A 550 pump may work well enough, depending on your standards.Dude you are wrong on this I don't know where you are getting your knowledge from but I call bullshat, it is kind of like saying It's not going to be as good as a Mag pump??? Crashnburn do some reading on this topic over on PWC just because they have a good vintage section. There is alot of history there on this very topic. This Mod is old school and it is one of the best thing's that ever happened to the 550 hull. Don't even consider a 440 pump or a 550 powerplant on a build that you are not commited to yet. If you already had a good motor ready to drop in then fine go with a 550 and enjoy yourself but it sound's to me like you have a hull and are trying to build a ski. Do some research let me know if I can help you.
I get my knowledge by measuring thrust. A 750 engine can make enough power to produce 600+ pounds of thrust with a 140mm kawasaki or 144mm yamaha pump. I realize that this modification is not realistic for most people, though it is required for maximum acceleration.