twin engines on 23 center console

[Capt Chuck]

Menhaden

Is anyone running twins over 200 hp on a 23 center console

I'm confused here.Why do you want 500hp on a 23' boat? Are you going to catch more fish sooner than the other guy or do you have an unlimited pocketbook for the fuel bill. Maybe you can slice & dice dem manatees with counter roating viper props [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

BTW: Is your 23' rated for that HP? Will your insurance carrier in Tallahasse cover your boat. Mine won't here in Stuart. Hey Fellow-Ship, How about Broward County?

[Finster]

Hey Chuck, I found those engines for yah. I hope I didn't let the cat out of the bag. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

I have a pair of 96 oil injected merc 275 hp motors.
They are the cosworth blocks.
I bought them off a 35' Intrepid in MI.
They had one stuck Cyl, (old gas) and needed to be gone thru.

I had my engine guy go thru them, and replace anything needed, and re-assemble. Pistons, rings, rods, seals bearings etc...the works.
We did the gearcases and the powerheads.
I have the mids, and cowls, essentially everything needed to reassemble.

They would be great for a stock aplication where real grunt is needed.
They pushed the Intrepid 52 mph, and that thing is huge...like 10' beam.

He repowered with new 250X's and lost 3mph.

$6,500 total for the pair.

I have alot of other stuff/engines and boats for sale also.

586-295-1212 C.

for what is worth... i would try a pair of 150 yamaha hpdi's or mabet the new bombardier e-tech 150's i did a 23 center console that had t/115's repowered it with 150 yamaha hpdi's top speed was in the 40kt range w/t-top and full load of fuel npt too shabby fuel economy was very good sd well. i would not put 200's on that rig you will rarely use that top end the extra price for the engines in my opinion is not worth it. if you want a race boat buy an apache w/kieth eckert engines. your mechanic sounds like he's giving you great advise tellimg you to forget the 250's

[Scott]

Menhaden ...what year is your boat ?? I think the max hp guideline for the older boats (Center Console) was 400 hp

Todays boats , which are heavier only recommend up to 300 hp

Why the need for such extreme speed ??? I think your mechanic is giving good advise

I know of a 23 with 2-225 on a bracket, restored 5-6 years ago. Besides costing a whole lot of cash for the restore and bracket / motors I've been told by the guy who did the work that the boat had too much engine , porpoises even though it had tabs and 450 hp was just unusable given our typical sea state. On top of which after the restoration the boat started to develop stress cracks from the hard running. He said it sure it moves !! but for what ??

Like Chuck said about insurance ...and its hard enough to get the insurance companies to insure an older hull ... wait till you tell them how much HP you got on the back(I guess the rules are different in every state)

[Finster]

First off you need to find out if it has a 25 or 30 inch transom. If it's 25 it needs to be 30.
I agree with you on the HP but those motors are heavy. The HPDI 150 has the same block as the 175, and their (468lbs x 2) thats a lot of weight on the back of a 23. As for the E-tec's, their off the scale, the only thing heavier is a Verado.
My feeling is you can go with the weight of twins providing you have some sort of floatation bracket to offset some of the weight (others will disagree with brackets, but thats another topic). Even with that I think twin E-tec's or Verado's is pushing it.
One thing people need to remember. When these boats/most boats were designed you didn't have these kinds of HP's and all the weight that come with them.
I see it all the time, the brand new rig with an older hull design and two hot & hefty 250 yami 4 strokes running wide open at a 45 degree angle, just praying to get on plane.

[menhadenspecial]

The boat I am looking at has a Seamark bracket. I am going to glass in the transom. I will send some pictures out as my project gets going. As far as speed goes and the guys above who wonder why I am looking at twin 200's on this rig, I would like to invite them to the panhandle of Florida where we fish. It is a 20 mile run to get to 70 feet of water.

My Lake and Bay Flats boat runs 70+ miles an hour so I guess I am use to the speed.

[FELLOW-SHIP]

Ha Capt Chuck
I’m with you on this one. Personally I think the 23 is a great one engine boat with a 225 or 250 on the back transom mounted or on a bracket. If you want a second motor for long distance security sake and not really for additional power twin 140’s would be my first choice on a 30” deep flotation bracket with 25” shafts on the motors. The reason why I think this way is first off a 23’ boat is JUST a 23’ boat, “you can’t go that fast in this boat with out becoming air born” sometimes in 3’ Seas and for sure in 2-4’ Seas and in 3-5’ Seas you really need to run her about 32-34 rpm’s or so. The SeaCraft hull is a FANTASTIC HULL and capable of handling big water BUT a 23’ boat CAN’T CROSS OVER THE SECOND WAVE so when you come down from a wave you are hitting the next wave in exactly the wrong place NO 23’ BOAT CAN DO ANY BETTER. To handle crossing over to the next waves you need a boat approx 29’ to do that and those twin 225 or 250 are the correct choice. As for insurance forget it, insurance companies are not risk takes they are risks managers. They don’t insure any boat or person that wants to try to make 23’ boats fly just not what they do (not a profitable management exposure) they are not wanting to insure boats with more power that what they are rated for they have charts on individual manufacturers and have the power rating on each modal.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[John R]

23s with twin 200+ motors are popular up here and are often for sale, usually after they have been salvaged from the bottom.

Finnie - I feel like I created a monster sending you to Scream & Fly. Oh, and my goal is almost set, you will soon pass me in posts [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Finster]

Dude ain't no one passing you in posts. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] BTW Scream and Fly rules! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Come to think of it, whats going on with your boat? You ever find out if it floats or not?

[laser]

I just launched my redone 23 (76) with the Seamark bracket and twin 135s Rudes 2001 Ficht. Top speed 48 kts. 3200 in 3' waves tonight with tabs down 25 kts. It was an awesome feeling and superior ride. The bracket supports the weight of the engines - waterline 2" from chine.
Why pay the increase price/weight/gph?

Chuck and Mark have been on my boat during testing and they will tell you that these engines put us on our butts!

Bill