Feb 10

Feb 10 One of a Kind Checkmate: Repowering a 21 Pulsare with a Mercury ProXS

When the new Mercury Four stroke platform hit the market, first as a V6, then later with the V8 offerings it was a dramatic shift in not only engine technology but design. With a vast offering of engines now in the 200 to 300 HP range, Mercury is well positioned in outboards for almost any kind of boat. For those looking at repowering to the new four strokes, there are some clear advantages. One of our readers has recently repowered a very unique Checkmate 21 Pulsare with a brand new Mercury 250 ProXS, let’s take a look.

The new V8 250 ProXS is a nice match for the 21 Checkmate. With 12” of setback, the Pulsare is in the low 80s easily.

Andrew Priest got his hands on one of the most unique Checkmates I have ever seen. The boat is a 2012, super clean, Pulsare 21 with an incredible paint job. Typically Checkmates come with the colors in the gelcoat but when this one was built it went off to Mitcher T Custom Paint and Design in Michigan, where it was sprayed with some colorful and tasteful graphics. I haven’t seen another Pulsare like this, truly one of a kind. I’m a big fan of the 21 Pulsare, it’s a fast, practical sport boat in a nice size.

The custom Mitcher T paint job is a nice touch with some really nice colors. This Checkmate really stands out.

Originally, Andrew thought about finding an older two stroke to repower with, but after looking into it, Checkmate had a 250 ProXS on hand they could rig on his boat. This new V8 250 ProXS is a perfect match for the Checkmate. He opted for the DTS controls, which allowed him to go with the digital hot foot as well, which is really slick, offering the ability to use the foot or hand throttle. This boat already had a 12” Atlas jack plate which was also a good fit.

Checkmate Pulsare 21 ProXS 8.jpeg — ProXS V8

The brawny V8 four stroke has plenty of punch. Equipped with 1.75 gears, offers great performance. 81 MPH with a 25” Fury, with the prop shaft just below the pad.

After testing a couple props, Andrew has found the Fury 3 25” runs just over 80 MPH at 6200 RPM and he really likes it. The 250 ProXS has a rev limit of 6200 and a nice Torque Master gearcase with 1.75 gears, making for a really great combination. The 21 Pulsare is running well with the prop shaft just below the pad. Andrew absolutely loves the new setup and is enjoying his new boat in Florida. You won’t have a hard time spotting him.