For a fair budget I would build a 454 or slightly larger for the torque in a jet boat. Remember, no replacement for displacement, engine size is power. Mine is a .060 over 454 with a Scat 4340 crank I have the GM L88/ZL1 rods in mine, but those are hard to find and pay through the nose. A set of Eagle rods or GM 3/8 ARP bolt rods will work fine. I used JE pistons with a 23cc dome with open chambers oval port heads with the 2.19 & 1.88 valves my comp is right at 10.0:1. I use use a Comp jet boat bracket racing hyd. flat tappet cam and all Comp valvetrain, tunnel ram intake with two Holley 600cfm carbs. I dyno tuned it and it put out 542hp @ 6,000 and 521lbs tq. I have had it out 13 times this year and it runs like a Rolex, and I have seen 77 mph on the gps.