I stumbled on this site looking for the same answers, (oil temp)

I too have a SB in a boat (airboat) and I am concerned about the oil temp, only because this will be my 4th motor in it..however the last and final I asure you (according to my wife) which is a zz4 from Chevrolet with a hot cam set up.

This past weekend I read on my oil temp guage 210 to 215 F.
I am taking my reading right out of the oil cooler adapter (before the cooler) I wanted to read the hottest the oil will ever get, not after it was cooled. Maybe this is not a good Idea, but that is what I need to know.

Where are you taking your reading? My last 2 motors I took the oil temp from the pan.(thermal well with manual guage) What weight oil do you use? I use 10w40 Royal purple for now...that can change...

I also built my last 3 motors and 2 of them were sent to race shops in the Houston area for rotating assymblie balancing. But those motors didn't have the tolerance this new motor does from the factory, I just hope it will stay together because 2/3 of its life I will have my foot in its @$$ at 4500.