Twins got me home. Had one engine quit peeing and shut off. was able to lift the motor and cruise in on the other one. It sucks to have to pay double to maintain 2 engines but its worth it to get back to the boat ramp.
You do you when it comes to boating. Here in Sweden we have an organization called SSRS, stands for Swedish Sea Rescue Association, a non-profit organization that you pay for a membership in. For about 80 dollars per year they will go through hell and high water to get you home safely in case of an emergency. True heroes in my opinion.
@rickyanthonygreater ocean? What does that even mean? How far from the coast is considered greater ocean? If you have an engine failure and your life is in danger the coast guard must respond to the call. Even if you are 100 miles from the coast. And if you go further then that in a small one engine boat are risking your life.
If you live in the first world, a single at sea is acceptable because there's generally decent coast guard services, but life in the rest of the planet, a twin is a no brainer regardless of all the above discussions.
If the engine died off shore, you're f**ked ! I d save 3 boats ran out of fuel or engine problems. Some didn't have enough rope for deep anchor. Some carry no torch light. Reading currents help rescue job a little easier
Twins cost more, (generally, but not always) but I feel they are better in most boats that run offshore 24 feet plus. Here's why: 1) Most twin configurations have a shallower draft because of the motors being mounted off the center-line. That's great for low tide bay navigation. 2) Docking is way easier, especially in wind. 3) Fuel is not the only problem. If you do your maintenance fuel is a non-issue. I have burned up a water pump on one motor because we ran across a slightly submerged ice bag from another boat. The bag was impossible to see, but rendered our port motor useless. We still fished the whole day and got home before dark 30 miles outside of IRI DE with fish. 4) On occasion we run up to 80 miles one way. Redundancy is key. 5) A boat tracks true with twins. Set the autopilot and forget it. (I get the the dual prop theory. That does not help if you hit a submerged object or a sucked up or ice bag from a lousy boater) 6) Check the torque of say one 300 versus two 150's. Torque moves the boat, hp is way less important- also look at the rpm needed to produce said torque and hp. The downside is more work/cost-oil changes, gear oil, belts, spark plugs, thermostats, etc. This is just my humble opinion having owned both. Pick your poison and have fun!
@@Vee6watchmanthey threw (or it blew) an empty clear plastic bag, like ice comes in overboard. Because it's clear and doesn't just float on the surface, other boaters, and sea life, may not see it before it causes damage.
My boat started with a 235hp from the factory. It was problematic and got replaced for twin 150’s. Since I was going 40-50 miles off shores twins turned out to be the best choice. I never got stranded and I never had a fuel probl
I wonder how so many of us survived with single outboards for so many years. Looking at the comments it’s just not possible. Some people had a small “ kicker” motor, others just the single outboard, and we went WAY of shore. Sure some broke down, then a call to the coast guard, or friend with a boat and you were fine. Now it’s like instant death if your boat breaks down. These must be the same people that don’t understand how people lived before cell phones and the internet. People sure have gotten soft and scared.
Agreed. I grew up boating with my dad and his boats always had just one motor. We went everywhere. Maybe those engines were more reliable back then? IDK. I have a decent boat and it only has 1 motor. I go everywhere with it.
Always go out with two working motors whether they're twins or a main engine and kicker. The bottom end of twins will create more drag but you'll have more reserve power if one fails.
i think not all information are accurate. i have a twin 150hp each and my friend have exactly the same boat with singe 300hp and my boat is quicker on a plane and faster overall. its consuming only 10% more than single. Of course price, maintenance cost (and any repair) usually is double but mobility and stability on the water is much better than single. I would never go back to single if boat will have a option to install 2 engines. Regarding problem with fuel - if there is any problem usually affect both engines as tank is only one and even if will be 2 separated tanks usually people filling up from one petrol station.
I have one question though. In Canada BC every boat with a motor with 10 hp or more needs to be licensed and I believe many states in north america have simular laws. Does a twin 9.9 hp count now still as 9.9 hp propulsion or as 19.8 hp? Also, would a twin 9.9hp actually be faster then a single 9.9hp?
In Germany you nearly don’t see twins on the Baltic Sea. Single engine is enough and the most skippers has just one. But here are the costs (e.g. for Fuel) a lot higher than in the US. Maybe that’s a reason. In the US 2-4 engines are normal I think :D I have one Mercruiser 4,3L and it works well. Never needed a second engine
The majority of commercial vessels operate on a singe engine, but with redundancies for fueling and cooling. Twin outboards are as susceptible to fuelling issues unless with fully redundancy
I replaced a 4 cylinder 100 hp engine with a V8 Volvo Penta AQ225 in a 24 foot boat. What a massive difference. Lower fuel consumption. Relaxed boating, quick to get on plane whatever the load. Cruising at 2700 rpm with a top rev (hardly ever used) of 5000 rpm.
Thanks for this logical comparison. I love the look of twins but as an inshore lake boater it’s not a case of having to get home from miles offshore. In 50 years of boating I think I’ve have a motor outright quit and strand me maybe twice. That’s not enough risk to justify the extra cost in my mind.
I've never owned a boat with a single and never will. The redundancy and less stress on the motors is more than worth it. I'm not getting stranded in the gulf when a big squall is coming.
i have a 191 mako with 150 verado-do use it in salt water but don't go out much over 15 mile but i did like another commenter did-added a merc 20 hp kicker for trolling and still can get you back -just in case
I see way too many multi-engine boats on inland lakes, its just showing off. Only if you are going offshore do you somewhat need it, and it comes with a steep cost. In todays world with SAT capable phones (Iphone has this) and GPS, its pretty easy to get a tow, and with improved outboard reliability, its hard to justify doubling for reliablity. A kicker if you troll fish as you would use it regularly and keep fuel system fresh.
I just bought a boat. It came with 2 motors. A 175hp and a 10hp. I have no idea how to operate a boat. It's set up for walleye fishing in the great lakes. It also came with 2 trolling motors and about $6k in fishing tackle. I bought it to help a friend of mines wife pay for his funeral. It's a ranger Cherokee. Looks like it came off the showroom floor. Immaculate shape. Now I'm trying to learn to operate it. I just brought it home from south Dakota to Texas. I can find all kinds of classes online for boater education. But nowhere to actually learn by operating the boat. So looks like I'll have to haul it to Oklahoma so another friend will teach me hands on how to operate it. He's familiar with the boat and has been out on it many times. So looks like I'll learn on lake texoma while chasing striper
It's funny that I'm a lot/little intimidated by this. I mean by the time I was 6yrs old I could operate a tractor on the farm and ride horses. And by 10yrs old I was breaking horses and working cattle. And even bull riding and bronc riding in rodeos by 13yrs old through 25. Never felt intimidated. I always felt in control. Been on probably 40 boats with other people yet never operated one with exception of a 14 ft jon boat with a 10hp tiller motor .
Good man! Now remember when docking! Always as little trust as possible/ needed every turn the props made will move the boat you have to learn and wait for that. And keep tightening those bolts every now and then have fun an be safe out there
That intimidation is normal you feel the consequences when it goes wrong i still get a little feeling in my belly when its time to go out in high winds. But i’m pretty confident now had some close calls but nothing to bad. Water and wind are very powerful much more then our bodies of that boat thats what you feel i guess. But just stay alert and learn to listen as long as it sounds oke you’re good! That tension will ease of
Most of this video assumes you will do more power. Which is a bit misleading-leading in my opinion. Like hole shot, power, top speed. All benefit from more power. Personally I’d say compare the twins to the same HP single for those figures. Meaning if your boat can handle 400hp and you equip it with a single 300hp engine or twin 150hp engines. Obviously the 400 single and twin 200s will do better for performance numbers. How much better would the twins be. Wouldn’t it be better also to just go higher HP single.
Point 1: nowadays, before an outboard breakes you can check multiple alarms , and it’s all your fault the choise to use it anyway and get out the port. Point 2: it’s not a good advise to use the outbord for long time at max speed/power range.
With the Suzuki 300 and 350 duoprop, and a 20 hp kicker, it beats twin 200s or 150s in my opinion. You could run the kicker for trolling or low speeds to save the hours on the main motor while fishing or navigating in the marina. Plus, the kicker will get you home slowly The duo props have enough bite and handle well too. as the video states, it's also more efficient and less maintenance with the single main outboard.
The first part was already proven wrong in another video. Two 150 Yamaha outboards were put on a boat vsa single 300 on another. The twin outboards were quicker holeshot and had a little bit more top speed. They also used less fuel.
Top speed depends on your load, if it’s a heavy boat/load the twins are better, and if it’s a lighter boat/load the single will, also twin 200s will burn more fuel than a single 300, it’s 12 cylinders vs 8
I have 2 outboards for 2 reasons only. 1. My slip is mega tight to get into and out of. 2. I do eco charters and if I have one engine fail. I can always get home with the other. Beyond that its mostly useless.
@@megastick9324 I have had more boats in my life than most, I lived in Key Largo Florida on a 32 foot sail boat for over a year, I know boat life living, do you???
The performance increase for 2 motors instead of one is minimal, at the cost of reduced efficiency (2 smaller propellers are less efficient than a single, larger one), increased fuel consumption, and more maintenance. The "safety" factor that you have at least one running motor is partially negated by the fact that one motor is twice as likely to break for the 2 motor configuration. It's much more economical and simpler to increase mean time between failures for a single motor with proper maintenance, proper fuel, etc. Handling differences - it's just exercise and learning, which is part of the fun.
Old guy here, with twin inboards. Only a damn fool runs offshore without an auxiliary get home or twin setup. Mother nature will eat you alive and help isn't always there when you need it.
You didn’t mention a fairly significant difference in some cases: the amount of space they take up! You’re doing a lot of fishing back there, avoiding a single motor is a lot easier than having a full set of motors taking up the whole transom. Also takes up room where you might want swim ladders, etc..
Twins are more maneuverable, and you have a backup if 1 fails. With Twin engines you can literally pivot in place something a single engine can only do with bow thrusters. I've owned both.
Pretty much the only people who need to run twin engines are those working or recreating off shore. A single engine is plenty for anyone working or recreating inshore or on lakes and rivers. Invest in a quality VHF radio setup, be diligent with maintaining your engine and fuel system, and you'll be safe and save a ton of money.
While there are some good points in this video there are too many bad/dangerous ones. First of all, if the boat is rated for 300hp you can't put twin 200s on it. Twin 150s would significantly change many of the results.
Now there .. we’ll done but there is small mistake. HP is related to your hull speed. More HP does not make your boat faster. Until your boat does come out of the water. Two engines means more prop surface. It has more torque available this make towing way batter than an single . So two 150 hp or one 300 hp can be good as your speed is not needed but pull power is wanted.
if you want to know the whats the best solution, just imagine if money no object, which setup will you choose most of the time the only compromise for the best solution is just money
Considering the fact that I only fish in the Cooper River and Lake Moultrie and I’m never over 30 miles away from my house, I’m going to get a single outboard. I can easily call one of my family members to come get me if I break down.
Twins are generally totally unnecessary weight, cost, maintenance cost, and consumption for any boat under 25'. 30 years ago they made sense since outboards were not yet what they are today. Today its a totally different dynamic. OUtboards in the last 15 years have made leaps in reliability. IF you are leaving the port crossing your fingers about your motor - then something is wrong. The added weight of two engines is a lot and the increase in fuel consumption and maintenance costst cancels out most the benefit. Single engine is not intrinsically working harder than it should. If the motor is chosen correctly based on the boat weight etc less is always more with big cost savings.
Yeah, there are so many single engine owners over the years that just disappeared because the motor broke down. Multi engines don’t do squat if there’s an elec failure or you run out of fuel. I guess you’re just doomed…
You got to you got a synchronize them you got one you don't have to synchronize them or you can use a jet motor it all depends a boat is a boat depends on how much 5,000 gallons of fuel you'll need and how far can you go a sailboat could go farther than than a motorboat remember the fuel run one engine say fuel run two you still get there do a steam engine you could do a gas engine air cooling engine fuel injection engine or carburetor engine it's different types of engines for different things
How did all those people get home before twins was thing? And still so today? What about elec failure or running out of fuel? I wonder how people survived before the internet and cell phones…
If you navigate in Cel Phone/radio reach(as long as you can give your position/if you got a GPS)), single engine enough. But way out yonder, a twin is more reliable, Even a Auxiliary trolling(Gas engine) will get you back. Fat wallet if you have to call for rescue
It all depends on what you're going to do with the boat where you're going to go with it and are you holding a very big load how many people are on the boat how big is the boat obviously you don't need twin engines on a little 18 ft Runabout boat put on a 25 ft center console and you're going out in the ocean fishing you should have minimum two engines and minimum minimum 150 horsepower to 200 horsepower absolute minimum
@@megastick9324long story short . The coast guard bitches out when giving guidelines . The formula hasn’t changed in forever and so. Much has changed in motors and but design that it’s now to be taken as guide lines and not strictly followed rules . Just remember a jetski doesn’t follow that till and way over powers their tiny vessel and look at them
The USA has the most stringent emmissions than any other country but eveyone always blames the USA for the environment! Go to China to save the environment!
Twin screws all day long! No contest. One breakdown you have the other one you home. Remember at sea if it can go wrong it shall, Salt water is most unforgiving part of nature.
Here in inshore croatia we have a saying, " every single thing connected to the yachting or fishing world, is a tax for extreme idiots". Basic normal shampoo in market is 3 euros. Same shampoo identical by chemicals and structure but only for yachts is 13 euros haha. Basic small inox platform for small 5m boat costs 300 euros, while identcal same platform for home use costs 40 euros haha. I know thoe people that are buying boats are people that avoid returning tax to state so they rather buy a boat, but they are extremely DUMB when they pay for a 24 meter boat, only re-applying anti fouling color 40 000 euros hahahaha. The cans with color are less than 500 euros haha. My best friend and second cousin work in yachting service and i finished school for marine transport so yea. If you are not an idiot, buy yourself a basic 6-7m open or closed fisherman-like boat with two 40hp yamaha outboards and enjoy cruising or fishing, no need to be dumb. Like, the most you can spend without being an idiot is maybe Arvor 250as. Used is 40k euros, so thats good cheap boat with reliable mercedes inboard engine. There is also a saying, men are happy when they buy a yacht, but they are even happier when they sell it haha
