18' Challenger owners, what is your top speed?

[LSC101]

I have owned my 2000 Challenger 1800 with the 210hp Merc for a couple years now and on a good day I have hit 47mph on GPS. I discovered some excessive pitting on my wear ring housing and impeller and look to fix with new impeller and and wear ring re-finish soon. I know I am loosing performance with all this pitting. I am sure this is the original impeller too.

I would like to ask all of you that have this same set up what your top speeds have been and your day to day speeds are. What do I have to look forward to with a freshened up pump system?

Is 47mph all this baby is ever going to see? I certainly hope not. I want more!!

Thanks for any replies to this matter of speed.

 

[philipmurphey]

I have a 2003 challenger 1800 with the newer style 240EFI and I have hit 49 by iPhone GPS so you are doing good at 47. My pump and impeller look good from what I can see with them still installed in boat.

 

[LSC101]

I am a bit surprised that you are not hitting over 50mph with a 240hp mercury. I have read other tests on this boat with the twin 800 series rotax motors (220hp total) with a top speed of 48.7mph GPS. I have another friend with that 240hp and it is a monster of a motor. His is a 17' Sugar Sand weighing in at 1400lbs and has topped out at 59mph GPS. I am so jealous.

 

[henryb]

I have a year 2000 Challenger 1800 with the 210HP Merc engine. It has the original impeller and wear ring... Although there are no pits and the gap appears to be fairly close between the impeller and ring, I'm sure the gap is far more then the original factory setting?

That being said, I can get 47mph on GPS with a nice down wind.

I also have the fixed extended ride plate installed which is reported to take a mile or two off the top end.

Not to mention that although my engine is running very well, the cylinder compression numbers are showing signs of its age... All around 105-110. So that can be another factor.

 

[philipmurphey]

I looked at boattest.com and their results are as follows. For the twin 800CC 1800 challenger its top speed was 48.7 MPH. The 2000 challenger with a 240 Merc's top speed was 49.9 MPH. I don't think that any challenger will do much better than top 40's or lower 50's on its best day. What the dream'o'meter shows on the dash might tell you something different than an actual GPS does. I am happy knowing that I can go 49 if I needed to but cruising at 30ish is where I like to be at.

 

[Tomfrmnh]

Agreed. If you are getting 47 mph I wouldn't expect much more. I see the same. 45-49 mph depending on load, wind ect.