@@Darkhalo314 yea but the chances of both of the motors breaking at sea is slim. I would rather pay money than to be stuck out in sea. Boating is an expensive sport so i would recommend have a 5hp motor on the side if you only can afford 1 big motor.
You get about the same gas mileage and less wear on motors too. I see no advantages of a single over two motors. Have you owned both? I have and still do. 2017 Dusky 252 with TWIN Suzuki 250's. Ive had offshore boats with single engines and 2 engine is no comparison to a single. Maybe a little more top end with a single but not a noticeable amount. Please enlighten me regarding my humble boat motor knowledge. Thx man!
@@floridagirl386i would say its mainly preference but docking with two i would say is a little bit easier. you are right though you can dock with one just as well
All depends on the owner's standard of motor care and maintenance. A very well maintained single compared to a badly maintained twin set up is an interesting scenario. It's hard to argue the security of twins but I come from a background of flying single engine aircraft. Maintenance is king.
The ol' Piper Aztec was a twin and if one engine failed the aircraft could not remain airborn... especially with a couple of larger passengers or full fuel... It was that aircraft that compelled me to make my previous post here citing 2 times the engines equals 2 times the probability of failure.
@@MrCanonballs Some twin engine light aircraft struggle on one engine. Having one engine out simply extends the range to the crash site. Sometimes those twins will fly one engine over smooth water in ground effect.
I have had both. Several times. Twin props dig in better and push heavy loads better but having two props and two lower units offer twice the drag at high speeds. Twins were originally chosen for two reasons, redundancy (they broke down a lot) and horse power (engines were not the muscle they have now). In 1957, my dad brought home a Chris Craft 21 cabin cruiser with twin 35 HP Johnson’s. This was huge! Outboards today are Reliable. Given decent yearly maintenance including plugged into the computer software program, I recommend not buying twins unless you need the power. That said I would rather have a pair of 350’s over a single 700.
My dad recently bought his dream boat (our family is a Grady White family...were all from Wilmington & Topsail Island, NC so we’ve all grown up on the coast fishing....only with Grady whites...our family swears by them as the greatest boats made today...even if they are very expensive). In late 2018 my dad bought a brand new 2018 27 ft. Grady White 271 Canyon CC w/ twin 225 HP Yamaha 4-stroke outboards (and he added every single factory option available from Grady White as well as tons of aftermarket upgrades & accessories). He bought that boat on December 19th and for Christmas he gave me his old Grady!!! Which is a 2008 25 ft. Grady White 252 Fisherman CC w/ twin 150 HP Yamaha 4-strokes as well as many factory and aftermarket upgrades. That was about two years ago and since then I’ve replaced the twin Yamaha outboards (they were great motors but just grew to old with too many hours). My Grady is in the shop now getting new engines instslled. Should be ready in 1-2 weeks max. I pondered about getting a single Mercury 275 Supercharged Verado (as those are fast motors and I found one for a good price) or a single 300 HP Yamaha 4-stroke (found 4 of them for sale but all seemed a tad too expensive for me. And deep down I still wanted to engines. I though about Twin 140 HP Suzuki 4-strokes or twin 135 HP Honda 4-strokes (my friend has a 26.5 ft catamaran w/ twin 135 Honda’s and they move it with authority. But I couldn’t find any and really didn’t want to lose any HP. So I finally found a set of two 4-stroke 150 HP Tohatsus with only 144 hours on one and 159 on the other! Super low hours for solid motors!!
Back in the day (before wife's medical expenses), I had a Daytona 18 with a single 2.5 merc and a Daytona 23 with twin merc 300s. There is no comparison. Each had its own strengths and weaknesses. It's not just the cost of the second engine either... it's the gauges, cables, Jack plates, tuning to keep the engines matched. A repitched, balanced, and cupped prop by itself can be $1000.
good enuf for me!!! HUNNY I NEED TWIN 300s FOR THE BOAT!!! ITS A SAFETY THING!!! THE INTERNET SAID SO!!! lol hahahahahahahahahaha ;) right? LOL sounds good to me!
I recommend keeping a jerry can with 5 gallons almost always, you can always hook it up and if you keep a extra hose with it, its very unlikely you'll ever have issues with fuel
A long time ago, when I was a rigger, we pulled a 250 off of a customer's boat and installed two 150s. All Yamaha. When we finally got it in the water, the difference in holeshot was insane! 🤣Lanyard mandatory!The customer was very happy.
Two is good. In another lifetime I had a workshop/petrol station in a costal town. One of my customers bought a brand-new 21-footer, with twin 90 hp Evinrudes. On his first trip out to sea in it, he had barely cleared the breakers at the mouth of the Whakatane River when one of the engines put up the high temperature light and stopped. He turned around, went back in over the bar and motored upriver to the boat ramp on the other engine. When he got there, he discovered that the dead engine had picked up a plastic bag in the water and wrapped it around the water intake. The engine had seized solid, but that's why he had insurance. Most of my customers had a small auxiliary outboard motor for emergencies.
I run an '98 Whaler Dauntless with a 115 hp Yamaha primary and 15 hp kicker. I put in a 320 liter tank and fish 100 miles offshore. Proped right, with three on board and the load distributed properly it walks through 5 foot seas no problem at 18 knots. And it's dryer than most larger boats. It's cheap to operate and goes where the 30 to 40 foot multi engines go but uses 1 liter per ¾ mile. For me small boats with single engines have their advantages. Probably go multi engines on boats over 24 feet though.
The big single is cheaper to buy and maintain. Less weight on the back of the boat for running and for trailering. Take the extra money and get a nice kicker for some peace of mind offshore and the bonus of getting in several hours of trolling back to port.
Gas is a bigger factor. Why we like inboards alot more efficient. Also use a dual prop grabs more water more efficient. Volvo outdrive has been a blessing.
Just depends on your use case but honestly if you do anything more than putz around the shore or inland you should have two. Doesn’t have to be twins but you should have a back up capable of at least hull speed.
You should obviously have seatow but being able to control the direction of the boat in rough weather is insanely critical if it’s starts getting really bad. There are plenty boats that can handle twice the wave height over the bow vs the stern
You get more manoeuvring options when using twins i.e. one in forward, the other in reverse to pivot the boat. Also seem to get more responsive initial thrust, because you're propelling a larger quantity of static water. Finally for the good points, it's piece of mind that you can still get out of trouble on one engine when the other breaks down. However...the cost and potential additional complexity of your control rig...ouch...
I don't need to go fast and Suzuki has proven to be reliable. The faster you go the more likely you have a chance of hitting something in the water and tearing up your lower unit. Take your time and be safe
@@cats400 he actually does, my buddy had a world cat with twin brand new suzuki 300s and he finally got rid of them after he had to be towed in for the 5th time lol
On the west coast they often use a small auxiliary outboard on a bracket for trolling and for emergencies. You don't see that much on the east coast or in the south.
This was a great video. Really delved into the different factors that come into play. I was genuinely surprised at the cost difference between 1 vs 2 as I incorrectly assumed two would be twice as expensive on initial purchase. Gives me more perspective for later down the track.
Narrator didn't discuss things like second set of gauges, cables, controls, Jack plates (if equipped), second prop, upgrading power steering (if equipped) and so much more. It is not even close to what he was quoting.
Self reliance vs dependance on others. What's cost when swells tossing gallons onboard and your bilge isn't bailing fast enough. If you have a single at least have two radios.
After docking a single engine on a 22’ boat in the wind for years, I decided to buy a larger boat with two engines. Turning at idle speed is super easy now, even in the wind. I’m not too worried about losing an engine, so far.
The one issue that was not covered is the difference in achieving high speed turns. With 2 engines, 1 engine will come out of the water when one is doing a high speed turn. Yes, one does not do this very often but this is something to consider.
Two for redundancy and maneuverability is awesome. One for cost and fuel economy (less leg drag). A Suzuki duo prop also makes more sense as a single engine, eliminating torque steer of a single prop. On a twin setup you must have counterrotating props (if not duo-prop). Buy a Cat and get the best of both worlds!
Having two outboards are best in case one breaks down. Also, especially as this happened to me, stripping my prop and hobbling back to the marina. After that, a second outboard was purchased. Welp...it’s also good to have two batteries as well.
realistically if you can afford a boat north of $100k , I just dont see the issue over fuel economy for recreational boating, my boat uses about 60gph, I honestly dont worry about it as opposed to maybe 10gph less for an equivalent 4 stroke pair, i can see maybe on the front end considering 1 vs 2 vs more, I suppose if your knocking out 300-500 hrs a year, well maybe.
same argument as in aviation : single vs twin engine. Cost safety reliability weight drag speed size of plane flying over water etc. . This could be easily cut and paste with video of plans and the script could be the same. However the summary remains the same: The newer engines are very reliability and a single is as safe as a twin. It is just a matter of peace of mind and cost.
Jack Galbraith As a retired professional pilot, that analogy only goes so far. The safety advantage of a twin engine airplane goes away if the pilot is not proficient in engine out operations. That being said, I’ll take the twin over the single for any serious traveling. I don’t imagine engine out operations for boating is very critical. 😆
It all depends on what you want out of the outboard , there are pro's an cons with both single an double. as far as performance goes , single no question !
There are many people that get a big single engine and a small secondary like 10hp with seperate fuel tank in case something goes wrong with the primary.
Twins with counter rotating gearboxes gives a lighter neutral steering by eliminating torque as well the trim of the dual outboards can be used to level the boat rather than trim tabs, but this depends on the boat. I must say I prefer my duals over a single but I do a lot of offshore trips.
Single hands down it's in the savings fuel/maintenance/purchase no argument. The sound as you sync the two an make them sing. Back in the day two 90 merc's or 175 black max. A third more fuel in 90's an max was faster. A logging co had a dozen custom 18' hurston's triple thick hulls with 175's the engineer's were scared of getting stranded so they ran twins. My dad owned a merc dealership we did the service. Nice boats,fast.
The old carbureted Johnson’s and evinrude’s were rock solid no matter what HP they were. It’s when the went to the Ficht Ram fuel injection that those engines went to shit. The old mercs always seemed to be not as good due to unreliable ignition systems, carburetors, oiling systems, and cooling systems.
Good video, thanks. My only comment is in regard to your statement that 8 cylinders (from twin 4 cyl. 150s) has more torque than the 6 cyclinder 300. In most circumstances, the larger weight / size of the pistons of the 300 will have more torque at a given rpm, than two smaller engines added together.
Great and very informative video.New Subscriber here. I have a single engine on my boat my second engine is sea tow. Less hassle and more practice for me. Thanks for sharing.
A good skipper will always want to err on the side of safety. In South Africa a lot of us launch through and return through the surf so for us twins are always preferred. Also given that the sea condition change over hear fast and a skipper can find himself having to deal with hairy conditions. I skippered in the Gulf of Mexico back in 1965/66 and found as a rule that conditions were generally a lot calmer. Personally I like two motors even if you raise one. Thanks for the show 👍
I would love to put a 2nd powerplant on the back of my 12' tinny. Twin 15HP Yamaha's sounds like a match made in heaven! Plus, both engines would be under $5k!
My 10hp twin cylinder diesel did 5mph flat out all day and used a pint of fuel. I couldn't ski behind it though because that's not allowed on the canal network.
Three essential questions: A. What are the proper sequence of procedures for correctly "smashing" a "thumbs-up" button on one's outboard motor? Please be specific if these instructions relate to 2-stroke cycle or 4-stroke cycle engines, or apply to both operating systems equally? B. What are the potential benefits and losses (if any) to the boater who fails to properly "smash" said button versus merely clicking one's mouse? C. How do these procedures and potential outcomes vary in a stern-drive system versus that in a single or multi-outboard engine configuration?
Lol alright, you got me. I don't know how to give a proper response and now I cant spend anymore time trying to figure out the best response! Lol good job!
Just recently had a fuel problem where there was more water in the fuel than actual fuel, and we had to get towed back. Never had my good old mercury 200 2 stroke fail on us in 14 years.
#fendercovers Just did a repower this past fall. Went from a single 300 HPDI to twin 2019 Honda BF150’s on a 2004 HydraSports 2400cc, theYamaha was a beast when it ran right but with the twins......it’s unbelievable the power the boat has now and it’s scary how quiet the new fourstroke technology is. Great info as always guys, y’all are the best! 👍
Navigation: 1 single engine navigates better according to the hydrodynamics of the hull and less drag. The rest is a matter of budget, safety and power.
I need a new fuel tank.I live and charter out of Amelia Island Fl.I have a Polar 21 ft saltwater edition center console,I watch your blog all the time and like the great info on maintenance general info. There r not many places here to get a old tank pulled and replaced
It ALL really depends on The reason and the purpose of; The "Speed Boat" configuration is pretty well self explanatory. The "Center Consul" is likely more of a utility/bunch of friends on board. There are 2 types of "Fishing Boats"; Competition which often requires Speed and a regular configuration that provides space and comfort for static or trolling at low speeds. Although most guys will strain to justify the second power plant and thoroughly enjoy the prowess, speed and bragging rights, these moment of sheer joy are quickly brought into perspective when "There is No Crowd" and they are writing cheques for maintenance and repairs. And of course unless you coop the fuel expense, it is your wallet that takes the hit. This points to another important factor; affordability? If a fella has access to; "Go Jump in the Lake" Money, then the sky is the limit. But...the boat Will Be the first item in the drive way to GO, if things SUDDENLY get tight. And the depreciation losses are substantial and are also relative to your circumstances? A quick look at the real market demonstrates that 99.9% of boat sales, trades and purchases are done by men. Before you even purchase a second engine or modify your boat "In Any Way", you need to contact your insurance and get that CHANGE "Initialed". When purchasing a Used Boat that looks pristine and has a twin outboard, you better make sure it's insurable. A twin outboard that can do 90 mph at 21 ft long will send a guys heart to flutter. Until his insurance guy tells him the bad news, like; "No Can Do" or Premiums, Premiums, Premiums. IF you decide to Run that Rig without insurance and the water ways cops pull u over??? Your boat can and will be impounded awaiting your court date. IF, someone gets hurt, kiss your house good bye too. Then your wife and then your family. Water safety begins At The Bank. Life Jackets and Paddles are the cheapest aspect of the equation! Happy and safe boating boys!
If possible, go with other boats for mutual safety. I went with a group of 26 small single engine boats to Marsh Harbor in the Abacos years ago. Two boats needed to be towed. Went alone to Bimini twice. At that time Sea Tow would tow you back to Florida if you had trouble, without additional cost.
I have twins......for inshore / coastal fishing. its called a merc 15 pro-kicker and I did a complete install video series. NEXT UP: adding a shift/throttle seperate control for it soon. WIDE OPEN THROTTLE? thats what Merc owners do, I guess.....haha. GO BIG ALLOY. only a single engine cat can compete with my economy😉 great vid!
I was out on a whaler one time with a 150 Johnson. Had a rod snap and the engine locked up :) came back on a 15 HP Mercury :) Who said kickers aren't twins?
@@BornAgainBoating got me back 8 times before a good mechanic told me, check your suzuki 250 fuel cooler!!!!!! YEP, the nasty azz st. johns river in Jax. clogged it up completely. NO MORE EVER, running out on those stupid flush ports. EVERY SINGLE DAY......Run up to temp in 70 gal. barrel. And every 6 months, 4 hr. descale with rydlyme and a submersible pump.
Most people who say a single is better have not experienced the unbridled joy of having of having it stop making noise while 35 miles offshore with bad weather approaching.
Most people that say twins are better have never actually been saved by a second, because most engine problems are fuel related & affect both engines. Save the gas money, maintenance money and insurance money & use it for a TowBoat US membership.
I've had my evinrude e-tech g1 150 since 2010 without a hiccup. The secret to two strokes is to not overload the engine. In other words prop it correctly. Also run a bottle of Yamaha ring free every other full tank. By the way gas mileage is amazing when you do these two things.
Never had a problem with my Johnsons except maybe once because it did not start right away but eventually it did start. Just went out and bought another Johnson just in case, so I would never be one of those "National Enquire" stories how I survived at sea for two months...
My grandfather was always flogging his Johnson 40HP (1970's model) with a hammer. I honestly thought that's how you started that thing back when i was a kid. "C'mon, start you bastard!".... Back before electric starters too, or at least he didn't have that model.
Great video. Answered many, if not more questions I've often had about single vs twin engines. Very comprehensive. As is often the case, the choice you make is dependent upon what you want from and with your boat.
For 90% of boat owners, one motor is fine because they either are using it in freshwater or, if using it on the coast, they stay inshore. Only people who use their boats offshore need dual motors.
Twin every time. Reliability. Separate everything. 6 propeller blades, more grip, more pitch, lower revs. Only get equivalent of half the second engine though so your figures a bit out. 1 x 300hp = 2 x 200hp. No brainer.
A big single will outperform the same power in twins, twins will cost a lot more to service and repair because there is 2 of everything, twins are way more reliable, you can keep twins a lot longer before replacement you might not trust one motor over a certain age but 2 well maintained ones isn’t very risky. Twins are good in very shallow water twins trimmed right out in shallow water at a fast idle will give you enough thrust to overcome a headwind or the hull lightly scraping the bottom where one propeller barely in the water probably is going to struggle.
#fendercovers I had twin F150s on my last offshore boat 270CC SeaPro. Twin 4 cylinders are the way to go in offshore fishing over a single anything. Reliability and the variables you are able to control from docking to full throttle running sets running a pair apart form singles any day. Especially on a deep v boat where the boat will lean to one side easily with any type of weight shift. Instead of digging in trim tabs you can trim one motor slightly higher than the other to even the boat out without putting extra load on your motors. And the 150s were a dream to maintain cost wise and mechanically.
I have an old 19' inboard with a 351w. I go to oriellys for parts and spend maybe 200 in maintanence a year. Its rated at 250hp. Does everything i need and then some. Its not pretty but it runs good and my smile at the end of the day is just as big as the guy thats got a 100k+ boat. (Maybe bigger because i dont worry about a big payment)
For me if your in a lake or river or don't go too far off sure one engine is fine, but if you go miles off sure, two engines is always best, or atleast a backup kicker motor. Not being able to see shore and a boat that won't start is a horrible feeling.
I feel you missed one aspect which for me is the most important. Having a small boat with 2 OB and joystick piloting enables me to have a boat for my inexperienced friends to take out themselves. Using the joystick they are easily able to dock it again without any problems.
Very well put; i will add that if you **only** have one engine...well, you only have one !! i mean,not the same peace of mind really ; that is why people used to have a kicker on the side back in the days... When i was working on boats, and when the twin diesels came back in a tow, invariably the problem was contaminated diesel in the tank due to the slimy fuel algae that grow in the free water in the tank bottom,and subsequent plugged up filters; thankfully, gasoline engines are almost immune to that particular problem, but not to all,like the no start, or overheating, even sudden death,and big Bill coming.
Good video Simple truth Charles Lindbergh pointed out when flying a single engine over the Atlantic: “The likelihood of having a mechanical failure is always double with twin engines.” #fendercovers
What a silly comment.. Uh, ok and the likelihood of crashing into the sea and dying is 2x greater with a single engine. Mechanical failure with a 2nd engine, so what? That is why it's there. The plane will still fly with one engine. Look at modern passenger jets, single engines are not advantageous whatsoever for anything other than profitability for the airline.
Vice Isms As an airline Captain I can say you’re correct that a twin engine a/c will fly on 1 engine after a failure, today. I practice it in the simulator annually. I can also tell you that was not the case in 1927. The twin engine a/c of that time did not have the performance to stay airborne for an extended period. It’d simply be a controlled descent into the Atlantic. 3 of the mutltiengine a/c competing for the Orteig Prize crashed, killing 6.
@@RikkiTikkiTavi290 Correct. If the single engine quits you’re gonna die; and if either of the engines on the twin quits you’re gonna die. Which one improves your odds of living by cutting your chances of an engine failure in half?
Ask yourself one headache or two. You double your chances of breakdown with 2 if one breaks you still have to pull boat to fix it. Same with one but less odds
Soom studies say 80% of a boats life is spent at hull speed or less. This is where your twin engine can run on one and cut engine hours in half. 1 hour on one engine, 1 hour on the other. This your twins will last considerably longer and have considerably less hours and again less maintenance.
The only reason I would get 2 is cause if I’m out n the ocean like 10 miles out off shore if one engine does your not stuck u still have that other engine
After running a boat with a pair of YamF225s, there is no way I'd run a boat with a single YamF225. And since I run offshore up to 60miles, twins are the only option. Regarding fuel, I typically run my engines around 3300-3600 RPM and I'm burning about 16GPH. That gives me a low 30's speed.
@@robintaylor1490 Very happy with my F300s. No idea if the 425s are any good. With what these engines cost these days, they MUST be bulletproof and last for thousands of hours.
@@lbowsk yeah I hear ya, I was going to get an f300b but they won't have any in stock up here until next year. So for a couple of reasons I went with a 300hp Mercury four stroke v8.
Learn tons of Tricks & Skills like this with Step-by-Step courses @ BornAgainBoating.com
Two. One 40 year old outboard with sketchy gear shifts, and a trolling motor with corroded battery contacts on a 4 year old Walmart battery.
This comment is so fucking perfect😂
Wholeheartedly concur
Incredibly relatable
Yes
And thats the truth
Single engine is WAY better than twins, until it breaks. Then twin engine is WAY better than single.
Thats why you have a small back up motor
Until both twin engines break and you're left with an huge repair bill.
@@Darkhalo314 yea but the chances of both of the motors breaking at sea is slim. I would rather pay money than to be stuck out in sea. Boating is an expensive sport so i would recommend have a 5hp motor on the side if you only can afford 1 big motor.
You get about the same gas mileage and less wear on motors too. I see no advantages of a single over two motors. Have you owned both? I have and still do.
2017 Dusky 252 with TWIN Suzuki 250's. Ive had offshore boats with single engines and 2 engine is no comparison to a single. Maybe a little more top end with a single but not a noticeable amount.
Please enlighten me regarding my humble boat motor knowledge. Thx man!
@@dixondjallen6620 It was a joke calm down.
In 1956 my grandfather bought a 20 foot Chris Craft with twin 35 Johnson’s with electric start. We were liv’n large!
I think 50 hp was about as big as they made back then.
@@ColinMill1 pretty much, until you got into big inboards on the offshore boats with like 150 hp each or something like that
If you like to dock boats, choose 2 because you can put one moter in forward and the other moter in reverse and it will turn it right around.
"You Spin me right round baby, right round..."
Genius!😊
You can dock with one motor just as well
@@floridagirl386i would say its mainly preference but docking with two i would say is a little bit easier. you are right though you can dock with one just as well
All depends on the owner's standard of motor care and maintenance. A very well maintained single compared to a badly maintained twin set up is an interesting scenario. It's hard to argue the security of twins but I come from a background of flying single engine aircraft. Maintenance is king.
The ol' Piper Aztec was a twin and if one engine failed the aircraft could not remain airborn... especially with
a couple of larger passengers or full fuel... It was that aircraft that compelled me to make my previous post here
citing 2 times the engines equals 2 times the probability of failure.
@@MrCanonballs Some twin engine light aircraft struggle on one engine. Having one engine out simply extends the range to the crash site. Sometimes those twins will fly one engine over smooth water in ground effect.
I have the Ultimate answer to this question
GET THREE MOTORS!!!
Captain Vaughn Nah, at least five does it for the Guys having to compensate something in their pants.
Some idiot made a boat with 6 400hp outboards the joke? 72mph fuel bill.....
Muffin Z says the people who can’t afford a boat generally
Only 3 mine has 10 on my 25 foot boat lit go like fast
Yeah there’s also 4
With a rowboat, you want two oars. That way, if you lose one you can paddle home with the other.
Would you not go round in circles?
@@benjones4365 no
Wait a minute
Two women are better than one and both are lighter. Then, if you lose one...
You can do something called sculling if you've only got one oar.
A Seatow membership is a lot cheaper than a 2nd engine
Good point!
Self-reliance and self-sufficiency is a lot better than depending on someone to rescue you.
@@agrayson8408 for sure. I always have my 8 hp as an auxiliary to at least maybe get me back home, eventually lol
Lol yeah goodluck calling Seatow when you’re 60 miles out fishing
@@brick9017 yup
I'll keep this in mind for when I never have a boat
I have had both. Several times. Twin props dig in better and push heavy loads better but having two props and two lower units offer twice the drag at high speeds. Twins were originally chosen for two reasons, redundancy (they broke down a lot) and horse power (engines were not the muscle they have now). In 1957, my dad brought home a Chris Craft 21 cabin cruiser with twin 35 HP Johnson’s. This was huge! Outboards today are
Reliable. Given decent yearly maintenance including plugged into the computer software program, I recommend not buying twins unless you need the power. That said I would rather have a pair of 350’s over a single 700.
I have been a professional fisherman for over 40 years, always only ever had a single mostly Yamaha outboard motor & have never needed a tow home.
My dad recently bought his dream boat (our family is a Grady White family...were all from Wilmington & Topsail Island, NC so we’ve all grown up on the coast fishing....only with Grady whites...our family swears by them as the greatest boats made today...even if they are very expensive). In late 2018 my dad bought a brand new 2018 27 ft. Grady White 271 Canyon CC w/ twin 225 HP Yamaha 4-stroke outboards (and he added every single factory option available from Grady White as well as tons of aftermarket upgrades & accessories). He bought that boat on December 19th and for Christmas he gave me his old Grady!!! Which is a 2008 25 ft. Grady White 252 Fisherman CC w/ twin 150 HP Yamaha 4-strokes as well as many factory and aftermarket upgrades. That was about two years ago and since then I’ve replaced the twin Yamaha outboards (they were great motors but just grew to old with too many hours). My Grady is in the shop now getting new engines instslled. Should be ready in 1-2 weeks max. I pondered about getting a single Mercury 275 Supercharged Verado (as those are fast motors and I found one for a good price) or a single 300 HP Yamaha 4-stroke (found 4 of them for sale but all seemed a tad too expensive for me. And deep down I still wanted to engines. I though about Twin 140 HP Suzuki 4-strokes or twin 135 HP Honda 4-strokes (my friend has a 26.5 ft catamaran w/ twin 135 Honda’s and they move it with authority. But I couldn’t find any and really didn’t want to lose any HP. So I finally found a set of two 4-stroke 150 HP Tohatsus with only 144 hours on one and 159 on the other! Super low hours for solid motors!!
Back in the day (before wife's medical expenses), I had a Daytona 18 with a single 2.5 merc and a Daytona 23 with twin merc 300s. There is no comparison. Each had its own strengths and weaknesses. It's not just the cost of the second engine either... it's the gauges, cables, Jack plates, tuning to keep the engines matched. A repitched, balanced, and cupped prop by itself can be $1000.
Sorry to hear about the medical expenses. Hope everything is alright. And lol a 23 with twin 300s is a rocketship lol those will always be expensive:)
Switching to twins. Grady shite 282 sailfish hopefully this year. Moving in from my starter boat.
ok hes telling us to get double 300's
good enuf for me!!!
HUNNY I NEED TWIN 300s FOR THE BOAT!!! ITS A SAFETY THING!!!
THE INTERNET SAID SO!!!
lol hahahahahahahahahaha ;)
right? LOL sounds good to me!
Haha... certainly LESS ENJOYABLE!!
When going offshore, Ocean or Lake Superior I always have a second motor. Even if the second motor is only a 9.9 hp.
9.9 That's the power of my main outboard and I have just upgraded from a 6HP. Lol.
I recommend keeping a jerry can with 5 gallons almost always, you can always hook it up and if you keep a extra hose with it, its very unlikely you'll ever have issues with fuel
A long time ago, when I was a rigger, we pulled a 250 off of a customer's boat and installed two 150s. All Yamaha. When we finally got it in the water, the difference in holeshot was insane! 🤣Lanyard mandatory!The customer was very happy.
Two is good. In another lifetime I had a workshop/petrol station in a costal town. One of my customers bought a brand-new 21-footer, with twin 90 hp Evinrudes. On his first trip out to sea in it, he had barely cleared the breakers at the mouth of the Whakatane River when one of the engines put up the high temperature light and stopped. He turned around, went back in over the bar and motored upriver to the boat ramp on the other engine. When he got there, he discovered that the dead engine had picked up a plastic bag in the water and wrapped it around the water intake. The engine had seized solid, but that's why he had insurance.
Most of my customers had a small auxiliary outboard motor for emergencies.
I run an '98 Whaler Dauntless with a 115 hp Yamaha primary and 15 hp kicker. I put in a 320 liter tank and fish 100 miles offshore. Proped right, with three on board and the load distributed properly it walks through 5 foot seas no problem at 18 knots. And it's dryer than most larger boats. It's cheap to operate and goes where the 30 to 40 foot multi engines go but uses 1 liter per ¾ mile. For me small boats with single engines have their advantages. Probably go multi engines on boats over 24 feet though.
The big single is cheaper to buy and maintain. Less weight on the back of the boat for running and for trailering. Take the extra money and get a nice kicker for some peace of mind offshore and the bonus of getting in several hours of trolling back to port.
Gas is a bigger factor. Why we like inboards alot more efficient. Also use a dual prop grabs more water more efficient. Volvo outdrive has been a blessing.
Just depends on your use case but honestly if you do anything more than putz around the shore or inland you should have two.
Doesn’t have to be twins but you should have a back up capable of at least hull speed.
You should obviously have seatow but being able to control the direction of the boat in rough weather is insanely critical if it’s starts getting really bad. There are plenty boats that can handle twice the wave height over the bow vs the stern
Depending on the boat and its size, it may be better to have one main engine with a small auxiliary engine, than two engines.
This was big in the 70s and 80s many boats had kickers. As a kid I thought wow this guy will never get stuck out there.
Don't forget having that 2nd outboard is a lot of extra weight in itself. Love my single Evinrude G2 200HO.
I'm sorry Evinrude left you hanging. Good lucking finding parts in the future. They screwed you guys.
You get more manoeuvring options when using twins i.e. one in forward, the other in reverse to pivot the boat.
Also seem to get more responsive initial thrust, because you're propelling a larger quantity of static water.
Finally for the good points, it's piece of mind that you can still get out of trouble on one engine when the other breaks down.
However...the cost and potential additional complexity of your control rig...ouch...
I don't need to go fast and Suzuki has proven to be reliable. The faster you go the more likely you have a chance of hitting something in the water and tearing up your lower unit. Take your time and be safe
only thing reliable with Suzuki Is the warranty lmfao
Yup. “CrazyAmazingHD” doesn’t know what he’s talking about
BigBitch actually I do! Should do a little more research and own one before you start talking!!!! And thanks for correcting my name 😃
@@cats400 he actually does, my buddy had a world cat with twin brand new suzuki 300s and he finally got rid of them after he had to be towed in for the 5th time lol
Craiger King I do own one. Never had to be towed in due to a mechanical issue. They’re quiet, reliable, and sip gas.
On the west coast they often use a small auxiliary outboard on a bracket for trolling and for emergencies. You don't see that much on the east coast or in the south.
We refer to them as kickers on the Chesapeake.
This was a great video. Really delved into the different factors that come into play. I was genuinely surprised at the cost difference between 1 vs 2 as I incorrectly assumed two would be twice as expensive on initial purchase. Gives me more perspective for later down the track.
Narrator didn't discuss things like second set of gauges, cables, controls, Jack plates (if equipped), second prop, upgrading power steering (if equipped) and so much more. It is not even close to what he was quoting.
Self reliance vs dependance on others. What's cost when swells tossing gallons onboard and your bilge isn't bailing fast enough. If you have a single at least have two radios.
You're not really 'redundant protected' with twins unless you have separate batteries, fuel systems, etc.
To me, thats the entire point lol. 2 independent systems.
@@hrbestalkinme3690 Almost NO boats have duplicate and separate fuel tanks. Everything else, yes. But not tanks. Not on anything under 30 feet anyway.
@@lbowsk not true anymore actually. I have one with separate tanks for separate engines and every comparable boat I looked at was similar.
@@lbowsk I have seperate tanks in a 30 footer
After docking a single engine on a 22’ boat in the wind for years, I decided to buy a larger boat with two engines. Turning at idle speed is super easy now, even in the wind. I’m not too worried about losing an engine, so far.
The one issue that was not covered is the difference in achieving high speed turns. With 2 engines, 1 engine will come out of the water when one is doing a high speed turn. Yes, one does not do this very often but this is something to consider.
Two for redundancy and maneuverability is awesome. One for cost and fuel economy (less leg drag). A Suzuki duo prop also makes more sense as a single engine, eliminating torque steer of a single prop. On a twin setup you must have counterrotating props (if not duo-prop). Buy a Cat and get the best of both worlds!
Having two outboards are best in case one breaks down. Also, especially as this happened to me, stripping my prop and hobbling back to the marina. After that, a second outboard was purchased. Welp...it’s also good to have two batteries as well.
realistically if you can afford a boat north of $100k , I just dont see the issue over fuel economy for recreational boating, my boat uses about 60gph, I honestly dont worry about it as opposed to maybe 10gph less for an equivalent 4 stroke pair, i can see maybe on the front end considering 1 vs 2 vs more, I suppose if your knocking out 300-500 hrs a year, well maybe.
same argument as in aviation : single vs twin engine. Cost safety reliability weight drag speed size of plane flying over water etc. . This could be easily cut and paste with video of plans and the script could be the same. However the summary remains the same: The newer engines are very reliability and a single is as safe as a twin. It is just a matter of peace of mind and cost.
Jack Galbraith
As a retired professional pilot, that analogy only goes so far. The safety advantage of a twin engine airplane goes away if the pilot is not proficient in engine out operations. That being said, I’ll take the twin over the single for any serious traveling. I don’t imagine engine out operations for boating is very critical. 😆
@@speedlever agree
I just thought it was interesting as far as the similarities with performance etc
I'm sorry but a single is not as safe as twins.
It all depends on what you want out of the outboard , there are pro's an cons with both single an double. as far as performance goes , single no question !
There are many people that get a big single engine and a small secondary like 10hp with seperate fuel tank in case something goes wrong with the primary.
Twins with counter rotating gearboxes gives a lighter neutral steering by eliminating torque as well the trim of the dual outboards can be used to level the boat rather than trim tabs, but this depends on the boat. I must say I prefer my duals over a single but I do a lot of offshore trips.
Alex Taskov I wonder if by using duals, if that kinda cancels out ‘crabbing’, as you have with a single outboard?
Two propellers make the boat more stable at high gliding speeds, however it always depends on the hull
Have a 12 Foot Kayak! Got a Speeding Ticket crossing over Lake Erie, Pa.
Single hands down it's in the savings fuel/maintenance/purchase no argument. The sound as you sync the two an make them sing. Back in the day two 90 merc's or 175 black max. A third more fuel in 90's an max was faster. A logging co had a dozen custom 18' hurston's triple thick hulls with 175's the engineer's were scared of getting stranded so they ran twins. My dad owned a merc dealership we did the service. Nice boats,fast.
The old carbureted Johnson’s and evinrude’s were rock solid no matter what HP they were. It’s when the went to the Ficht Ram fuel injection that those engines went to shit. The old mercs always seemed to be not as good due to unreliable ignition systems, carburetors, oiling systems, and cooling systems.
Good video, thanks. My only comment is in regard to your statement that 8 cylinders (from twin 4 cyl. 150s) has more torque than the 6 cyclinder 300. In most circumstances, the larger weight / size of the pistons of the 300 will have more torque at a given rpm, than two smaller engines added together.
Great and very informative video.New Subscriber here. I have a single engine on my boat my second engine is sea tow. Less hassle and more practice for me. Thanks for sharing.
Offshore two. Better grip, better handling, better wave climbing ability. Bottom line more prop in the water and cleaner running engines.
Raw Fish and if one engine dies you aren’t screwed
A good skipper will always want to err on the side of safety. In South Africa a lot of us launch through and return through the surf so for us twins are always preferred. Also given that the sea condition change over hear fast and a skipper can find himself having to deal with hairy conditions. I skippered in the Gulf of Mexico back in 1965/66 and found as a rule that conditions were generally a lot calmer. Personally I like two motors even if you raise one. Thanks for the show 👍
I would love to put a 2nd powerplant on the back of my 12' tinny. Twin 15HP Yamaha's sounds like a match made in heaven! Plus, both engines would be under $5k!
lol
You need at least twin 30s on there. 😆
My 10hp twin cylinder diesel did 5mph flat out all day and used a pint of fuel. I couldn't ski behind it though because that's not allowed on the canal network.
Great info, I would have loved to have seen two 150s versus one 300 on 2 identical boats just to see what the top end speed was on both?
Three essential questions: A. What are the proper sequence of procedures for correctly "smashing" a "thumbs-up" button on one's outboard motor? Please be specific if these instructions relate to 2-stroke cycle or 4-stroke cycle engines, or apply to both operating systems equally? B. What are the potential benefits and losses (if any) to the boater who fails to properly "smash" said button versus merely clicking one's mouse? C. How do these procedures and potential outcomes vary in a stern-drive system versus that in a single or multi-outboard engine configuration?
Lol alright, you got me. I don't know how to give a proper response and now I cant spend anymore time trying to figure out the best response! Lol good job!
Just recently had a fuel problem where there was more water in the fuel than actual fuel, and we had to get towed back. Never had my good old mercury 200 2 stroke fail on us in 14 years.
Man I never knew there were so many geniuses out there that know everything there is to know about boats.its amazing 😑
#fendercovers Just did a repower this past fall. Went from a single 300 HPDI to twin 2019 Honda BF150’s on a 2004 HydraSports 2400cc, theYamaha was a beast when it ran right but with the twins......it’s unbelievable the power the boat has now and it’s scary how quiet the new fourstroke technology is. Great info as always guys, y’all are the best! 👍
HI there. Thank you for a gr8 video explaining the pros and cons of both...very helpful!
Navigation: 1 single engine navigates better according to the hydrodynamics of the hull and less drag. The rest is a matter of budget, safety and power.
I need a new fuel tank.I live and charter out of Amelia Island Fl.I have a Polar 21 ft saltwater edition center console,I watch your blog all the time and like the great info on maintenance general info. There r not many places here to get a old tank pulled and replaced
It ALL really depends on The reason and the purpose of; The "Speed Boat" configuration is pretty well self explanatory.
The "Center Consul" is likely more of a utility/bunch of friends on board.
There are 2 types of "Fishing Boats"; Competition which often requires Speed and a regular configuration that provides space and comfort for static or trolling at low speeds.
Although most guys will strain to justify the second power plant and thoroughly enjoy the prowess, speed and bragging rights, these moment of sheer joy are quickly brought into perspective when "There is No Crowd" and they are writing cheques for maintenance and repairs. And of course unless you coop the fuel expense, it is your wallet that takes the hit.
This points to another important factor; affordability?
If a fella has access to; "Go Jump in the Lake" Money, then the sky is the limit.
But...the boat Will Be the first item in the drive way to GO, if things SUDDENLY get tight.
And the depreciation losses are substantial and are also relative to your circumstances?
A quick look at the real market demonstrates that 99.9% of boat sales, trades and purchases are done by men.
Before you even purchase a second engine or modify your boat "In Any Way", you need to contact your insurance and get that CHANGE "Initialed".
When purchasing a Used Boat that looks pristine and has a twin outboard, you better make sure it's insurable.
A twin outboard that can do 90 mph at 21 ft long will send a guys heart to flutter.
Until his insurance guy tells him the bad news, like; "No Can Do" or Premiums, Premiums, Premiums.
IF you decide to Run that Rig without insurance and the water ways cops pull u over??? Your boat can and will be impounded awaiting your court date.
IF, someone gets hurt, kiss your house good bye too.
Then your wife and then your family.
Water safety begins At The Bank.
Life Jackets and Paddles are the cheapest aspect of the equation!
Happy and safe boating boys!
I would add the fluid dynamic interaction between 2 propellers vs one
Peace of mind = Priceless
For sure!
If possible, go with other boats for mutual safety. I went with a group of 26 small single engine boats to Marsh Harbor in the Abacos years ago. Two boats needed to be towed. Went alone to Bimini twice. At that time Sea Tow would tow you back to Florida if you had trouble, without additional cost.
I have twins......for inshore / coastal fishing. its called a merc 15 pro-kicker and I did a complete install video series. NEXT UP: adding a shift/throttle seperate control for it soon. WIDE OPEN THROTTLE? thats what Merc owners do, I guess.....haha. GO BIG ALLOY. only a single engine cat can compete with my economy😉 great vid!
#fendercovers nothing wrong with a kicker motor with seprate fuel source.
@@ralphjones7240 heck yeah! with a new fuel tank in the boat (not seperate) thats never seen the wicked brew of Ethanol!
I was out on a whaler one time with a 150 Johnson. Had a rod snap and the engine locked up :) came back on a 15 HP Mercury :) Who said kickers aren't twins?
@@BornAgainBoating got me back 8 times before a good mechanic told me, check your suzuki 250 fuel cooler!!!!!! YEP, the nasty azz st. johns river in Jax. clogged it up completely. NO MORE EVER, running out on those stupid flush ports. EVERY SINGLE DAY......Run up to temp in 70 gal. barrel. And every 6 months, 4 hr. descale with rydlyme and a submersible pump.
If you're on the salt, then two. If I'm on the lake on my pontoon, then one. (Plus the trolling motor)
Yeah you can get around water in fuel affects both engines.
2 engines each with its own fuel tank
You can swing/turn better with twin.
It all depends on the boat and it's uses.
Most people who say a single is better have not experienced the unbridled joy of having of having it stop making noise while 35 miles offshore with bad weather approaching.
Most people that say twins are better have never actually been saved by a second, because most engine problems are fuel related & affect both engines. Save the gas money, maintenance money and insurance money & use it for a TowBoat US membership.
Inboard is the Cadillac for myself. Outboard is good up to about 150 hp
Hahah I like how you show the Johnson when referring to unreliable motors
You took my comment. Lol
I've had my evinrude e-tech g1 150 since 2010 without a hiccup.
The secret to two strokes is to not overload the engine. In other words prop it correctly. Also run a bottle of Yamaha ring free every other full tank.
By the way gas mileage is amazing when you do these two things.
Never had a problem with my Johnsons except maybe once because it did not start right away but eventually it did start. Just went out and bought another Johnson just in case, so I would never be one of those "National Enquire" stories how I survived at sea for two months...
My grandfather was always flogging his Johnson 40HP (1970's model) with a hammer. I honestly thought that's how you started that thing back when i was a kid. "C'mon, start you bastard!".... Back before electric starters too, or at least he didn't have that model.
Bruce Lee false evinrude and Johnson were the most reliable back in the day Mercury was shitty in comparison
Great video. Answered many, if not more questions I've often had about single vs twin engines. Very comprehensive. As is often the case, the choice you make is dependent upon what you want from and with your boat.
For 90% of boat owners, one motor is fine because they either are using it in freshwater or, if using it on the coast, they stay inshore. Only people who use their boats offshore need dual motors.
I run off shore with my 17' regularly lol
I figured as much for most of your points but you clearly laid them out. Thanks for this.
Glad it was helpful!
Twin every time. Reliability. Separate everything. 6 propeller blades, more grip, more pitch, lower revs. Only get equivalent of half the second engine though so your figures a bit out. 1 x 300hp = 2 x 200hp. No brainer.
Prob is, one fuel supply.
Twins give you much better control of your boat in docking and loading maneuvers. Plus I like the redundancy of twins when offshore 100 miles.
I,d go three or more because I need to get to the bass fast in a one acre lake (got to love the lake bass guys)
High reliability is trumped by high consequence. Always have a backup.
You always go twins if you’re doing any fishing off shore
A big single will outperform the same power in twins, twins will cost a lot more to service and repair because there is 2 of everything, twins are way more reliable, you can keep twins a lot longer before replacement you might not trust one motor over a certain age but 2 well maintained ones isn’t very risky. Twins are good in very shallow water twins trimmed right out in shallow water at a fast idle will give you enough thrust to overcome a headwind or the hull lightly scraping the bottom where one propeller barely in the water probably is going to struggle.
You should compare a single 350 to two 175s because they both have 8 cylinders opposed to 8 vs 6
#fendercovers I had twin F150s on my last offshore boat 270CC SeaPro. Twin 4 cylinders are the way to go in offshore fishing over a single anything. Reliability and the variables you are able to control from docking to full throttle running sets running a pair apart form singles any day. Especially on a deep v boat where the boat will lean to one side easily with any type of weight shift. Instead of digging in trim tabs you can trim one motor slightly higher than the other to even the boat out without putting extra load on your motors. And the 150s were a dream to maintain cost wise and mechanically.
2 engines stop a lot of broching
#fendercovers I have twin Mercury Verados on my boat. They're very reliable engines and it has really good maneuverability around the dock.
I have an old 19' inboard with a 351w. I go to oriellys for parts and spend maybe 200 in maintanence a year. Its rated at 250hp. Does everything i need and then some. Its not pretty but it runs good and my smile at the end of the day is just as big as the guy thats got a 100k+ boat. (Maybe bigger because i dont worry about a big payment)
What day is happier for a boat owner, the day the boat is purchased or the day the boat is sold?
For me if your in a lake or river or don't go too far off sure one engine is fine, but if you go miles off sure, two engines is always best, or atleast a backup kicker motor. Not being able to see shore and a boat that won't start is a horrible feeling.
I feel you missed one aspect which for me is the most important.
Having a small boat with 2 OB and joystick piloting enables me to have a boat for my inexperienced friends to take out themselves. Using the joystick they are easily able to dock it again without any problems.
Very well put; i will add that if you **only** have one engine...well, you only have one !! i mean,not the same peace of mind really ;
that is why people used to have a kicker on the side back in the days...
When i was working on boats, and when the twin diesels came back in a tow, invariably the problem was contaminated diesel in the tank due to the slimy fuel algae that grow in the free water in the tank bottom,and subsequent plugged up filters; thankfully, gasoline engines are almost immune to that particular problem, but not to all,like the no start, or overheating, even sudden death,and big Bill coming.
I run a single DF 175 I don’t spare maintenance whatsoever but it’s always in the back of my mind it’s only a single#fendercovers
basically if your using it on a lake etc. use a single if your on the ocean like me use 2 or more
Yamaha is the undefeated champions of engines
Reliable. Yes. Slow as molasses though. The Merc engines will smoke Yamahas and the Evinrude G2's will whip them like step children.
I have twin Yamaha 200s. I wish I had one 350hp outboard with two props spaced two feet apart for handling around the marinas.
Braggart
Good video
Simple truth Charles Lindbergh pointed out when flying a single engine over the Atlantic:
“The likelihood of having a mechanical failure is always double with twin engines.”
#fendercovers
Jay Whitestone brilliant
I will always remember this
What a silly comment.. Uh, ok and the likelihood of crashing into the sea and dying is 2x greater with a single engine.
Mechanical failure with a 2nd engine, so what? That is why it's there. The plane will still fly with one engine.
Look at modern passenger jets, single engines are not advantageous whatsoever for anything other than profitability for the airline.
Vice Isms As an airline Captain I can say you’re correct that a twin engine a/c will fly on 1 engine after a failure, today. I practice it in the simulator annually.
I can also tell you that was not the case in 1927. The twin engine a/c of that time did not have the performance to stay airborne for an extended period. It’d simply be a controlled descent into the Atlantic. 3 of the mutltiengine a/c competing for the Orteig Prize crashed, killing 6.
@@jaywhitestone4626 And how far can you fly a plane in the 1930s on no engine?
@@RikkiTikkiTavi290 Correct. If the single engine quits you’re gonna die; and if either of the engines on the twin quits you’re gonna die. Which one improves your odds of living by cutting your chances of an engine failure in half?
Ask yourself one headache or two. You double your chances of breakdown with 2 if one breaks you still have to pull boat to fix it. Same with one but less odds
Stupid comment, circular reasoning.
Thats not how it works
@@RikkiTikkiTavi290 in what way ?Sounds logical to me.
@@garystraube9235 If one breaks down, the other can get you home. If the single breaks down then you are stuck.
the right amount of power is the answer, never under power any boat
Good video. One last item when you have two motors the odds are greater that one motor needs service and that will keep you from going out.
Very true
Soom studies say 80% of a boats life is spent at hull speed or less. This is where your twin engine can run on one and cut engine hours in half. 1 hour on one engine, 1 hour on the other. This your twins will last considerably longer and have considerably less hours and again less maintenance.
the fuel consumption is off I have a 115 horsepower boat motor and at wide-open throttle, it burns 44 liters an hour.
Different engines, different consumption.
The only reason I would get 2 is cause if I’m out n the ocean like 10 miles out off shore if one engine does your not stuck u still have that other engine
Is it something wrong with me or do the propeller at ~2:42 go the wrong way, it looks strange kind of
After running a boat with a pair of YamF225s, there is no way I'd run a boat with a single YamF225. And since I run offshore up to 60miles, twins are the only option. Regarding fuel, I typically run my engines around 3300-3600 RPM and I'm burning about 16GPH. That gives me a low 30's speed.
So you wouldn't try a 425 ?
@@robintaylor1490 Very happy with my F300s. No idea if the 425s are any good. With what these engines cost these days, they MUST be bulletproof and last for thousands of hours.
@@lbowsk yeah I hear ya, I was going to get an f300b but they won't have any in stock up here until next year. So for a couple of reasons I went with a 300hp Mercury four stroke v8.