gas performance i/o vs o/b ?

[abl1111]

I am trying to decide on a motor, or motors for my 23 Tsunami project. I would like to know how you all feel about this. So, let's say you could put any motor on the back of 'my' boat ( excluding $diesel$ ) - what would it be ? The options are:

(2) 4 cyl i/o's w/ alpha or other drives
(1) 8 cyl i/o w/ bravo II

(2) o/b direct inj.
(1) BIG o/b direct inj

(2) o/b 4 cyl
(1) BIG o/b 4 cyl

(*) all outboards would be on a bracket...

Pls tell me why you would choose that motor - i.e. estimated gph, maintenance, cost for the motors... etc. If you are familiar w/ brackets, add your opinion on that too, pls.

Thx,

Alan

[barnacle]

If it was my boat and it had a sterndrive in it then thats what I would replace it with. I would go with a single MerCruiser 350 MPI Horizon with a Bravo 1 outdrive. The Horizon series from MerCruiser gives you a three year maintenance cycle. Cloosed cooling is standard. Plus it comes with a 3 year warry. I would choose the bravo 1 over the bravo 2 due to the Bravo 2 is designed for single engines in big heavy boats. If you had a 27 or 28 footer then I would say the bravo 2. Cost on it is 12,235 plus your rigging parts. As for Outboards I would use a Armstrong Bracket. I would run a single 225. Or if you wanted twins I would run the 115 DI engines. The MerCuirser package would be much cheaper to install, run and maintain then the outboards. It comes down to what you like. Last months trailer boat mag. did a test between the same boat running a 5.7 Volvo Penta and a Yam. 250 HPDI. They pretty much broke even between the two in all aspects but the price.

[Brian Rice]

I have repowered mine with the 350 Horizon w/Bravo 3 drive and love it. I burn approximately .5 gallons per mile at cruise around 32 knots. 3200-3300 rpm.