210 Sundeck Performance

boater2018

Member
Feb 26, 2018
146
Boat Info
2000 Sea Ray 210 Sundeck
Engines
Mercruiser 5.0 EFI
2000 Sundeck 210 5.0 efi
I have a 4 blade 17P Solus prop that I am currently running and also the OEM SS 19P prop (vengeance) in storage. I swapped to the 17P 4 blade to try and help with holeshot. I believe it did, but I was also having some mechanical work done on the boat (project boat) so I’m not sure if it was that or the prop that helped the hole shot. Anyway, right now, I haven’t been able to get the boat above 38mph with just me and my son in the boat, running about 4600 rpm’s and trimming up some. My trim gauge doesn’t work, so not sure how much I had it trimmed, but I wasn’t seeing any increase in speed the more I adjusted it up. Compression was good 3 years ago, but haven’t checked it since. The performance has not decreased any, it has just always been slower than what I thought it should be. Anyway, a few questions….should the aluminum 4 blade provide better performance than the SS 3 blade? Would a SS 4 blade give better hole shot and a few mph better top speed? Also, what about trim tabs? Would the Bennett trim tabs help plane it out quicker and hole shot? Just wondering if any of you have faced the same issue and had success? We had a pretty full crew on it this weekend and it was very slow out of the hole. I expect a noticeable difference with a full crew, just wondering if I’m getting the performance it should produce. Side note: the block was replaced before I bought the boat with an older block (‘94 is what the serial number shows). The boat runs great, just seems like it should be a little quicker out of the hole and on the top end, but it may be completely normal. Any input? Thank you
 
Just curious how many hours are on that new motor I have a 2006 215 weekender which is about 22 ft with the 5 .0 liter and an alpha 1 and a 17 pitch three blade stiletto and I come out of the hole very good and I can almost hit 40 as a top speed I've never tried it to see exactly what it will do at wide open throttle I've been close but not all the way
 
Just curious how many hours are on that new motor I have a 2006 215 weekender which is about 22 ft with the 5 .0 liter and an alpha 1 and a 17 pitch three blade stiletto and I come out of the hole very good and I can almost hit 40 as a top speed I've never tried it to see exactly what it will do at wide open throttle I've been close but not all the way
Not sure of the hours. It was in the boat when I bought it 6 years ago. I bought the boat as a project. The guy actually told me it had a 350 in it. After some investigation, I found a mercruiser tag on it and looked up the serial number on the tag. I'm going by memory, now, but I think it checked out to be a '94 model. I have no idea how many hours on the block. I assume the other components are factory components. When I did the compression test several years ago, it had around 145-150 psi on each cylinder (cold test), within 5 psi of each other. When googling back then, I saw where someone tested their merc cold and then again when it was hot and it gained about 20 psi, so I figure the test yielded good results. The alpha outdrive ratio is 1.62. I will say again, I'm pretty sure we were at max capacity weight-wise, but it was real sluggish out of the hole. Again, I expect some drag, but thought it would do better than it did. I took it for a quick run after our guests left and hit 38mph at 45-4600 rpm. I don't think there was much throttle left and when I eased the trim up, the speed wasn't changing. I'm wondering if the SS prop, even though it's a 3 blade would offer better hole shot. I would rather have that than top speed, mainly when we have guests. With just us and our 2 children, it's not bad, although I could tell a difference when I filled the fuel tank up. lol
 
Yeah as I said I have a 17 pitch with a 5.0 Mpi and a 5,000 lb boat and it hops up and goes good
 
Yeah as I said I have a 17 pitch with a 5.0 Mpi and a 5,000 lb boat and it hops up and goes good
Thank you for the comment. Yours is a 2006 model and may have 40 more HP than mine. I wonder if the older block has less power and would affect hole shot and top speed? I also wonder if the SS prop helps even though mine is a 4 blade and yours is a 3 blade?
 
Yes mine is the 260 horse 5.0 what is yours the 220 horsepower
 
It looks from the specifications like you should have came with the 260 horse
 
I found the spec sheet for the 2000 210 Sundeck and it shows 240hp. I’m not sure what mine actually produces with a ‘94 block. Maybe 220, maybe 240 lol
 
Yeah that's very weird cuz the spec sheet does say 260 I don't know anything about the older blocks if it's a roller cam if it's not a roller cam I have no idea you'd have to dig a little further I don't know if the blocks in 1984 or designed for the roller cam
 
94 should be a roller cam block my mistake
 
An "EFI" 5.0 would be 240HP. An "MPI" 5.0 would be 260HP. An "EFI" 5.7 would be 260. Once the MPI's came out, Sea Ray stopped using the 5.7 EFI. However, the 350MAG was still in use for quite a while at 300HP.

Being a '94... hard to say. All I can say is it's probably not MORE HP.

I used to have a 210 Signature (and a 215). The 210 Sig is similar to Sundeck, but the Signature was a tiny bit faster.

I had the 5.7EFI and could get 52MPH in fresh water and 54MPH in salt.

With a 5.0EFI, in your boat, I would expect high 40's with the stock Vengeance.
 
Yeah hard to tell whether it's a roll or not don't know thanks for the information about the MPI being the 260 horse I appreciate
 
Just to add a bit more info... I've run 210 SD's many times. While the top end speed is only a bit lower than the Signature, there is more of a difference between the two when it comes to hole shot. And this is entirely due to the more spacious layout of the Sundeck. More weight is carried further back. So it's even MORE important to have that drive ALL the way down every time.

I would highly suggest putting Smart Tabs on the boat. It will make a HUGE improvement in hole shot.
 
Just to add a bit more info... I've run 210 SD's many times. While the top end speed is only a bit lower than the Signature, there is more of a difference between the two when it comes to hole shot. And this is entirely due to the more spacious layout of the Sundeck. More weight is carried further back. So it's even MORE important to have that drive ALL the way down every time.

I would highly suggest putting Smart Tabs on the boat. It will make a HUGE improvement in hole shot.
Thank you Lazy Daze. Any ideas to what would cause the top end to be lower? A fellow 210 SD owner on a post I did back in 2018 posted his numbers with a 5.0 and he was getting 45mph at 4750 rpm with a 4 blade 14 1/4x17 SS. His motor was stock. Would the Stainless prop provide more top end speed? I haven't been above 38mph (GPS) yet, so I would think that's quite a difference. I know I mentioned the top end and the hole shot is definitely a bigger deal to me, just would think I would still get similar results.
 
Also, just clarify, I do take off with the drive all the way down and trim up once I am planed out and have built some speed.
 
Yes, I do think your SS prop will give you more top end (I don't think a lot, though - with everything else being equal, that is). It may/may not be better out of the hole - they'd probably be close.

Why is it slower? Hard to say, but here are some general reasons why...

-- Not going full throttle
-- Not trimming up as high as possible (till ventilation and/or speed no longer increases)
-- Dirty hull bottom
-- Fouled running gear
-- Too much weight in the boat
-- Engine power is down
-- Going up hill
 
Yea that going uphill really kills speed Lol
 
Yes, I do think your SS prop will give you more top end (I don't think a lot, though - with everything else being equal, that is). It may/may not be better out of the hole - they'd probably be close.

Why is it slower? Hard to say, but here are some general reasons why...

-- Not going full throttle
-- Not trimming up as high as possible (till ventilation and/or speed no longer increases)
-- Dirty hull bottom
-- Fouled running gear
-- Too much weight in the boat
-- Engine power is down
-- Going up hill
Thank you again. I feel like it was basically at max throttle when I ran it. I can't remember the exact rpms, but I believe it was around 4600, possibly a little more. It was definitely above 4500. Weight wasn't the issue as it was just me and my 8 year old son. Fuel was a little over half, I wasn't seeing any change when I trimmed up, hull is clean, not that it matters but this is an all fresh water boat. Not sure about engine power, regarding that, I plan to change the plugs as it is due for that and check compression again just for updated numbers. I'll try to check it when the engine is warm this time.

Do you think a SS 4 blade prop generally has more hole shot and top end than the same size aluminum? Also, the other gentleman with the same boat was running a 14 1/4x17 SS and mine is a 14x17 (alum.). Would the 14 1/4 make any difference? I do like your suggestion on the tabs and may end up doing that. It makes sense that it would help for sure.

Upon a little searching, I saw a 1994 sea ray listed for sale with the 5.0 and they claimed it had 220hp. When I go to the Sea Ray archives and look up specs for a 1994 200 bowrider, it says the standard 5.0 has 200/180hp and the 5.0LX has 230/205. I'm guessing my HP is lower than the 2000 spec of 240hp standard package.
 
@Lazy Daze . Did you have a 215 weekender. Is so was your top end around 40. I don't run that fast, I cruise at 3300 which is about 26 27 mph. But if get on it it goes like a bat out of hell
 
Just to add a bit more info... I've run 210 SD's many times. While the top end speed is only a bit lower than the Signature, there is more of a difference between the two when it comes to hole shot. And this is entirely due to the more spacious layout of the Sundeck. More weight is carried further back. So it's even MORE important to have that drive ALL the way down every time.

I would highly suggest putting Smart Tabs on the boat. It will make a HUGE improvement in hole shot.
I ordered Smart Tabs today and am looking forward to trying them out. Regarding sealant for installing them, I have some Starbrite 8200 Polyurethane marine sealant. Is this stuff comparable to 4200 or do I need to buy some 4200 to seal the screw holes when installing them? Also, out of the reasons for low top end that you listed. I’m clear on all but maybe the engine power is down. I’m going to check compression, but I’m also thinking that older block may cause a reduction in horsepower. Anyway, thank you for your input. I may post compression numbers when I’m able to change the plugs, but it may be a couple of weeks.
 

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