Anyone have any experience or know of anyone taking an older formula, scarab, etc and converting from a twin to a single? I am talking something right in that 27 to 30 foot range. The newer boats of today in the same lengths are offered in single configuration and I would imagine that this is due to the lighter layups. Wonder how my older scarab would run if I converted to a single with like 800-900hp and a surface drive?

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Jim

Just seems like more work for little if any reward.

Maybe contact this guy http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/16197

Nice! Thanks!

Guess it depends on the goal. For someone to pay someone to do it, yeah doesn't make sense. If you already have the boat completely de-rigged, needing to do some major patching in the transom, and looking to possibly grossly simplify the setup from both a cost and ease of maintenance perspective then it might make more sense. Makes even more sense if you have the ability and know how to do all the work yourself!

I am just wondering how the boat will perform

I prefer the idea of twin 800-900hp engines in a 30ft vee

Going to a single on a boat of that size will be hard on a single drive.Unless you just wanna go slow very slow

That doesn't surprise me!

How does a Formula 272 perform with a single? I know they made them and there is someone struggling with on on here now with a single 502 but I have no experieence with them. The twin 454/330's ran mid-sixties, the 350/260's ran upper 50's, maybe 60 on a good day, and the 350/320's ran somewhere in the middle (a friends runs about 63 with the 320's). I would think a single with enough power would be pretty cool, and if you are doing the transom you could actually optimize the drive height at the same time. I think it's a cool idea. Possibly could ask one of the builders about it -- Brian Orlandi from Orlandi Performance does things like this, not sure on the hull you are thinking about, he may be willing to talk to you.

I think you're going to find that many things have changed since your boat was built as a twin and newer ones came out with singles. For one thing, most of the newer hulls have stepped bottoms to reduce drag. That means your old "straight" bottom will automatically run slower than a newer hull with the same power. On the other hand, newer power packages generally have more power than older packages. (Remember when 420 HP in front of a TRS drive was pushing the limit?) Second, construction techniques have advanced allowing lighter weight with similar or greater strength than your hull. That extra weight is going to come back to haunt you. Third, generally speaking, the stringer configuration for twins is much different than for a single. Are you up for some major reconstruction down in the bilge? Next, the center of balance as well as a number of other critical variables is different between a single and a twin in the same hull. And finally, your resale value will plummet when you create something that the manufacturer never offered.

Personally, I'd say you're better off leaving it just the way it is. Really want a single? Sell your twin and buy one designed for it.