Which outboard

[Tilen]

Dear all,
I’m switching from an inboard to an outboard engine on my 28ft sailboat. What i have a problem with is to decide in between two engines.. To choose Yamaha ft 9.9 (high thrust), or Suzuki 20hp (which has the same weight as yamaha, but 10more hp).

What do you think? The good thing about suzuki is that it also has an alternator of 12A, while Yamaha has only 6A (but maybe is enough to provide me with sufficent power for my batteries). And im buying new engine, and they are both same price.

Thanks for help,
Tilen

[thomm225]

What is the 28' sailboat type?

Btw, I use a Mercury 5 HP 4 Stroke 25" extra Long Shaft Outboard on my Bristol 27 which displaces 6600 lbs.

This for the past 12 years plus.

Of course, the main concern is getting your outboard deep enough.

The 20 HP outboard is probably way too heavy to be hung on the stern of a 28' sailboat and remember it is a sailboat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpZhq35etcw

[Tilen]

Dear, thank you for your advice!
Its an old buccaneer 277 bayliner sailboat from 82’, monohull. Well the thing is , that suzuki only weights 45kg, which is same like yamaha 9.9, and 5kg more than the engine i had before (8hp).

But probably its true, that 20hp is way too strong for this boat..

[Jammer]

The 9.9. It will be the perfect size for the boat, and they're great engines. I had a Yamaha 8 once, same engine but derated.



The 20 hp would be worth considering only if you want a 20hp for something else besides the Buccaneer.

[Don C L]

I have a boat like yours, and I have to use an outboard, a Tohatsu 9.8 in my case. Get the 9.9 Yamaha high thrust. The alternator will be fine for your battery (you're not powering a refrigerator are you?) The 9.9 will easily push your boat to hull speed, is lighter and easier to handle and be more efficient for your needs; it is designed to be a sailboat auxiliary. I have a separate battery for starting the engine which is also a secondary to my house bank.
BTW I believe the Suzuki is about 20lbs heavier, no?

[Jim Cate]

The 20 will be geared and propped to drive a planing hull runabout sort of boat and you won't get the benefit of the extra hp due to the mismatch to your heavier and non-planing vessel. The 9.9 high thrust is designed specifically for your type of boat and will be a far better (and likely more economical) driver.

A no-brainer choice IMO.

Jim

[wyb2]

You say the same weight, but make sure you are comparing apples to apples.

Suzuki lists the DF20A as 97-108 lbs

Yamaha lists the 9.9 as 87-93 lbs

[Tin Tin]

Compare the gear ratios and the propeller types. You are only ever going to get displacement speed. The bigger diameter props with better reverse thrust are what those Yamahas were designed for.

[Pete7]

In addition, those stators (rather than alternators) will only generate full electrical power at high revs, not low cruising revs, you could be rather disappointed.

[thomm225]

As far as the electrical power, you could just run a solar panel or two for your power.

I have the Mercury 5HP 4 stroke 25" extra long shaft outboard which has no alternator or controls. I didn't want the wires hanging off it.

I never hook up to shore power.

I have usually just a 65 watt panel and 50 watt panel onboard and connected.

They feed a Victron MPPT 75/15 SmartSolar (Bluetooth) Controller.

https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Smart...iABEgIZofD_BwE

Which charges two 6 volt 220 AH Golf Cart Batteries in Series. (Season All for $335)

I finally stopped getting 100 ah 12 volt batteries and charging with a PWM controller. These Golf Cart batteries last a lot longer on a charge.

I've had this setup for 11 years or so. I may need to add more panels soon because I may need a small fridge.

The batteries and solar power the autopilot, lights, a SH VHF/GPS/AIS, depth finder, inverters, computers, phone and handheld VHF charges, fans, etc.

[Lowcountry]

Yamaha over Suzuki every time.

[Amouage]

Next to the difference in specifications, I would also consider if you could the outboard serviced locally by an authorized i.e. specialized dealer.

Yamaha is more common, however Suzuki make very good engines.