O/B vs 496 - which is better on gas???

[RiverToysJas]

Hey O/B guru's....
Given the same hull, which do you think it better on fuel economy, O/B or BB-O/D???
Let's say 275-300ish HP outboard compared to a 496HO or something like that.
RTJas :D

[Tom Brown]

Which are better monkeys or bananas?

[Beer-30]

Line up two of the same boats, one with o/b, one with HO. Drive both. Whichever one you like driving the best, get it. You're not looking at a boat for fuel mileage, you are looking at a boat because you want it. When you find the one you want, find the power you like to drive it with. If you are really concerned with how much fuel it would burn, you may not want to deal with it. I am not jumping your case, I am just trying to explain the reason we all buy boats. We don't HAVE to have them, we just WANT them. I just set aside enough money to make sure I can have fun in the boat. If I need that money for something else, I just don't boat.

[Kim Hanson]

Hey O/B guru's....
Given the same hull, which do you think it better on fuel economy, O/B or BB-O/D???
Let's say 275-300ish HP outboard compared to a 496HO or something like that.
RTJas :D
Outboard are way more efficient for power compared to a car boat, nothing more .........( . )( . )........Gas is better also......... :idea:

[Rocket2003]

IMHO............ It's Personal Preferance! ;)
But my OB can kick your IO's ass any day of the week! :D

[randy77zt]

the outboard boat i had took 20 gallons to run from site 6 ramp at havasu to laughlin.i was running between 60 an 70 mph.then it took 18 gallons to go back-down river.i dont think a 23-26 i/o would make that trip on 40 gallons.but boats dont get good fuel mileage.its about style and your ego.i am thinking of getting a 22-24' boat because i miss boating .the 18' tunnel boat i had was fast but not good when alot of people were out and the water was chewed up.

[Kim Hanson]

the outboard boat i had took 20 gallons to run from site 6 ramp at havasu to laughlin.i was running between 60 an 70 mph.then it took 18 gallons to go back-down river.i dont think a 23-26 i/o would make that trip on 40 gallons.but boats dont get good fuel mileage.its about style and your ego.i am thinking of getting a 22-24' boat because i miss boating .the 18' tunnel boat i had was fast but not good when alot of people were out and the water was chewed up.
Suck it up Randy and to the floor and let her buck, we don't need more slow boats on the water :D .........( . )( . )............ :2purples:

[Towndrunk]

I NEED my boats. My wife said so!
Kim, taking the Sanger out tomorrow. We'll see what it does. Hope it dont sink I just put 15 gallons of gas in it :cool:

[Beer-30]

I NEED my boats. My wife said so!
:D :D :D :D :D

[sxpilot]

Having owned both, in the smaller boats 21' and under I prefer the O/B it gives you more room in the boat and 300hp o/b on a 21' can take just about every boat on the water...but if its economy your looking for my 300hp V8 outboard burns 30 gallons an hour at full throttle, and average day out I fill up twice...but then again Im always in the throttle so its all relative to how you will drive...
Im waiting for the 400hp Supercharged Outboard on the same hull... :idea:

[Floored]

how about same comparison using a new 4 stroke OB instead of the 2 stroke.

[RiverToysJas]

Thanks for the replies.
I am not boat shopping, I am very happy with my 496 motivated Laveycraft. I have just had some conversions with other boaters lately and the fuel efficientcy of the O/B has come up. I've been under the impression that they are much better on fuel than a big block I/O, but I didn't really know for sure. So I thought ask you outboard owners directly for your thoughts.
Now that being said, I would consider a 22' tunnel for my next boat, and I would very seriously consider a single big O/B for power.
RTJas :D

[Kim Hanson]

I NEED my boats. My wife said so!
Kim, taking the Sanger out tomorrow. We'll see what it does. Hope it dont sink I just put 15 gallons of gas in it :cool:
If you don't have that splash pan yet, don't slow down too fast TD..Take a camera along and have someone take pictures of it ripping and post them on HavasuBarneys :idea: :D .........( . )( . ).............

[Kim Hanson]

Thanks for the replies.
I am not boat shopping, I am very happy with my 496 motivated Laveycraft. I have just had some conversions with other boaters lately and the fuel efficientcy of the O/B has come up. I've been under the impression that they are much better on fuel than a big block I/O, but I didn't really know for sure. So I thought ask you outboard owners directly for your thoughts.
Now that being said, I would consider a 22' tunnel for my next boat, and I would very seriously consider a single big O/B for power.
RTJas :D
Jason, tunnels are the way to fly and V8 Rudes and Mercurys 300 X are the shit and they really aren't that bad on fuel either........( . )( . )......... :cool:

[Tom Brown]

The question doesn't seem fair to me because when you compare single engines, there is no hull that is best suited to both outboard and stern drive power. The smaller lighter hulls are all about outboard power and the bigger, heavier hulls are all about stern drives.
One case that seems valid to a degree is the case of dual outboard versus big block. It would seem that in every case I've read about, the dual outboard version of the same boat will go faster and use less fuel than the same hull with a big block. At least, somewhat.
I guess that would give the edge to outboards but if you look at 3.0 liter outboards (300x) as being the 4 stroke displacement equivalent of 6 liters, that makes the twin outboards similar in displacement to a 12 liter 4 stroke engine. ... so it's not necessarily a fair comparison on a couple of levels.
It comes down to outboards living on small light boats. A 20' STV tunnel with 2.5l EFI will weigh less than a bare big block and outdrive. Those boats can probably do 80 mph on 200 hp. 200hp is around 20 gallons per hour so you should be able to cruise in a 20' STV tunnel at 80 mph and burn 20 gallons per hour. I think those numbers, while not perfectly accurate, will be pretty close. That's 4 miles per gallon, BTW.
How many horsepower will it take for the big block hull to cruise at 80 mph? ... say 500 hp in a 25' boat? That's 50 gallons per hour using the calculation of 1/10 gallon per hour per horse. That would be 1.6 miles per gallon.
There you have it. 4 apples versus 1.6 oranges. :cool:
There is no trick carburetor that will ever allow a Hummer to get 40 mpg. It isn't going to happen. A Toyota Corolla will always use less energy than a Hummer at the same speeds.
... so I guess what I'm saying is... :idea: ... oh hell, I don't have a clue what I'm saying. I think the smartest thing is to pick out the boat you want and then go with the best drive system for the boat.

[stoker2001]

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=92649 how about same comparison using a new 4 stroke OB instead of the 2 stroke.funny you ask,my buddy steve and scott just bought a new 22' elim daytona with merc 275hp supercharged four stroke outboard Verado, and we did a delta run yesterday (105 miles on GPS)
with him in our 22' stoker with merc 250XS direct inj two stroke.i have a surfacing gearcase (sportmaster) and he has stock (fishing style)case.i was running an et lightnin 26 pitch with 1.62 gear and he was running 28 pitch bravo four blade with 1.75 gear.we averaged 50mph and he burned 30 gallons to my 27.because of my surfacing case i was seven MPH better on top end with less power :rolleyes:

[RiverToysJas]

The question doesn't seem fair to me because when you compare single engines, there is no hull that is best suited to both outboard and stern drive power. The smaller lighter hulls are all about outboard power and the bigger, heavier hulls are all about stern drives.
.....
I know what you're saying Tom, and to keep it as straight forward as possible, I was thinking of hulls that come either in a single outboard, or 496 or 500hp. Something like a 21-22 Stoker. Seems to me it's apples to apples if you're comparing the same hull performance wise between the two power plants. But I actually don't have a clue what the hell I'm talking about!!! :D :hammer2:
RTJas :D

[Tom Brown]

...I actually don't have a clue what the hell I'm talking about!!! :D :hammer2:
Good. Now we're on the same page. :cool:
My hull could also be ordered as a stern drive but the stern drive version sucked. They were heavy, handled like crap, performed like crap, and had no interior room at all. It's just not suited to the stern drive.
It seems pretty clear there are hulls for which stern drive is the only way to go but it will vary with the hull.

[rivercrazy]

Its appears that 4-stroke outboards are becoming more sophistocated and performance oriented. I wonder if a single 275HP Verado would be a good powerplant choice on say a 22 DCB Tunnel, 22 Elminator Daytona, 22' Cougar.
Any thoughts on this?

[Tom Brown]

It's hard to imagine a Verado performing anything like a 280 given it's power, weight, and displacement disadvantages.

[rivercrazy]

Seems like the supercharged nature of the motor might offset some of the displacement and power issues. But it does seem heavy relative to the competing 2 strokes. Would 150-250 lbs hurt a 22 tunnel that much? I can see how this amount of weight would on a smaller hull

[blender over]

Seems like the supercharged nature of the motor might offset some of the displacement and power issues. But it does seem heavy relative to the competing 2 strokes. Would 150-250 lbs hurt a 22 tunnel that much? I can see how this amount of weight would on a smaller hull
My 2 cents (like it means anything)
I have a 21 ft tunnel liberator with a 225 merc 2 stroke.
When i put a 250 pound guy as passanger in my boat i lost 9mph. Yes 9mph, i told that fat ass to get the f out :D
I guess when you only have 225hp every bit of weight makes a difference

[andy01]

four stroke two stroke.........read the whole page it has some good info on the new motors coming to market
http://www.spectrepowerboats.com/Site/Mercury/mercury.php

[RiverToysJas]

Aren't they not allowing two-strokes on a lot of lakes??? Or just Tahoe? I thought that was a trend....
RTJas :D

[sxpilot]

My 2 cents (like it means anything)
I have a 21 ft tunnel liberator with a 225 merc 2 stroke.
When i put a 250 pound guy as passanger in my boat i lost 9mph. Yes 9mph, i told that fat ass to get the f out :D
I guess when you only have 225hp every bit of weight makes a difference
I know what you mean, the one and only time i had my buddy 260# in the front I wanted to show him the top speed I was looking down at only 80, I keeped telling him I know it does better...as soon as he got out I was flying back to 88+ weight in the small boats does make a big difference

[bordsmnj]

I know what you're saying Tom, and to keep it as straight forward as possible, I was thinking of hulls that come either in a single outboard, or 496 or 500hp. Something like a 21-22 Stoker. Seems to me it's apples to apples if you're comparing the same hull performance wise between the two power plants. But I actually don't have a clue what the hell I'm talking about!!! :D :hammer2:
RTJas :D
wanna go for a ride???? :D

[dregsz]

My 350 CI Chevy motor, I/O in the 18' Donzi gets 2 mpg at full throttle, about 58 MPH