2019 270 DAUNTLESS Maximum Horsepower

[WAZ]

[Are] twin 300-HP engines too much horsepower for a 2019 270 DAUNTLESS?

[jimh]

The maximum horsepower rating for any boat made after 1972 will be shown on the federally required capacity plate that must be fixed to the boat.

Inspect the 2019 270 DAUNTLESS boat and locate this required rating plate.

Compare the specification on the rating plate with 600-HP. If the boat is rated at 600-HP or more, then twin 300-HP engines would not exceed the maximum horsepower rating.

[WAZ]

Thanks you the reply. I should have worded it differently.

Are [owners of a 2019 270 DAUNTLESS boat] that have the twin 300-HP engines happy with the performance?

Do those owners wish they had gotten twin 250-HP engines?

[Phil T]

For 2019 the manufacturer's specifications list a maximum horsepower rating of 450hp for the 270 Dauntless.
The maximum rating for engine weight is 1,400 lbs.

CF: http://bostonwhaler.com.s3.amazonaws.com/resources/2019-270-DAUNTLESS_2019-SPEC-7.pdf

For 2020, the specifications for the Dauntless 270 have changed.
- Maximum horsepower has increased to 600.
- Maximum engine weight remains 1,400.

CF:https://www.bostonwhaler.com/family-overview/dauntless-boat-models/270-dauntless/

Why the difference between the two model years? What happened?

Boston Whaler began offering the Mercury 300hp V8 engines as an option to the Dauntless 270 for the 2020 model year.

Also - In case you are wondering:

Manufacturer's can't exceed the capacity plate when originally sold.
Manufacturers can not and will not revise existing capacity plates.
Most dealers will not install engines that exceed the capacity plate ratings. Some will.
Most insurance companies will not insure a boat that is powered above the capacity plate ratings. Some will.
Some say it is illegal to exceed the hp limit on a boat but that claim has not been proven.

[Phil T]

Look at the comparison performance shown on the graph in Figure 1:

Fig. 1. 270 DAUNTLESS Performance data from Boston Whaler.

270DA-comparison-graph_.jpg (155.58 KiB) Viewed 4213 times

With a loaded weight of 7,900-lbs (engine,fuel and water), not including gear and passengers, I don't see a 100 hp decrease making much difference.

[jimh]

On the basis that Phil has presented above, that is, that the federal required capacity plate on a 2019 270 DAUNTLESS showed a maximum of 450-HP, I cannot imagine that anyone could have purchased a 2019 270 DAUNTLESS with 600-HP, unless for some reason at the time the boat was manufactured the Boston Whaler company put on the boat a rating for 600-HP. Or perhaps the buyer insisted the dealer remove the OEM engines and replace them with more powerful engines.

Before buying a very recent boat with horsepower that might exceed the capacity plate, I would insist on seeing the capacity plate and its actual horsepower rating. Powering a very expensive new boat with engines that exceed the hull's capacity plate for horsepower maximum could cause the hull warranty to be voided. I would therefore also insist on seeing the manufacturer's 10-year hull warranty, and reading it very carefully to see if there are any exclusions related to too much horsepower.

[jimh]

PHIL--great chart. The twin 300-HP set-up looks like it provides mostly more attention at the intra-coastal water way restaurant dock than any actual performance gain.

[Phil T]

Two things.

I thought the OP was asking if one could repower a 2019 Dauntless 270 model to 600hp given the newer horsepower rating, hence my research and post.

My second post took the performance chart from Bostonwhaler.com and attached it rather than attempt to point to the webpage.

[jimh]

My second post took the performance chart from Bostonwhaler.com and attached it rather than attempt to point to the webpage.

Yes, I think that was understood. I improved the resolution of the chart and gave it a caption to explain where it came from.

The real sweet spot in performance to me looks like twin 225-HP engines.

[jimh]

Are [owners of a 2019 270 DAUNTLESS boat] that have the twin 300-HP engines happy with the performance?

I bet they are. But I think a better questions would be:

Is the significantly greater cost of twin 300-HP engines compared to twin 225-HP worth the 4 to 5-MPH improvement to a top speed of over 60-MPH? I doubt the opportunity to run at 60-MPH instead of 55-MPH occurs frequently.

[WAZ]

Thanks, that's the exact information I was looking for. I have been looking at those performance charts for three weeks and could't figure out why I should spend the extra money for twin 300-HP engines. Interesting thing--a dealer is trying to sell me a new 2019 with twin 300's.

[Phil T]

The engine option change was made during production so it may not line up with the brochures/calendar.

Check the capacity plate on the boat. Don't go by the "model year" or what the sales person says.

[jimh]

Regarding the engine choice between the 225 and 300-HP engines, there are more differences than just horsepower.

The 300-HP V8 4.4-liter engines have the "VERADO" name badge, have the "Advanced Mid Section", and weigh 600-lbs. They have electro-hydraulic (power) steering, and can have joystick control.

The 225-HP V6 3.4-liter engines are branded "FOURSTROKE", have the conventional mid-section, and weigh 475-lbs. They can have conventional hydraulic steering and power steering and joystick control as options, but exactly what configuration will be on a particular 270 DAUNTLESS will depend on how it was ordered.

I think the white paint scheme is available on both 300 and 225-HP engines.

That a dealer has ordered a 270 DAUNTLESS on speculation and selected the most expensive power options is not unusual these days. I suspect the boat will be bought with financing, so the bigger engines will just be a small incremental cost on a very large monthly payment.

[Jefecinco]

This comment is very off-topic but helps illustrate the local Boston Whaler sales situation in Gulf Shores, AL.

Our local dealer, MarineMax, has only three new Boston Whalers in-stock. That is down from approximately a dozen in March. The sales manager said he had not seen so many sales in such a short period before. He said his largest boats sold first and all were loaded with options. He also said many were sold for cash. If I remember correctly the remaining boats were a 150 Montauk, 280 Outrage and a 320 Outrage.

The MarineMax display lot was looking almost empty and he told me his other brands such as Grady White were selling as well as Boston Whalers.

All this during a pandemic is very surprising to me.