Yamaha 300 Offshore or Twin 160's

BCTony

Active Member
I am stuck with the choice between the new Yamaha Offshore 300 or the tried and trusted Twin 160's. I should be grateful for opinions and would be pleased also to hear of experiences with the new Yamaha Offshore 225/250/300 DEC series.
 
2 engines = twice as many mechanical fixes - although offshore it would be nice to know you have a them.
 
The 300 hp will have electronic controls and the 150 hp cable controls. I love the electronic control system.
If the boat’s beam is not 8.5+ wide, fitting three engines (+9.9hp) on the back is tight
To service the 300 is just about the same cost of a single 150 hp. So double the up keep cost
The twin 150 hps have more power out of the hole but not much more than the 300 hp
With twins you will always have a second engine to get you back to the dock a lot faster than on your kicker but if you have bad fuel any engine will fail.
The cost, of a single 300 hp VS 2 X 150 hp and installation is most likely less
Will your pod take the additional engine?
If you’re a guide running to the bank every day I would go with the 2 engines, just look at what most guides run at Port Renfrew and the higher seas locations

I run a single 300 hp because I would have had to change the pod, the 150 hp at the time didn't have electronic controls, and over all up keep costs are greater. But I don't go to the bank every day and operate in SVI waters and closer to shore and more boats which could supply help if required.
 
Go 300 unless you're getting into Tuna fishing. Agreed, service cost doubles with twins, plus weight may be higher. A Yam 300 is 558 lbs versus twin 150 at 466 each. Thats a lot of weight differential (374 approx). Single allows for installation of a kicker.
 
I have single YamahaF 350. 1 year old, no issues so far. Run a Yamaha F8HT kicker.
Furthest I've been offshore is 20 miles, 3-15 miles is typical. Kicker can push me at 6 knots, a little more in perfect coditions. So I figure I'm no more than 3-4hours out if the main goes down. Though about going out for Tuna, but worried about trying to make it back from 50+ miles out in foul weater on the kicker (10 hours?).
I thnk, in general, I saved $$ and will continue to save $$ with the single (purchase, upkeep, fuel), but sacrificed going for Tuna with confidence. And I think Tuna will become more and more popular/accessable, although last year if I had twins that would probably have been only 1 or 2 trips.
If buying right now, I think I'd go twins, but maybe that's just the grass being greener...
 
I have single YamahaF 350. 1 year old, no issues so far. Run a Yamaha F8HT kicker.
Furthest I've been offshore is 20 miles, 3-15 miles is typical. Kicker can push me at 6 knots, a little more in perfect coditions. So I figure I'm no more than 3-4hours out if the main goes down. Though about going out for Tuna, but worried about trying to make it back from 50+ miles out in foul weater on the kicker (10 hours?).
I thnk, in general, I saved $$ and will continue to save $$ with the single (purchase, upkeep, fuel), but sacrificed going for Tuna with confidence. And I think Tuna will become more and more popular/accessable, although last year if I had twins that would probably have been only 1 or 2 trips.
If buying right now, I think I'd go twins, but maybe that's just the grass being greener...

An F8 pushes your 28ft at 6knots - that's impressive.

My vote is for a single. Take you longer to get home on the kicker but at least you will get home.
 
I was out tuna fishing off Tofino on a boat with twin 140's, one motor blew 40 or so miles out, in decent weather it took 4.5 hours to get back one one motor,
with a kicker in a bit worse weather? who knows but it would not be a fun time
 
twins for me- 6 knots (ya right?) on a kicker- maybe on a flat sea and sunny day--your worst nightmare in seas with a wind- with twins you will always get home..
 
If you're planning to go offshore say past 5 miles with regularity, I'd go twins. Particularly if you're a Tuna guy doing 25-50 miles. Thats the only solution. If not. The single 300 is the best economic solution. The fact is motors today are way more reliable than 25 years ago.
 
What about a big single and a big kicker? Like say a 15hp kicker or whatever would push your boat to displacement speed?

Twins are only better if you can plane on one.
 
Guys with twins will say twins, guys with single will say single. The facts are out there. go within your means. If your offshore lots go twins if your not then go single. If you like economy go single. I just went through the process last fall. i chose single 250. I''m 5 miles offshore at the most, unless i run to the gwaii once a year. other then that 5 miles is max and my round trips are 300+ miles sometimes. No brainer for me. Whatever you choose, you can always change it when you repower.
 
Guys with twins will say twins, guys with single will say single. The facts are out there. go within your means. If your offshore lots go twins if your not then go single. If you like economy go single. I just went through the process last fall. i chose single 250. I''m 5 miles offshore at the most, unless i run to the gwaii once a year. other then that 5 miles is max and my round trips are 300+ miles sometimes. No brainer for me. Whatever you choose, you can always change it when you repower.

In 5 years when I repower and the tuna fishing is goin off the wall, and there is no halis left because all the females couldnt survive due to the trebles in there throats, i will throw twins on and head offshore for the tuners.
 
Pilot error is still the number 1 cause. Lots of ways to screw up in the cockpit.
 
Fuel is probably the #1 reason for breakdowns so it wouldn't matter if you had twins or a single. If you have a day tank for your kicker at least you have a backup. I wouldn't be going to far of shore with a small kicker though, it could be an exciting ride home if you had main engine problems.
 
it all boils down to affordability and risk. The less risk tolerance the higher the propensity for twins. If you have money to burn buy twins and don't look back.

Routine runs of 20+ miles offshore are done with singles - don't convince youself you need twins to fish the banks.
 
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