Snow Posted July 18, 2020 Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 So I find myself with the opportunity to purchase a 2020 2500. It has the options I’ve been looking for which isn’t much. Just a bare bones fishing machine, no powder coating, no hard top, regular leaning post without the tackle station or live well. Just the bare aluminum tee top with canvas and leaning post. However it is powered with the 250 SHO and that is my concern and question? All the 2500’s I’ve been looking at are powered with the 300. I know the 250 SHO is a awesome motor! But will it be enough? I typically fish with 2-4 men inshore or off the beach no more than 30 miles at the most. All done with the typical fishing gear, ice, tackle, etc. I recent sold my previous center console which was smaller than the 2500, it was 22’, and powered with the 200 Yamaha. It did well with the 200 loaded up for a day of fishing. I would see high 40’s low 50’s wide open if the sea would allow and that is plenty for me. If I saw these same numbers with the 2500 powered with the 250 SHO I would be happy! I just don’t want to have buyers remorse, it’s hard to do a sea trial and not have it truly loaded down like how your going to use the boat. I haven’t done one yet with the current owner and I don’t want to waste his time. Any info or opinions would be greatly appreciated. I have done some searches and found a previous thread regarding this topic however it was older, 2017. I’m wondering after three years would that particular gentleman have a new opinion. His past opinion was a positive one, but he had just purchased the boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin-addict Posted July 18, 2020 Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 From what I read on this forum, with a 250 SHO she will run 53 mph loaded to fish with 2-4 guys on board. My want to search this out. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted July 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 Thanks, I have seen the same numbers in that previous post as mentioned. And the gentlemen selling the boat has given the same info. That top speed would be perfectly fine with me, I’m curious on the low end as well and prop being used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FINCHASER Posted July 18, 2020 Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 Not many out there with the 250..... only way you are gonna know is to test run it. Bring 3 guys with you (2 if the owner is coming along), request it have a full tank of fuel and before you take off have the livewell full to capacity, this should be pretty representative of how it will perform loaded, cant imagine your gear you would put on there would be to heavy to make a diff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted July 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 1 hour ago, FINCHASER said: Not many out there with the 250..... only way you are gonna know is to test run it. Bring 3 guys with you (2 if the owner is coming along), request it have a full tank of fuel and before you take off have the livewell full to capacity, this should be pretty representative of how it will perform loaded, cant imagine your gear you would put on there would be to heavy to make a diff Thanks Finchaser, I asked a similar question on your thread regarding 2500 prop selection with no intent of Hijacking. I’m hoping someone with a 250 SHO will chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanjj Posted July 18, 2020 Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 I don’t see very many 250 SHO’s ....so I can’t comment on them, but I know of at least 5 Pathfinders with Yam 300 with over 1200 hours on them and still running strong....one in particular has 1750 hours on a PF 2400 and runs like a sewing machine. I would not hesitate to buy a boat with a 300 on it. Nothing against the 250 SHO.... there just is not many around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted July 18, 2020 Report Share Posted July 18, 2020 Both motors are 4.2L V6s sharing much of the same architecture. Propped correctly it would be fine with the only drop off being top end. The only concern I would have is resale, you’ll have potential buyers in the future asking the same question that you’re asking yourself today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wahoossi Posted July 19, 2020 Report Share Posted July 19, 2020 Not the same boat but similar stepped hull , size and probably weight. I bought my Contender 25 Bay with a 4.2 Yamaha F250 (not SHO) and ran it for 5 years until the guys at the dry rack storage dropped a boat on it and likely created a small crack in the raw water cooling which destroyed my engine. I replaced it with a 2020 F300. I really don’t notice a huge performance difference between the two . My top speed ( with T-top) has increased maybe 3-4 mph , hole shot about the same. I kept the same Tempest prop. The one factor you have to consider is resale value. I bought mine slightly used as the previous owner really wanted an offshore boat and had already located and put a down payment on a Contender 27 . I was able to get a year and a half old Contender 25 Bay for about $15 grand less than what other similar CB’s were going for at the time, partially due to the guy’s urgency for a sale but it wasn’t moving because of the F250. It ran great with The F250 but if you don’t plan on keeping it for many years, you may want to pony up for one with an F300 as it may be a better investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamaskeet Posted July 19, 2020 Report Share Posted July 19, 2020 You can alway get the 250 SHO reflashed to over 300 hp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyB Posted July 19, 2020 Report Share Posted July 19, 2020 3 minutes ago, Bamaskeet said: You can alway get the 250 SHO reflashed to over 300 hp. I have had the chance to run a 250 SHO before and after a flash. There honestly was not very much difference take off or wide open throttle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted July 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2020 Guys, thanks for all the great insight! Great points on resale value. That was something I had not been considering at this point. Wahoosi thanks for sharing your experience with your Contender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilemaker Posted July 19, 2020 Report Share Posted July 19, 2020 As with all outboard motors you have a law of diminishing returns. once you get up there in HP it takes a lot more to see significant gains unless you start fooling around with other factors as setback ,prop lower gears etc. It seems the extra 50Hp going fromm 200 to 250 is a lot more significant than the 50Hp from 250 to 300 without changing other things. There used to be a saying that it was best to be in the midrange of Hp for the same block. Not a lot of performance loss but a longer trouble free lifespan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted July 20, 2020 Report Share Posted July 20, 2020 This is true but boat buying an emotional decision, except for maybe some commercial guys, and we men are dumb for the most part. If 98% of the group is running 300s with a couple 350s thrown in the mix, a 250 may be a tough nut to swallow for someone (myself included, for the resale reason I stated above). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted July 20, 2020 Report Share Posted July 20, 2020 11 hours ago, Wahoossi said: Not the same boat but similar stepped hull , size and probably weight. I bought my Contender 25 Bay with a 4.2 Yamaha F250 (not SHO) and ran it for 5 years until the guys at the dry rack storage dropped a boat on it and likely created a small crack in the raw water cooling which destroyed my engine. I replaced it with a 2020 F300. I really don’t notice a huge performance difference between the two . My top speed ( with T-top) has increased maybe 3-4 mph , hole shot about the same. I kept the same Tempest prop. The one factor you have to consider is resale value. I bought mine slightly used as the previous owner really wanted an offshore boat and had already located and put a down payment on a Contender 27 . I was able to get a year and a half old Contender 25 Bay for about $15 grand less than what other similar CB’s were going for at the time, partially due to the guy’s urgency for a sale but it wasn’t moving because of the F250. It ran great with The F250 but if you don’t plan on keeping it for many years, you may want to pony up for one with an F300 as it may be a better investment. Sweet boat. Did you get this boat at Sovereign Yacht Sales in Stuart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wahoossi Posted July 20, 2020 Report Share Posted July 20, 2020 No, it is bit of an involved story but the boat was originally won by Jeff Gordon at the Homestead 400. He sold it to a dealer in NC who then indirectly sold it to a very nice gentleman in Inverness. It turns out the guy in Inverness was the football coach and close friends of my wife’s bridesmaid’s son and he let me write a personal check for it and I pulled it home the same day . Great hybrid bay/offshore boat. I bet the Pathfinder 2500 does a great job as well. I have owned a Pathfinder 20, 24TE as well as a Maverick 15 HPX and a 17 HPX-V and recently bought a Hewes Redfisher 16 to get back into the MBG family. Here’s my Hewe’s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsh102 Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 Not a chance, would I put anything less than the 300 on a 25. The 250 SHO is a strong motor but it would suit the 23 HPS better, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 There you have it... my point exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lap it Up Posted July 21, 2020 Report Share Posted July 21, 2020 15 hours ago, bsh102 said: Not a chance, would I put anything less than the 300 on a 25. The 250 SHO is a strong motor but it would suit the 23 HPS better, IMO. They are the exact same motor w/ less tuning. Zero difference between 4.2L 200, 225, 250 or 300 powerheads. You are paying thousands more for the potential to fly by wire and cowling decals. The only slight advantage to a 300 is resale as some stated above. You have to explain less to people that don't understand modern engines and tuning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted July 22, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2020 Guys, thanks for all the advise. I have decided to walk away from the deal and continue my search. For one I didn’t want to spend the money and always be wanting more from the 250 regretting I did not buy a 25 with a 300. Two, flat out was the resale issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsh102 Posted July 22, 2020 Report Share Posted July 22, 2020 23 hours ago, Lap it Up said: They are the exact same motor w/ less tuning. Zero difference between 4.2L 200, 225, 250 or 300 powerheads. You are paying thousands more for the potential to fly by wire and cowling decals. The only slight advantage to a 300 is resale as some stated above. You have to explain less to people that don't understand modern engines and tuning. Exact same engine except one puts out 50hp more without additional tuning. So that being the case just buy the 200 and tune it. Explain that to your potential buyer on resale. I don’t need a lecture about tuning and how it works, very well aware. The 25 needs all of the 300, was my point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lap it Up Posted July 22, 2020 Report Share Posted July 22, 2020 1 hour ago, bsh102 said: I don’t need a lecture about tuning Not lecturing at all. Just thought it could help a potential buyer save a lot of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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