Steiger 26 w/ Twin Suzuki 250s - The Hull Truth

pdrr · 03-23-2004, 06:32 PM

Nice day for a boat ride - 38 degrees, 15-20 SW breeze. Test ride of 26 Steiger Chesapeake with Suzuki 250s on an Armstrong Bracket.

3000rpm - 28mph
4000rpm - 35 mph
5000rpm - 45 mph
6100rpm - 54 mph

Sorry - no gph #s, Floscan not hooked up yet. I have fished on two diesel versions of this boat - one Yanmar, one Volvo (both around 300hp) - WOT on those was mid 30s. These Suzukis are friggen strong, could not believe that they pushed such a heavy boat up to Contender-like speeds. Motors were a bit underpropped.

jamesbfishin · 03-23-2004, 06:48 PM

That's impressive, Is the ride any different with the weight hanging out the back as opposed to a 26' with a diesel I/O?

Bdobz · 03-23-2004, 07:14 PM

38 degrees at 6100 rpms is not bad wait till it`s 90 degrees it will be down a couple hundred rpms.

skimmer · 03-23-2004, 08:30 PM

I wonder if they are going to have a larger fuel tank added. I'm sure you are going to be burning 25gph at cruise.
If you buy the boat you will be happy no matter what power you get. I can't wait to get mine back in the water.

pdrr · 03-23-2004, 09:00 PM

James - tough to judge ride, it was only Bellport Bay with its usual wind chop. If I can talk someone into running me out to the Dip in a few months I'll be happy to give a full report.

Skimmer - I would like to know gph also, no flo-scan hooked up. I looked at Yami performance bulletin for a Grady 265 with t/2254S for comparision to a similar boat - the bigger Suzukis pushed the Steiger a bit faster, if fuel use is in same range I would guess a 2mpg cruise. I'm sure it is doing 40+gph at WOT, though.

thestripedbassman · 03-23-2004, 09:21 PM

Jamesbfishin, please check your PM. I asked you a few questions on how you like your steiger 23. I am buying one and would like some feedback. Thanks.

Capt. Larry Rhodes

skimmer · 03-23-2004, 10:14 PM

I have never seen the GW 26 but I know how one boat performed. I had a 88 gulfstream with twin 150's.
At cruise 25kts with a full load 140gal of fuel I would burn 17gph. That was good sea conditions because that boat was
not great in chop if you had to slow down for get it. Well I think we all know the short comings of o/b before efi/dfi and
4 strokes.The GW 26 is a heavy boat but I don't think its as big as the steiger 26. So what I'm thinking is to benefit
the most from that type boat i/o is really the best choice. I don't think a 36 foot Contender weighs as much as that boat.
Don't take this a gospel because I have no working knowledge of how o/b perform today. I know my 26 with a volvo diesel
runs great, and I'm not looking for any more speed. I think more than anything fuel consumption is the best thing about this rig.
Lets face it these are working-man boats and operation costs are a prime concern. I think dollar for dollar you will not find a
better value for a hardcore fishing boat than a steigercraft.

gerg · 03-24-2004, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Lets face it these are working-man boats

Lets face it, at $100k plus for a new 26 footer with twin 250's, you have to be one heck of a working stiff to come up with that kind of coin for a boat even before you add rigging and electronics.

Steigers and parkers are good value, no-nonesense boats, but for the proletariat they aren't.

jamesbfishin · 03-24-2004, 12:44 PM

stripedbassman

You've got mail.

Compare the price and quality ratio of the 2 brands you name vs something like the Grady 265, the Steiger and Parker are a great value for the cost, A 26' with a diesel like the Steiger for around 100g, double that for the Grady.