TOPIC: Twin outboard questions

Looking at the next potential project...and early Sea Ray Daycruiser
the big issue is in 1984 the owner (it's a 2 owner boat) replaced the 100hp Merc with a new 140 Chrysler/Force.
I was thinking it would be cool with twin 60 or 75 mercs from the period of it's build.
questions...
1 Do the engines need to be opposed rotation or would both with same rotation handle ok ??
2 How dificult is it to get the engines sync'd ??
3 what kind of steering alignment issues could I run into ??

My old Lone Star had twin SeaHorse 40s and ran well but they were counter rotation motors.

Any thoughts or advise for this venture ??

Counter rotation is a " nice to have " feature , but not a " must have "

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Tachometers are a " must have " for twin engines.

professor wrote:

Counter rotation is a " nice to have " feature , but not a " must have "

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Tachometers are a " must have " for twin engines.

any major torque steer problems if not ??

Counter rotation engines are hard to find, and expensive. Twin engines are expensive - twice the fuel, twice the weight, twice the maintenance. They are a good idea if the power is not available in a single package, and when the boat is use at sea (safety) otherwise - it's not the best way to go by any means. I surely wouldn't recommend it.

...and twice the noise, and twice the smoke. I had a Glasspar Avalon with twin 25hp Johnny motors. The previous owner made this choice because he fished out of Grays Harbor, WA out offshore in the Pacific, so he could always be sure he would get home. I always got home too, fishing out in the Straits of Juan de Fuca, on a few occasions I had an engine conk out. But, as Bruce points out, there is a lot of "twice as"... and I really didn't like the noise and smoke (especially with a trailing wind). I ended up with less noise, smoke and good dependability another way, I bought a new 50 Etec (plus a 6-hp kicker for trolling).

Also, to give my $0.02 on the rotation points... these were not counter-rotating... while critically important on inboards, the prop-walk could be countered easily with steering. Though it did turn hard (wheel resistance) one direction and really easy the other.

Dean

moparlvr4406,

May I suggest a PAIR of Homelite 55 for the boat?
(I'm planning to power my Silver-Line Dart17 "fishing machine" with a F-model Homelite 55, instead of the LOUD, SMOKEY, THIRSTY 80HP V4 OMC that it came with.- "BillR", our expert on Homelite, says that a single Homelite 55 should give me 20+ MPH, even on that BIG/HEAVY utility. - FYI, it weighs 930#, stripped.)

yours, satx

i get 26.0 with my homelite on my skagit express 17 and went 26 miles arooound the deltas grand island and only used 7 gallons total.compare that to my old 64 v4 60 that this boat had before same run I went through 14 gallons.

59thunderhawk,

GOOD DEAL.
How much does your boat/motor weigh?

yours, satx

Twin motors just look and sound cool! I almost bought a Lone Star Caribbean once that had period Johnson Sea Horse 35s on it. Too bad the guy wanted way too much for it (must have watched too many Barret jacksons shows) since it was in need of everything. But those two Johnsons looked so cool on there! I'd do it and use one at a time unless you are showing off....HAHA!