Whackers vs inboard ?'s

[X-rated]

There is a thread over on OSO from a guy asking for some real life info on 400's vs big single cats. It kinda peaked my interest and there haven't been any real answers to his q's. Its obvious the twin 400's seem to be the flavour of the week and all the builders are swamped with orders but how much real data is out there? Fuel economy vs big single? maintenance costs vs big single? Longevity, resale etc etc. I have always thought making a racket and the rumble of 1 or 2 big blocks was a big part of performance boating but this seems to be a new world we live in. What say the RD braintrust????

 

[Groper]

I have:
Magic Deck-496Ho w/XR drive, not too expensive if you do everything yourself, fuel consumption isn't too bad.
21RC-1100+ Quad Rotor Carson Brummett w/ V-Drive. Open your wallet.
36 Concept-(2) 300 Mercury Verados, great on fuel.

Hands down the Verados are less expensive to maintain and operate.
And the older I get, the more I like the sound of Two sewing machines running off the back of the Transom.

 

[RiverDave]

I would have to imagine the twin 400's are going to be cheaper to operate than a single 800 for both fuel and reliability of things not breaking.. Whether one is faster than the other I would imagine would have to do with the application because I can see it going both ways depending on the boat.. people always think the outboard boats are faster but they forget when they build them for speed and outboards they are much lighter than traditional setups so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison..

That all said if you were asking me on a 26-29 cat I would probably take the twins over the single just for reliability and resale at this point.

 

[Runs2rch]

I would have to imagine the twin 400's are going to be cheaper to operate than a single 800 for both fuel and reliability of things not breaking.. Whether one is faster than the other I would imagine would have to do with the application because I can see it going both ways depending on the boat.. people always think the outboard boats are faster but they forget when they build them for speed and outboards they are much lighter than traditional setups so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison..

That all said if you were asking me on a 26-29 cat I would probably take the twins over the single just for reliability and resale at this point.

It is always a give and take. I drove a 290 with a 520 and then drove the 290 with the 300 verados. A little less power with the 520 was a given. Everything about the outboards to me felt better. The boat felt flat out smooth and light. I liked it with the 520, but much more with the twins.

 

[pcrussell50]

It's tough to beat the sound of a V8. My road race car is a small block Ford. My street car is a BMW M V8.

But my introduction to boating (I just started boating in summer 2008) was from my father(s) in law (wife's dad and step-dad) who are both big time pro bass fishermen. So (big surprise), I like outboards for boating. But my old carbureted two-stroke Evinrude v4's and 150hp Mercury v6 are horrible on fuel for their power. The best thing they have going is they are very light for their power. I bet an automotive v8 with twice the power of my Merc 150 gets better mileage.

Other influences are that I majored in mechanical engineering in college, and learned that from a dynamic standpoint, straight sixes and v12's are smoothest. So the engineer in me loves BMW straight sixes.

-Peter

 

[lbhsbz]

Cool thing about outboards is you don't have to bend over to work on 'em

 

[pronstar]

.

Other influences are that I majored in mechanical engineering in college, and learned that from a dynamic standpoint, straight sixes and v12's are smoothest. So the engineer in me loves BMW straight sixes.

-Peter

Boxer-6 also has perfect primary balance :thumbsup:

IMHO a proper Bimmer is a sports sedan with an inline-6.
Had a 330i ZHP, what a fantastic machine.

 

[GregG]

A couple of 400 outboards will cost $80,000 and give you two years of warranty coverage from Mercury.

 

[pcrussell50]

A couple of 400 outboards will cost $80,000 and give you two years of warranty coverage from Mercury.

Very very true. Their cost per horsepower is utter madness. Then again, they are highly engineered, yet not made in anywhere near the numbers to amortize price like a car engine. Plus, they come with a "transmission" as part of the package as well. I buy used outboards. And yes, they are much easier access for doing your own repairs.

-Peter

 

[mesquito_creek]

You gain about 3 feet of useable space in the interior by hanging the whackers off the back....

 

[port austin pirate]

you do lose 4 points off your man card for owning whackers over car motor boats, But you will recieve a special blessing from the reverend war canoe if you go with whackers and become member of the outboard church

 

[TCHB]

The best thing about outboards is there is no out-drive to mess with. It seems like the out-drive is weak link.

 

[Boatmaster]

you do lose 4 points off your man card for owning whackers over car motor boats, But you will recieve a special blessing from the reverend war canoe if you go with whackers and become member of the outboard church

I'll remind you of this statement the next time you look at my transom of whacker junk all day my friend.

 

[HST4ME]

[video=youtube;QaBbSKOfYQ8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaBbSKOfYQ8[/video]

 

[Flying_Lavey]

You gain about 3 feet of useable space in the interior by hanging the whackers off the back....

This, plus, a bigger one for most performance aspects, it moves the largest and heaviest component of a boat outside the boat which is typically fantastic for CG and allows a boat to more thoroughly air-out with much less HP. Then there is the fact that there is only 1 90 degree turn in the driveline. Also, much cheaper and easier to adjust drive height for tuning or running different props. Also, the added maneuverability with twin engines. Specially with no tie bar and using Mercury's Joystick control.

 

[Jimmy]

[video=youtube;QaBbSKOfYQ8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaBbSKOfYQ8[/video]

Our rebuttal
[video=youtube_https;v1A239dXjxY]https://youtu.be/v1A239dXjxY[/video]

 

[RCDave]

The efficiency on on is hard to beat. At least in a 21-23' boat. How much hp and mpg does it take for an IO to push a 22' tunnel hull into the 90's?

Strap on a stock 300xs is all it takes with an ob

 

[Wicky]

Outboards suck! Not as bad as Jets though!

 

[X-rated]

Our rebuttal
[video=youtube_https;v1A239dXjxY]https://youtu.be/v1A239dXjxY[/video]

POINT TAKEN!!!!

 

[Wicky]

Our rebuttal
[video=youtube_https;v1A239dXjxY]https://youtu.be/v1A239dXjxY[/video]

Bad ass for 2 seconds of boating....too bad those wont run all day and all night cuz, if they did, I'd own one.

 

[GETBOATS]

Best sound is the sound of a blown, nasty echoing v-drive at 6 am on the parker strip. Any automotive motor driven boat capable of big numbers is truly a work of art. And build a boat with manners raises the bar again. The amount of work needed is mind boggling. However, a pair of 2.5 Mercs with open exhaust, 15 inch mid is like owning a YZ 250 tow stroke or 2003 450f, just plain mean and nasty and dangerous in the wrong hands. The above needs lots of maintenance and internal parts often. My choice has been new technology 4-stroke, they are light weight computer controlled marvels with internals that would make any motor head look twice. I run one with a computer flash only, makes around 330 hp and will last for years. The best part is 5 years of warranty and you will never know what the inside looks like:cool

 

[Stainless]

Best sound is the sound of a blown, nasty echoing v-drive at 6 am on the parker strip. Any automotive motor driven boat capable of big numbers is truly a work of art. And build a boat with manners raises the bar again. The amount of work needed is mind boggling. However, a pair of 2.5 Mercs with open exhaust, 15 inch mid is like owning a YZ 250 tow stroke or 2003 450f, just plain mean and nasty and dangerous in the wrong hands. The above needs lots of maintenance and internal parts often. My choice has been new technology 4-stroke, they are light weight computer controlled marvels with internals that would make any motor head look twice. I run one with a computer flash only, makes around 330 hp and will last for years. The best part is 5 years of warranty and you will never know what the inside looks like:cool

View attachment 508276

Great analogy! Wish they were still available.

 

[jones performance]

i bought a 21 daytona with a 200 mercury 2.5efi on it this march. i was very hesitant to buy an outboard boat, but am pleased now that i have. it sips fuel, has been trouble free and performance is pretty good for the hp i have. a 300xs would be sweeter on my boat though

 

[Sbarry]

I'm thinking a Shockwave 22 Deck with a 300 whacker hanging off the back would be badass... But then again, a 400R would be even better [emoji41]

 

[HgH Vltg]

So am I understanding it correctly, for a single 400r, slapped on the back of whatever, will run you $40k?

 

[Sbarry]

So am I understanding it correctly, for a single 400r, slapped on the back of whatever, will run you $40k?

That's what I've heard as well

 

[Flying_Lavey]

I'm thinking a Shockwave 22 Deck with a 300 whacker hanging off the back would be badass... But then again, a 400R would be even better [emoji41]

I've always thought one of those decks would be awesome with an out oatboard. I know one of the issues with them has always been how heavy the nose is with the open bow and add in people and it splashes over the bow a lot from what I was told. Having a 550 to 630lb motor hanging about 10" off the transom and no 600# big block sitting 12" in front of the transom.

 

[Stainless]

So am I understanding it correctly, for a single 400r, slapped on the back of whatever, will run you $40k?

Jacos Marine in Tennessee has them advertised from $24,650 - $27,150(10 variations) before tax and rigging. That looks to be around $30K, of course they are in Tennessee. What could push it to $40K is accessories such as cables, instrumentation, steering, prop etc.

 

[SBMech]

Has to have a V8. Don't care what - Ford/Chevy/Mopar...they all sound great, each with their own flavor.

V-Drive/Sterndrive/Jet...all good fun. Just like Flavor, all have their special characteristics that make them fun and unique.

If I need a buzz sound I can go whack the weeds in my side yard

Nothing like the sound of a blown big block.:thumbsup

 

[Wicky]

Has to have a V8. Don't care what - Ford/Chevy/Mopar...they all sound great, each with their own flavor.

V-Drive/Sterndrive/Jet...all good fun. Just like Flavor, all have their special characteristics that make them fun and unique.

If I need a buzz sound I can go whack the weeds in my side yard

Nothing like the sound of a blown big block.:thumbsup

They always sound awesome when I am passing them!!

 

[RCDave]

They always sound awesome when I am passing them!!

I was going to say, you don't have to hear them long. They will be ahead in short order

 

[Flying_Lavey]

So am I understanding it correctly, for a single 400r, slapped on the back of whatever, will run you $40k?

From what I've heard that sounds about "market price" for one installed, rigged, and tuned properly. How much for a 8.2 with a XR drive and prop completely rigged and turn key?

 

[reb939]

There is a thread over on OSO from a guy asking for some real life info on 400's vs big single cats. It kinda peaked my interest and there haven't been any real answers to his q's. Its obvious the twin 400's seem to be the flavour of the week and all the builders are swamped with orders but how much real data is out there? Fuel economy vs big single? maintenance costs vs big single? Longevity, resale etc etc. I have always thought making a racket and the rumble of 1 or 2 big blocks was a big part of performance boating but this seems to be a new world we live in. What say the RD braintrust????

i cast my vote: Go with Outboards, but then i am biased

 

[plaster dave]

They always sound awesome when I am passing them!!

I was going to say, you don't have to hear them long. They will be ahead in short order

You guys must not boat on Havasu because I never see them passing us bbc lol

 

[Wicky]

You guys must not boat on Havasu because I never see them passing us bbc lol

Sounds like a Big Block Spankin' Party waiting to happen!!

 

[plaster dave]

Sounds like a Big Block Spankin' Party waiting to happen!!

Sounds good to me b

 

[Wicky]

Sounds good to me b

Third weekend in April next year. BBSP 11 or 12....something like that. Oh yeah, Speed Alley. 1320'.

 

[hallett21]

You can get a 400 for 25k motor only

 

[attitude]

I don't think many boats will be passing the 28 speedster with twin 400s at 128mph

 

[plaster dave]

I don't think many boats will be passing the 28 speedster with twin 400s at 128mph

There is lots of boats faster then 128 Havasu. Hell my buddy's 26 rpm does 135mph with a Teague 985.

 

[attitude]

There is lots of boats faster then 128 Havasu. Hell my buddy's 26 rpm does 135mph with a Teague 985.

RPMs are bad as hulls but the are also way smaller and lighter then a 28 Daytona, can't imagine how fast a 26 RPM would be with 2 400s:eek

 

[plaster dave]

RPMs are bad as hulls but the are also way smaller and lighter then a 28 Daytona, can't imagine how fast a 26 RPM would be with 2 400s:eek

You would be shocked how big of a 26 it is. It makes my Howard 26 look small. Here's his next a dcb and a 32 Spector

 

[Wicky]

There is lots of boats faster then 128 Havasu. Hell my buddy's 26 rpm does 135mph with a Teague 985.

How many days does it take him to get up to that speed?

 

[plaster dave]

How many days does it take him to get up to that speed?

Probably about the same amount of it time it takes you to head back to the dock because it's to rough.

 

[Wicky]

Probably about the same amount of it time it takes you to head back to the dock because it's to rough.

I head back the second I see a rollbar boat backing down the launch ramp. It hurts my vagina to even look at those boats.

 

[plaster dave]

I head back the second I see a rollbar boat backing down the launch ramp. It hurts my vagina to even look at those boats.

Well on Havasu we just smile and pass them on the gas.

 

[Wicky]

Well on Havasu we just smile and pass them on the gas.

Where is this place you call Havasu? I have never heard of it.

 

[plaster dave]

Where is this place you call Havasu? I have never heard of it.

It's that body of water where your butt puckers to get to speed alley.

 

[pcrussell50]

Jacos Marine in Tennessee has them advertised from $24,650 - $27,150(10 variations) before tax and rigging. That looks to be around $30K, of course they are in Tennessee. What could push it to $40K is accessories such as cables, instrumentation, steering, prop etc.

Jacos Marine is world famous for off-the-charts cheap prices. Their prices cannot be fairly compared to any place in the southwest that I've ever seen. Also, they will not sell you a motor unless you have it shipped to a Mercury dealer... The one who charges $5000 more than Jacos does for the same motor... And who will be the ones rigging it to your boat. I considered it once, but couldn't go through with it.

-Peter

 

[Wicky]

It's that body of water where your butt puckers to get to speed alley.

Oh, ok. Butt puckering, body of water. Sounds like a place to avoid. The word "puckering" just doesn't sound pleasant.