Blue Fin 3.8

[boatie]

I'm geting a new Blue Fin 3.8 HD (Heavy Duty) and use my 15hp Evinrude (1998) on it untill I can get a new 18hp Tohatsu. Has anybody got one of these boats with a 15 or 18 if so how good do they handle, topspeed, are they stable at rest any info on them would be good. I had a look at one the other weekend and they look a realy tough boat.

thanks Boatie.

[Matt_F]

Hi Boatie

I had a 3.8 savage snipe with a 15 hp Johnson a few years ago. Probably a lot lighter than a Blue Fin HD. Was ok with two people and a bit of gear (top speed probably around 16 -18 knots). With any more weight than that she would struggle to plane. I would recomend a minimum of 20 hp, yamaha of course.

Cheers,
Matt.

[boatie]

Thanks 4 replying Matt
I was talking 2 the dealer who sells the blue fin boats who is also the agent 4 tohatsu outboards and he said tha he would recomend the 18 because the 25 (which the boat is recomended 2) weighs more and it is more weight to push around. he said the 18 goes a good as the 25 but with a little bit less top speed. Matt how much did the savage weigh? The blue fin hull weighs 95 kg by its self and the 18 weighs 41kg and a 25 weighs 51kg

[FNQCairns]

Boatie is the 25 the same engine as the 18hp, if so, he is in a sense right about the extra weight comment. If the two engines are different it's a crapola statement!

Be very carefull about buying some engine brands the warrenty I have heard is almost virtual, chances are like all brands warrenty will not be needed for anything major, at least 1 other manufacturer has a good reputation for honouring warrenty.

Just be carefull and do your homework, don't take at face value anyone who is to make money from the sale of the engine.....homework time!.....homework time! have I said that enough:)

Remember importers/agents import certain brands of engines from manufacturers and then run by their own rules, sometimes when dealing with a brand you may actually be dealing with a company that has 5 employees total and not in anyway or anyhow with the name that is plastered on the machine.

cheers fnq

[boatie]

thanks fnq
i gess its home work time!
the 18 and 25 are different blocks the 18 being 294cc and the 25 being 429cc. so how does the weight thing work then?

[blaze]

Hi
recently purchased a 18hp tohatsu, couldnt be happier with the performance of it. Recently did a 30 oddkm trip up and then back a river with 3 people in a 12 foot brooker with mine for a sniff of fuel and plenty of speed. Mine would just about clocked up 10hrs (thought to onself, must organise 1st service). Paid $2200 with 4 litres of 2 stroke.
cheers
blaze

[FNQCairns]

Hi Boatie, trying to relate a power to weight ratio to an outboard motor really cannot be justified, bit like doing it to the engine in a holden comodore but forgeting that the whole car is what the engine drives and where the power to weight ratio counts.

If the 25 is 1/3 larger in capacity than the 18 it also has a bunch more torque esp if that block also is used for another hp above, strongly suspect that the power to weight ratio of your rig on the water with the 25hp will blow the 18hp away and by a great margin.

No good idea how many hp will suit you best, just power to weight is spurious when related to outboards only, even in value as sales pitch, you have caught him once keep an ear out for more of the same:)

cheers fnq

[boatie]

hi blaze thanks for that info. how heavy do you think the boat combo is. the boat wouldnt be a 12foot brooker deep vee would it because that is the boat i have at the moment. iv only got a 4hp Tohatsu 4 stroke on it at the moment (good for inpoundments) but am looking at getting it registed and putting my 15 mentionted before on it. how does your 12 foot brooker handle a bit of seas. $2200 is what the dealer i went to also said a 18 would cost.

Fnq I agree with what yoiu are saying(was going to get 25) but when talking to the dealer he said that the 18 had ample power for the boat and had the same acceleration as the 25 but dropped a little in top end speed. he said that he has sold many of these boats with 18's and said everyone has been happy with them and they have heaps of go. he is a fairly trustworthy dealer because otherwise he would try to sell me the 25hp for a extra $500 even though the 18 goes good enough.

[blaze]

I dont know if I would call any 12 foot tinnie deep v, small v. I dont know the wieght of mine but 3 people in the boat would weigh 250kg I reckon, tank of fuel, large deep cycle battery, electric, oars and there was certainly no lag in the holeshot.
cheers
blaze

[boatie]

thanks Blaze

i dont think a deep vee or a shallow vee does much in a open tinney but my boat is called a brooker 12foot deep vee. The Tohatsus have a lot more go than some brands dont they. i was talking 2 my boss 2day and he said a procrabber had a 16foot Clark with a 18hp Tohatsu and 14 crabpots in it and 2 people in it and it was plaining. he went for a ride in it and he said it was unbeleavable for the size of the boat compired to the outboard

Boatie