Posting has been a bit slow on DestinSharks due to our continued development of our EarthNC Marine Charts for Google Earth project and some down time on our Regal 2760. Our Regal is powered by twin Mercruiser 4.3L engines which have the distinction of being the only engines in the Mercruiser line with electric fuel pumps.

Anyone who has owned boats can tell you that mechanical problems are a fact of life (unless your boat is a canoe or kayak) and our Regal is no different. This time, it was the starboard engine which quit and would not restart during our last outing in early July. Fortunately, we were only a 1/2 mile from our slip (rather than the 20 miles away we had been earlier in the day) so we didn’t have far to go before the troubleshooting began.

(more…)

When considering Mercruiser powered boats, you often have a choice between the single prop Alpha I and twin prop Bravo III outdrives. The “best” choice depends on a combination of factors including engine horsepower, boat type, boating style, and personal preference. In this review, we cover the pros and cons of each sterndrive and the factors to consider based on our ownership of both models over the years.

(more…)

Overview

Mercruiser’s answer to the Volvo Duo-Prop, the Bravo III features twin counter-rotating propellers in an aluminum outdrive. Bravo III’s are found on applications ranging from 190HP to 525HP with the new Bravo IIIXR. For single-engine boats, twin prop drives are generally the standard over 260HP to improve handling and low-mid range performance.

(more…)