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Random Quote: If you lined all of the lawyers in the world from end to end, around the equator... it would be a good idea to leave them there.
Just got back form a quick 100 mile each way run to the upper-middle Keys from Ft Lauderdale. It was pretty nasty out and we fought 20 mph winds down and 30 on the way back. This put the Florida/Biscayne bay with about a 3 foot close chop and whitecaps on the bay which is about as bad as I’ve seen it.
The boat:
I am very satisfied – with full tanks and 2 person load for fishing, after playing with the tabs and varying speeds I settled into a rpm of 3900-4100 that pushed the boat to about 33 mph and burning about 10.5 gph per motor. The boat runs very dry – never splashed us or the t-top canvas - worked great. Nothing shook loose in 200 miles.
The engines
After two sets of Opti’s, I really love the no vibration, auto-sync, no noise aspect of these motors. It is the closest thing I have ever had on water that reminds me of a good performance MB or BMW. The main benefit is both of us felt much more refreshed when we arrived than our trips before – definitely the lack of NVH (Noise-Vibration-Harshness), I think.
The acceleration and perf are just velvet smooth, yet always RIGHT THERE if you want it. As said above – got about 1.48 mpg , which is good enuf for me. I will say that these engines really like to drink though, above 5000 rpm – to the tune of approx 25 gph per motor. They are also battery sensitive – I think I have a bad cell/connection on one of my batts as when I switch to it, the Clarion and the power steering go out intermittently. When I switch off that batt to the other, everything is fine. By the way, when steering is out, it felt just a little worse than a hydraulic system, definitely steerable if I had to get back without it..but not a bunch of fancy docking...
Super , 33 in the nasty is enough !!! especially if you stay dry... Nice paint !!! With those altinators I wouldn,t think the batteries would effect anything at pwr... unless they had an internal short..
Good report gersly.* How well did the tabs adjust the ride?*
BTW - the electrical problem you are having is do to the massive voltage drain your gunnel LEDs are causing!!
the boat seems to like about 40% tabs down and the engine trimmed in to handle the snot....
flat running takes about 20% tab and the motor more trimmed out...
I am so jealous. I am on the east coast of canada and we are expecting over 12 inches of snow tonight. I spent the entire day in my boat shed with my boat doing some minor repairs. It sure is not like being on the water.
Why do I live here? who knows.
Sounds like you have a geat setup with your boat and motors.
__________________
OCEAN 40 SS ***FOR SALE*** ......... or trade for Downeast style boat
Sounds like the wind,chop and trimmed down conditions affected your gas economy, which is still pretty darn good, considering. More black paint will surely help out.
Glen,
Sounds like all that pounding worked a connection loose on the + or negative Battery post, or on the in/out out of the fuse holder and or the circuit breaker, or on the back side of the battery switch.
A screw driver will probably do the job here, and you might want to paint the terminals with some Liquid Tape to keep them corrision free, and from jiggling loose in the future.
Good report Glen, surprised you went the way the weather was on Sat. in Miami, rain off/on, and as you said lots of wind, congrats on a great ride, quiet and dry are precious things
P.S. this cool spell may stir some shrimp around Hillsboro inlet, if you are game, out going tide east of bridge.
evernic
trophy 2802WA 2x225 mercEFI
north miami beach fl.
Verado/Wellcraft shakedown run - Keys 
