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OK, I've gotten a lot of feedback on the which brand is better issue (Sailfish v Polar), but the last thing is the question of outboards. The 05 Polar has twin 150s and the 05 Sailfishes all only have a single 225 (at least the majority that are for sale). So, what are everyones opinions on taking a single 30-60 miles offshore (Sailfish) v the twins (Polar). From what I hear the new Yahama 4 strokes are pretty rock solid so maybe going with a single isn't the worst decision. Honest opinions would be greatly appreciated from people that have experience or good advice. Also to add to; I won't be going offshore in tournaments so don't know how many other boats are going to be around.
I have had a number of single outboards, but always took a kicker along for trolling and the possiable "get home". Today's world has Tow Boat etc...but sometimes they are not available, or you cannot raise them when you are 60 miles out. I would perfer twins for that. Also you have 75 more HP, and much more prop surface area. You can troll on one engine--be a little more effecient--if that is a goal.
I wouldnt be too fearful of the single engine boat. The majority of breakdowns at sea are electrical or fuel related and then both engines are down. The only true way to around this is to mount a heavy duty kicker with separate fuel supply but then again can you carry enough extra fuel to get you home?
single is cheaper to maintain, more fuel efficient, better handling, better balence, less drag and cheaper to repower if youre keeping the boat for awhile and with the price difference you should be able to add top notch electronics and the big concern is safety add extra batteries and bilge pumps. Just my opinion, though.
CBP, I don't see how you can say that a single is better handling than twins. A twin setup with counter-rotating props, tracks better than a single. You can spin a boat around when docking with twins. The only disadvantages are initial cost, weight & maintenance
Come back 50+ NM one time on one engine and you'll be a believer too! I know guys who have made long returns on one motor from way offshore more than once, one guy with a two year old Carolina Classic 28 which is impecably maintained, who has returned on a single motor four times, each time something completely different. No more single motor for this guy, although I have to admit I did it years back I routinely went offshore with a single engine. Two weeks after I sold that boat, the OB suffered a broken driveshaft due to a crack that had been there for years.
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A bad day fishing is always better than a good day at work.
I fish offshore on occasion as weather permits which isnt often where I am. Ive got a single 4stroke on my edgewater and a 15hp 2stroke kicker. I carry six gallons of fresh fuel for the kicker. Dual batteries and bilge pumps and extra fuel/water separator and I feel fairly confident in getting back or at least staying underway. Im only in a 20' boat though.
If you're going offshore, get twins. I'm primarily a bay boater, and the first boat I bought that had twins I only bought because the deal was too good to pass up. Now that I've had twins, I'll probably never get a single o/b again on anything over 23'. I'm personally not crazy about a single with kickers. The kickers have to be maintained, and I don't want to have to rely on a little motor that's hardly ever used to get me home. Plus, if I'm stuck in lousy seas, I don't want to have to rely on a 20 hp or so motor to keep me from broaching, let me run an inlet, and to get me home--give me more power. The maintenance and repower stuff about twins is right, but I think twins are better handling and have better balance (no torque steer). Enjoy.
Thanks for all the input but does it make a difference if they're new 4-stroke yahamas? If I have a single 225 '05 yahama does that make a difference? I've heard they're much more reliable than the older 2 strokes.
I've been out on alot of different boats with alot of different boaters, and everybody has their own "comfort zone." For me offshore, its twins whether its o/bs, inboard gas or even inboard diesel. You've got to decide on your own comfort zone. Try this--look around next time you're 60 miles out on weekday (or even 20), maybe even on a weekday where the weather was OK and has started to turn, or next time you're running an inlet on a really nasty day and the boat is being a handful. Some guys may be OK with a single, or a single and a kicker--for me, its twins--but again, everybody has their own comfort zone.
30-60 miles out and you are asking if twins are a good idea?.....of course they are, if you run out there enough times on a single, you will eventually be calling for a tow, rolling the dice.....the twins on my twin vee only share the gas pump....yes, outboards in general are much more efficient and reliable than years past but a break down that far out can be disaster....out of cell and vhf range of land, sometimes the CG can hear you but you can't hear them....it's not a question of fuel use vs a single, it's a question of safety....frequent trips out to the big water call for twins...my 2 cents...Mick
Good point about the commercial guys and single diesels--I was thinking about that. Maybe the difference is that diesels in commercial use don't put out as many hp per cubic inches as diesels rated for pleasure use, and because of that they don't break as much. I'll leave that to the diesel techs. Like I said, some are comfortable with a single, and some aren't.
Fuel consumption is real bad but the ride is really great. I can move the boat at the dock with the engines and never even touch the wheel. In my opinion I love twin outboards and they are a great asset when trying to dock your boat!
Commercial fisherman run there boats just about everyday,were as sportsfishmen run maybe once or twice a week.What it comes down to,when a boat sits up say for a week,sh-t happens.Why?who knows!Now,if you run your boat every day,you will know if anything is out of wack.
Twins is the way to go!I use to run a single inboard for offshore,then again I was 20 years younger and didn't know what I know now.
This summer, while fishing on buddies boats we have come in on one engine three different times. These were well maintained vessels, with good new technology engines. One time was a spun prop with no spare on board (could have been solved with spare props). One time was a lower unit failure. One time was a flywheel problem. Each time we made it home, slowly but safely, on one outboard. I am a believer in twins!
twin v single outboard 
