Which Ford 4 cyl? Are you talking about the one that's 1/2 a 460 cid? While it's true the engine has good power for a 4 cyl, that particular engine is VERY expensive to maintain and you need a very sharp mechanic to diagnose it when it breaks.

Just a brief primer on props. You want a prop that will allow the engine to run at max recommended rpm at full throttle with light load in the boat.

If you over pitch the prop, you'll never reach max rpm and they say this situation is not good because you'll be lugging the engine.

If you under pitch the prop, you run the risk of over revving the engine which means, you won't get the max speed if you keep it at or below the max rpm. I hope this point makes sense to you. Hole shot will be fantastic, but you won't get good top speed.

Next time you take the boat out with a light load (i.e., just you or one other person), get the engine up to full throttle and see if it hits max rpm. If not, you need less pitch on your prop. If it goes over, you don't have enough pitch. BTW, don't over rev the engine for more than a second or two.

TexasKid, I'm pretty sure a 17' boat can handle a V8, BUT you do not want to over power the hull. You gotta stay at or below the rating of the hull. If you go over the plate rating and you get into an accident, there's a good chance that a sharp insurance adjuster will notice this and you will not be covered.

The big problem with a larger engine is the trouble it is to get it to fit in the space where a 4 cyl. engine used to reside. Most times, it requires extensive deck and engine box modifications.

 

A great place to get boating questions answered is the WMI Boating Board. There are plenty of really knowledgable folks who post over there.

Adios,

Tsip.