Speed Boats And Outboard Boat Motors
You and your spouse have been dreaming of that boat for years now. The kids are out of the house and it’s finally time to investigate your options! Problems may arise when the husband insists upon a lightweight bass fishing boat but the wife is dreaming of speed boats and yachts. However, there are mid-range cruisers that may be able to meet everyone’s needs and boat designs that are increasingly taking multi-functional approaches to their products, to deliver higher customer satisfaction. Even more exciting is the way auto engine technology and “green” practices are fueling the development of inboard and outboard boat motors!
An outboard motor goes with a speed boat, like peanut butter goes with jelly. The first outboard boat motors were developed by Ole Evinrude back in 1909, as he looked for a more practical way to go against the current to get his lady friend some ice cream onshore. At the time, he heartily paddled in the name of love, but he quickly decided that a powerful add-on engine would be the best solution to propel the boat through the water. The first Evinrude outboard engines featured a 2 stroke design, which provided good fuel efficiency and a fair amount of power, making it ideal for fishing and pleasure boating. Today, the 4 stroke outboard is taking center stage as the best option in boats built for speed. With new technologies, the 4 stroke outboard showcases a great amount of speed and power but also meets all EPA standards and “green” fuel efficiency standards. Of course, the 4 stroke is more expensive and slightly heavier, but if you can swing it, you’ll likely be impressed. Today, Mercury, Johnson, Evinrude, Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki outboards are popular choices.
Perhaps you’re thinking of inboard motors rather than outboard boat motors for your speed boat. On the downside, inboard repairs are more difficult than outboard motor repairs because, obviously, you have to haul the whole boat into the shop for the mechanic to get at the root of the problem. Inboards tend to go much faster, but that also means they’ll guzzle more gas. For a large yacht or for sizeable speed boats, you’ll probably have no option. It all really depends upon what you’re looking to do with your boat. Outboard motors excel in shallow waters and slower speeds, but inboards conquer the open ocean. Mercury, PCM, Yamaha and Volvo Penta ranked highest in the 2008 Marine Engine Competitive Information Study by JD Power & Associates.
Still wrangling with the idea of a 2 stroke or 4 stroke motor? Don’t agonize over it too much. There are plenty of other decisions you’ll need to make for speed boats as well. Do you want aluminum, wood, fiberglass, Kevlar or steel? How about stainless props, aluminum props or speed props? Do you want fuel-injected, carberated, jet-powered or electric? You’ll have to decide what kind of motor covers, trailers and storage you want. The list goes on and on. In the end, you can pay as much for a boat as you would a house. Serious anglers may want live wells, bait wells, rod storage, trolling motors, fish finders, casting decks and fighting chairs, etc. On the other hand, the average family cruiser may be happy with a 15-foot aluminum Princecraft Yukon with a 25-horsepower Mercury two-stroke.
By Boating Editor