Twins or Main & Aux???

[fish-n-dive]

I'm ready to purchase a bigger boat for fishing out wide and am looking at the Ocean Craft 6000 Caloundra Class Extreme. Looking at power for the boat, I'm trying to decide between twin 70's or a 115/120 main and something way smaller for trolling and backup.

Any comments or opinions would be most welcome.....................8-)

[youngfisho]

its probably best to give them a call and discuss your options. Do you know what the recommended and max hp is. If you plan to fish wide twin motors is a good option. You obviously get more grip in the water, but on the negative the servicing costs and set up is more than twice the price of a single. twin 70's would also be non counter rotating. you couldnt go wrong with a 115 suzi or yamaha four stroke, reliable and efficient.

andrew

[Greg P]

Twin engines will also mean less top end speed and use more fuel (not that you would notice that) due to extra drag.

I personally dont think there is much point to having twins unless you have seperate fuel tanks for each engine. The technology used in EFI 4 strokes and ETECs is pretty well proven so problems although they do happen are pretty rare.

Cheers

Greg

[fishingrod]

and something way smaller for trolling and backup
Its hard to get any reasonable speed out of a aux motor. Depending on size you might be lucky to get 5-8 knots (and thats flat out screaming its head off)

If your trolling offshore thats probably too slow but it might be ok in creeks, dams etc

Rod

[Chimo]

Probably a couple of the 75HP ETECS would be the way to go.

Two fuel tanks would be good and would work in with wanting to turn fuel over / keep it fresh too. I have twin 115's off one tank and its stil better than one large and one auxillary. Motor stuff ups for me have been the same thing on both motors 10 hrs apart and that was one of the fuel pump diaphram springs letting go.

Low weight

Very low service cost for the three years, I would still regularly check gear oil in case line stuffs up seal in gearbox tho.

Agree that small auxillary would be good for lakes and creeks but not good for out wide and particularly risky if out wide and the weather goes bad.

good luck with it anyhoo.

Cheers
Chimo

[Timmy94]

Im assuming its a 6metre boat? If u go twins make sure that the boat will plane on one motor or else it defeats the purpose. And if the boats 6metres i would be going for twin 90's or 115's. Auxillary's are good but they stuff up the performance of the boat and give you a shit speed. It wouldnt be fun travelling back 30km at 4knts.

[Redspeckle]

First of all i wouldn't worry about an Aux motor Join up with the Coast Guard or VMR in their Marine assist club cost about $50 to $80 a year gives you one free tow a year and up to 50km coverage from port

I would go with the one motor than the twin set up not just extra cost but the other motor be in the way and losse good fishing space at the back and also get more line tangles around the motor less of areas to fight the fish and more likey to get busted of
With the Outborads of today they don't seem break down as much from years a ago you keep them serivce regular and have the right fuel fittlers /twin battery set up and avoid the older service stations ( main cause is outborads breakdown fuel or spark look after theses should be right0

Mitch

[mirage]

Fish-n-Dive,
The Ocean Craft web site says the max weight for an engine on that model is 200kg. So unless you want 2 x 30hp engines (any more hp than that and you'll be outside their specs)you'd be far better off going for one larger one. As said before they are very reliable now and the Coast Gaurd is very cheap insurance.
Cheers.

[fish-n-dive]

Fish-n-Dive,
The Ocean Craft web site says the max weight for an engine on that model is 200kg. So unless you want 2 x 30hp engines (any more hp than that and you'll be outside their specs)you'd be far better off going for one larger one. As said before they are very reliable now and the Coast Gaurd is very cheap insurance.
Cheers.

They have actually quoted me with 2x90hp Tohatsu's I asked about the weight and was advised it's no problem at all ?!?...............:-/

[FNQCairns]

Along the line of Timmys post, there is not a recommended HP 2 stroke twin outboard out there that can run on 1 engine at any more than displacement speeds...that is if the owner is not trying his hardest to kill the still running engine.

cheers fnq

[mirage]

They have actually quoted me with 2x90hp Tohatsu's I asked about the weight and was advised it's no problem at all ?!?...............:-/


Ah, OK. Maybe they have a larger, more bouyant transom now.

[David Marshall]

I have a 6.1 trailcraft with twin 75hp 2strokes. Planes at 3000rpm with both and around 4000 on one. Did 15nm on one due to a battery failure one day no probs.
Do have two tanks and two batteries and would go the same set up again albeit in etecs. Aux engines still need to be serviced if you want it to start and sea tow may not be too impressed when I phone them 30 mile out from Albany!?

Good VHF radio and local sea rescue membership is also a must.