Re: Yamaha 250 on 26' w/a
Clop 321-<br />I just replied to the Seaswirl thread by JIMBO and then found your question.<br /><br />First off, I think the Seaswirls are great boats for the money and IMO, the only "better" ones are the costlier ones and you know which ones they are. They Seaswirls have a lot of standard features, are well designed and laid out, use quality fittings and components and perform real well. My buddy has the 21 CC and we have gone as far as 18 miles Off with it and beat back through 3-5 foot seas on more than one occasion. Of course we did it at about 15 - 20 mph, since we both have bad backs and knees and could have gone a bit faster if we wanted to get wet !<br /><br />The 2601 as you know, comes with and without the bracket. If you get the bracket, you get a slightly better ride but probably lose a couple of mph at the top end and maybe some fuel economy. Then you also have to worry about bringing a tough fish around that reach!<br /><br />I have no doubt that with a light load and a 260 OX66 Yamaha, you will get 40 + mph with either. But put on 3 people, gear and 1/2 load of fuel and you'll probably get 35 tops. If you're into the speed, or go offshore, you might want twin 150 Hp engines. But keep in mind that you will definitely trade off fuel economy big time.Twins give you more weight and water resitance with the extra lower drive in the water. <br />Each person has their limit on how fast they go or how much they can spend on fuel. The SEASWIRLS have a 20 deg deadrise which does give a good ride in a heavy sea with the tabs adjusted right. Twins will make the stern heavy, which will cause the boat to ride bow high and make it difficult to plane at the lower speeds in a sloppy ocean. Same when trolling in heavier seas.<br /><br />You have to determine what kind of cruising/fishing you are going to do most of the time and make your decision based on that. If your really into the boat and you have a good dealer, he should be able to arrange for you to do a sea trial with different engine packages. That will be the best way to make your decision.<br /><br />Good Luck!
