic). I would use a wash and wax blend and wipe it down after every few outings (docked and on covered lift). And, I would take it the car wash after any road trip and wash wax in manual bay. I have always done this with my boats over the last 10 years or so and they have always looked great and kept in good condition.

I don't recall any issues with heat ... but Indiana is only in the 90's in the hottest part of the summer. Our decking was black...again ... don't recall any issues. The only issues I ever had was with heat from black boat cover sitting in the sun:)

I can say that if you keep it wiped down and washed the black looks awesome! A real head turner:)

My wife did purchase touchofpurple.com cleaner ... we saw it demo'd at our local home show this year and looks to do an amazing job on Gel coats...we will see.

post-18138-0-36657600-1362713981_thumb.j

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about the motor ... I had the standard 350 monsoon in my 2012 VLX. I have had 7-8 large guys (180-220 lbs ) out surfing with full standard ballast (none added) and dont' recall the motor have any issues at all. However, I didn't have any additional ballast. If you added additional ballast plus 10 people...mmm...hopefully someone can post with actual experience. I never had the engine break a sweat with my load/crew:)

I did however just order a 2013 23 LSV and got the LS3 427 (450 HP) engine. It was an $8k option from my dealer. Larger boat and I intend to add plenty of additional ballast to the stock ballast.

Gabe

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Had a few black boats. They are a a pain in the anous to keep clean, but nothing looks HOTTER than a clean black boat. I wouldn't put 10 people in 247 regularly. Just waaaayyy to much junk they all have to bring along, and there isn't a cooler big enough to hold that much beer so every one can be inebriated.

If you plan on always having 10 people out with you, get the base engine and find another friend that has a boat.

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I've got a fair amount of black on my boat. After each outing, I dry it with a chamois and then wipe it down with Boat Bling Hot Sauce. Takes 25-30 minutes, which can suck at the end of a long, hot day, but I knew what I was getting into when we ordered the boat. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Would I order one with a black deck? Not a chance. It gets pretty warm in AL (not to mention the humidity), so a black deck would only add to the misery. I went with Moonbeam.

As for the upgraded motor, I will probably get a larger motor next time. I have the 350, and I really can't complain, but when I have a boat full of people, I can notice. It might be because I'm the one driving & not the one being pulled. I've had 10 people in my boat & pulled wakeboarders & wakesurfers without any real problems.

IXFE is right, though. Get at least a LSV if you're going to have a crew that large.

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I'm going to run an lsv with the 15 inch prop lots of extra weight this season. I didn't want to drop 8k on the ls3. It's a great motor. I had it in last years axis a22. However, my friend Matt has a 13 with the 350, 15 inch prop, 750 pnp bags in the rear and lead in the nose, and his boat planes. That's why I'm going with the 350. My friend, who is an engineer at Malibu confirmed that the lsv actually planes easier than the vlx due to the extra length of the hull. The upgrade to the 409 is useless IMO.

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My lake has very hard water. After a good morning of skiing my boat has water spots that do not want to come off. I keep my boat waxed and wipe it down after every use. The black on my boat shows everything and is no question the area that shows spotting the most. I agree black boats and cars when clean are some of the best looking.

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I know the motor is always a touchy subject, the most I have had was 12 adults and 2 extra coolers in my boat with the Hammerhead motor. After about 15 minutes of steady cruising to our surf spot in 100+ heat, when it let off the throttle my oil pressure alarm went off. I was at 8 psi while at idle, I let the motor cool off and didn't run it that hard the rest of the weekend. Since then I put a 1235 prop on and switched to synthetic 50 wt oil. No more problems, I always wonder how hard a 350 runs under full load. Not putting down the Monsoon 350 (used to have one in last boat) but why not have more than enough motor. Kinda like a tractor, with more power the motor doesn't have to work as hard. The harder you run an engine the more heat it generates, which is more wear and shorter life span. As for the color, my boat is black and red, on a hot day the black is hot enough to blister you if you get up against it. If you have kids this should be a no brainer, they will sooner or later get burned.

The next boat will be white with the biggest engine I can get.

Edited by MLBurns
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I surf and I have a boat load when we go out, 4-8.... Sometimes up to 12. Glad I got the bigger engine. And if you are buying the boat to surf.. No brainer.

As far as black... Where do you live?

I have a dark gray stripe that runs up to my topside, and that gets hot enough you can't keep your hand on it for 2 seconds without burning yourself, you can cook an egg. Crazy hot. If you live somewhere hot and want to get back, keep it below the rubrail. IMO Not on the bottom either... Regular trailering shows scuffs on painted bottoms.

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If you don't ski, and don't care about slightly more torque from like 26mph+, there is no benefit to the 409. If you think the 409 is more reliable than the 350, you're smoking something. The only motor upgrade worth the coin is the ls3. Ill let you guys know my honest opinion after owning my 13 lsv for a season. I've had the raptor 400 and an ls3 in two a22s, so I understand the desire for big motor options. Honestly, I was going to go back with the ls3 until i got to use my friends boat for a long weekend.

One thing about the ls3, you absolutely have to run only premium gas or it will pull timing and you will notice a huge performance difference.

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