The research is beginning. While searching for a new boat the question has come up. Lets hear the opinions from the experts aka the OSO crowd.

Pros and Cons

Single Engine on a powerboat or Twin engines???

Everyone has an opinion im sure, Lets hear them.

Thanks

Twins dude, you'll never want a single again.

How big is the boat going to be? I have a single 28 and it's difficult to maneuver around the dock, especially if there is a wind and/or current. If I were to get another 28 again, I'd go with twin built up small blocks. After having this, I'm not much of a single fan anymore.

Twins all the way. It is amazing the ease of dock manuvering. It is all done with the sticks. Plus if you have an engine failure, you always have on motor to limp back on. One word of advice with twins, have a power steering pump on both motors. I have only one pump and as sure as chit it is the one that I had problems with so it is difficult to steer w/o power sterring.

good luck

Thats good advice from Thunderdan. The only motor that ever had trouble on my boat is the one with the powersteering pump, thats the starboard motor. So my next boat will have 2 port motors 'cause they don't break!!
Of course, for safety's sake, you should get triples, just to have an extra motor to limp home with. I almost have the wife convinced of that theory....

I guess it all depends on what you want to do with the boat. And how deep your pockets are.

For me ,My next boat has to run in the 90's. Well since I'm just make an average income a Outerlimits or Active Thunder is out of my price range. which also limits me to something in the 28-30 ft range. Anything bigger and to run that fast you need twins and that is not affordable.
I think a single engine boat in that size range is way more affordable than a twin.
I think a single 850hp blower motor in a boat that size would be perfect. Easily trailerable and stored.
If I wasn't on a budget than of course I would rather have a bigger boat with twins.

twin 500's

the ONLY wiay to order up a new boat

I would not recommend blower motors for the Lutz Party2 for the same reasons I do not have them. Time or knowledge of working on them

for the same mentioned reasons, twin to get you home is a high price to pay daily but I now have a hard time driving a single ?

I want something that I can feel comfortable driving, parking, and maneuvering.

I am intimidated by twins and told Lutz that maybe we should consider a single engine for this reason.

So be honest.....how tough is it gonna be for me to learn to drive?

It is not real difficult, it just takes some practice. A good way to learn to drive a twin engine boat is like putting your hands on someones sholders who is blindfolded. If you want to turn them to the left you would push them forward with your right hand and pull them back with your left hand. Put your hands on Lutz's sholders and have him walk forward. If you apply forward pressure on his left sholder and reverse pressure on his right he will naturally go to the right. This is how I tought my wife.

The other thing to do is take the boat out during the week and find a channel marker and stop there and practice with the sticks. I am certian you will pick it up fairly easy. Do not let the learning curve influence your decesion.