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  Performance Test Data: The Gold Standard

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Author Topic:   Performance Test Data: The Gold Standard
jimh posted 09-14-2007 10:27 PM ET (US)   Profile for jimh   Send Email to jimh  
Reports of boat and motor performance tests are always interesting reading, but in my opinion the gold standard for these sorts of test have been those done by Boston Whaler. I have found their test data to be very reliable. Reported results are often affirmed by boat buyers who report very similar numbers on their own boats. In addition, Boston Whaler test data is collected using boats which are, obviously, Boston Whaler boats, that is, boats we are interested in, and boats which operate at speed ranges which are similar to our own boats.

I do not find much interest in knowing the fuel economy you get pushing a pontoon boat at 9-MPH or the speed reached at wide open throttle on a 250-HP motor with a 26-inch propeller on an 18-foot bass boat, as these combinations of boats and motors are quite different from the ones most Boston Whaler boat owners will use.

In this regard I was looking forward to results from testing the newest outboard motors from Mercury such as the new OptiMax GEN2, which would have shown how effective the new cowling design was in reducing engine noise. Alas, there won't be any reports with these motors. It is unlikely we will be able to find a test situation where there was a previous reliable test of the old OptiMax engine on the same boat as a new OptiMax GEN2, and this will make it harder to judge the improvement in sound level.

I am also looking forward to seeing results of use of the new Verado GEN2 motors. It should be possible to see direct comparisons of the older Verado motors with these new GEN2 super motors that are going to deliver improvements in fuel economy of up to 40-percent. When Boston Whaler tests these new motors on hulls which were previously powered by the old Verado, we will be able to see the difference in fuel economy in the reported data.

I hope Boston Whaler will be providing this data in their test reports as soon as they start to deliver new boats with these new GEN2 Verado motors on the transom. I have always thought that Boston Whaler test data was carefully collected and well presented, and I find it quite useful as a measurement for comparison among various engines when several have been tested on the same hull.

Tohsgib posted 09-16-2007 08:33 PM ET (US)     Profile for Tohsgib  Send Email to Tohsgib     
That is wonderfull if you own a BC era boat, not a classic. I do however find reading about an 18' boat weighing close to mine running the same engine so I can see "ballpark" what performance I am going to get.

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