twin suzuki 140's 23'

lgtiller · #1 07-05-2022, 03:29 PM

Planning on rebuilding my 23' with Palm Beach Boatworks in the next few months, looking to put twin outboard with a bracket, is anyone using the Suzuki 140's? Pro's cons? I know the benefits on a single outboard but for my use of the boat twin outboards make sense.

Old'sCool · #2 07-05-2022, 05:09 PM

I don't believe you'll be happy with 800# 30" off the transom.

Ed · #3 07-05-2022, 05:24 PM

I believe BriGuy had twin 140;s on his 23 with a Hermco bracket and regretted it. If my memory is correct, he eventually repowered to a single engine.

lgtiller · #4 07-05-2022, 09:29 PM

As stated before I'm aware of the benefits of a single engine.... can anyone provide any first hand experience with twin outboards who currently has them specifically the size i'm considering, 140hp Suzuki's. Any one stepped up from 140's to 150-200hp what were the pro's/cons worth it? My boat is being rebuilt knowing twins will be installed, fuel tank moving forward deck raised ect...

Thanks!

uncleboo · #5 07-06-2022, 07:07 AM

Better go with replacing as much coring including transom with composite. Light is right.

Fr. Frank · #6 07-06-2022, 08:03 AM

My two cents: Stick with a single unless you're going to go big on the twins. That's a lot of weight cantilevered out behind the boat. I've owned two 23's with twins, but neither with a bracket. I rigged out another for a customer.

Back in '1984 I rigged my '77 23' SF with twin 235 Evinrudes. The boat was barely self-bailing with no one on board. As soon as I stepped onto the boat, I had water on the deck. I sold the boat to the Town of Palm Beach for their police department.

The same year, after re-coring and raising the deck, we re-powered a customer's '23 Savage with twin 3.4 Mercury 275's. (The boat was placarded for 600hp max HP). But there was still 1100 lbs hanging off the stern. It would not hold plane below 18 mph until we added Bennett trim tabs, which required limiting the downward/forward trim of the motors.

In 2003, I rigged a '74 23' Tsunami (Scepter) with twin 140 Johnson counter-rotating loopers for one of my parishioners who was replacing a single 235. After lots of time spent propping, he settled on 15"p Stilletos so that he could get on plane with a single motor with an average load. It was a pig with lipstick. Top speed was only 35 mph and it took 4 seconds to plane, getting less than 1.3 mpg. I bought it from him after a year and re-powered back to a single Evinrude 225 FICHT, getting 2.2 mpg with a top end of 39 mph. It took a little longer to plane, but I was okay with that.

Capt Chuck · #7 07-06-2022, 09:15 PM

If you drop a motor you will play hell getting a 23" to get on plane with batteries, gear, fuel & people on board! Double Cost ,Double Trouble, Double Maintenance = Double Headaches. Take it from the long time owners on this site
Stick with a single

lgtiller · #8 07-07-2022, 12:50 PM

I'll really have a hell of a time getting on plane if I drop the one and only motor on the boat. Appreciate the input however as stated before.... really looking for info from guys who have twins on their boat that relates to what I'm looking at. There is more than enough info on this sight regarding a single engine 23' I can refer to if that becomes something I'd like to do.

Thanks

Spidercrab · #9 07-07-2022, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lgtiller

I'll really have a hell of a time getting on plane if I drop a motor and only have one motor on the boat.
Thanks

U be so smart abouts seacrafts why u ask dumb questions then give your own dumbass answers...

DonV · #10 07-07-2022, 08:46 PM

Spidey I think Mr. Tiller was thinking of using twin tiller motors instead of a single. Might be a bit above my pay grade to try and handle two at a time. I was good with a single 25 hp on my john boat, just never thought about moving up to twins!!

Say howdy to me maw!!!