posted 04-04-2007 05:37 PM ET (US)
UPDATE: As soon as Washington Licensing sends the title for my 1994 Outrage 17 it will be sold. The 30-day wait will be up within a week. This boat is too nice for my purposes. With that money, I will re-power, licence, and insure a bare, well used, 1987, OUTRAGE 19 CPD to serve primarily as a work skiff and part-time rescue tow boat on the Lower Columbia River. If SeaTow or the USCG and Local Gestapo has a conflict (on another job when you need them), they will call me.
I've spent hours shopping, studying, reading threads. In fact, I was all set to copy Dave Buckda's twin E-TEC 90 setup, but I am backing out because I don't think the 200-lbs of extra transom weight is going to work for my purposes. I am waiting for trim angles to be sure.
I know just enough about gear ratios and wheel slippage to get myself into trouble. I just run the boat and busriness and try make enough money to let the pro's take care of the fine points. hehe. On Tugs, if you drop a hundred RPM when you put 'er in go ahead, you are about right.
I have learned the 19 is NOT a good boat to mount twins on and achieve max-HP rating for the transom. I also know almost ANY equal HP single will out perform twins with rudders amidships at WOT on this hull for about one-third less money if you include the price of a new 9.9-HP kicker and rigging. BUT, IN TIGHT SPOTS, responding to a anchored, drifting or beached boat in chop, current etc., with 35 years experiance maneauvering all forms and sizes of single and twin screw boats, the twins will kick a single's butt from here to eternity. I respect a single, I NEED TWINS.
1. 60 E-TEC 240 lbs. two-cylinder two-stroke. 2.67:1
2. F60 EFI Yamaha 237 lbs. four-cylinder four-stroke. 1.85:1
3. 60 Big Foot 264 lbs. four-cylinder four-stroke 2.33:1. Heavy duty shafting, salt water approved, high gear ratio and US product is appealing.
I flat don't know which engine will serve better for the above reasons. Wheel options are important, carburetor two-stroke motors are not.
Calling a dealer will be fruitless. 1999, I wanted a short box F-350 Diesel with extended cab. The local Ford dealer head salesman tells me Ford doesn't make one. Three days later I drove one onto his lot. He smiled--I've known the guy for years--and took me aside. "Mike, honestly, if we don't have it on the lot, Ford doesnt sell it." Never forgot that one. Point is, I know a E-TEC dealer is not gonna tell me Yamaha is a better setup and visa versa. No dealer in this area sells both. Yamaha has a slight edge in this area.
I really appreciate your time/experience to comment one way or the other.
mk
BTW, Towboaters don't call props propellers in the same context that they don't "DRIVE" the boat--they run it.
We affectionately call 'em wheels.