Dual outboards

[Steve Baumgarten]

Looking for information on the pros and cons of dual outboards. Is there any written evaluations that are available? I'm currently running a 250hp optimax and its underpowered--want to max out manufacturer's specs of 300hp, am considering twin 150's to get me there. I know with dually's you can almost walk a boat sideways, but does the performance and handling outweigh the cost of double maintenance and mounting? Will I get a fast hole shot with dually's than with a single outboard?

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Dual outboards

Dual Outboards - Commonly referred to as Twins

Pros -
Hole shot will be excellent!
Speed will improve - Go FASTER
Handling is WAY better than a single. I can spin my boat in it's length.
Reliablity is double = Go out further

Cons-
Fuel consumption is about 140% of one large motor..
Maintenence is double
Motor cost is higher, not double but close

 

[JB]

Re: Dual outboards

I doubt that twin 150s would be faster than a single 250. Double the drag.

Lot's more weight, fuel usage, maintenance.

Better maneuverability if you know what you are doing.

Big advantage I see is security, particularly if one of the pair will plane the boat without switching props.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Dual outboards

agree w/ jb on this one. if your max is 300, i'm surprised you think your single 250 is underpowering your boat. maybe your boat needs a diet? seriously, they all get heavier over time with the crap we swear we need to carry.

i have no factual data to support it, but i'd guess twin 150s would be very similar to a single 260 (if they actually made one). don't think you'll gain much performance except in early acceleration. richard obviously has a twin outboard boat, but i'll still disagree on the manuevering abilities of a twin outboard boat. pivot point is too far back to truly take advantage of the twins, nothing like twin inboards.

trade that 250 opti for a 275 verado. you'll be happy.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Dual outboards

Maneuverability depends on the kind of boat you have and how close the motors will be mounted to each other. Most twin outboard setups give you very little advantage maneuvering wise as mattttt states. Getting a counter rotating left hand motor would help a little.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Dual outboards

I run twins - a pair of 110s on the back of a 23' CC. The big advantage is if one goes south you have one to get home on - - I know.

The guys above are correct on the maneuvering. Outboard twins are too close together to have the same effect as twin inboards. That plus an OB in reverse is not very effective due to the through hub exhaust - so putting one in forward and one in reverse does not do much.

My rig will not get on plane with only one prop spinning but it will get me home.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Dual outboards

My boat planes on a single 150 in the gulf. It takes it a while to get there but it will, after planing she'll do over 30mph, 28 comfortably. 52 is my max speed (48 most days with all canvas up).

My neighbor has a '03 Whaler 21 foot center console with a single '03 250 merc. Outrage?? , Mines a Wellcraft 238 Walk Around (25'8 over all) with 10 year old Johnson 150's

He was blown away with the difference in performance. I go out 40 miles easy, no worries. It takes 6 seconds to plane with 7 on board, huge coolers Stem to stern canvas and a full tank (134 gal). I've got no torque steer, it turns on a dime. And I've never needed a tow.

Does it handle like two inboards? No. But they probably have thrusters too.

Would I rather have twins then a single? Any day!

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Dual outboards

JB,

Would'nt the increased bite of two motors increase the speed even after drag?

I'd think a single prop would slip much more pushing a large boat
than twins.

????

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Dual outboards

the pull-a-way power of twins are greater than a single but a single is faster if you look at a ratio between weight and HP ... we ran 2 boats against each other the other day ... took a 12 meter inflatable with 2x 150hp yamaha's and a 8 meter inflatable with 1 x 225hp yamaha and the single won hands down where speed is concerned, but the twins pulled away quicker ....