Ray Marine Review/ Suzuki 300's

[Bruce]

Most of the time when I set up electronics I don't get the time to go very far with them and things change so often that its hard to keep up. But last week I was able to delve into the Ray marine stuff.

While most everything was some what setup from the factory, it needed a lot of help.

The 2 E120 screens allowed alot of options in the custom screen setup.
The left screen was setup for GPS map for the most part.
The right screen was setup up for depth full screen or depth/radar or radar full screen.
I also setup the 3D map overlay and the sat picture images on another screen.

The boat didn't come with the Sirius weather box, so I went to a local dealer and picked one up, installed it and setup the subscription.
This went on another full screen or split between the depth and weather.

Once the stuff was all linked and working it was the bomb, and so easy to use.

One problem that is being fixed under warrantee is the compass, gps and auto were all reading different headings.
I have HST in Somers Point trying to find an old timer to swing the compass.

Electronics are nice but if they fail, a compass reading 30 degrees off won't cut it.

Since the Suzuki engine displays all use nema 2000, I got a interface cable and tied it into the main E120's so you can also display engine info on the screens.

Very, very nice electronics.

I can't say enough good things about the Suzuki 300's. They performed with flying colors. So quiet at idle I had to check the displays to see if they were running.

Under the hood they put their time in organization and design.

Great acceleration, response and overall performance make this outboard #1 in my book.

[ed c.]

Your the first person i have heard say they are good. I was going to buy a small cc for my grandson powered with a suzuki, Everyone says not to bother with that engine. I respect your opinion and will take a second look. Thanks

[Kevin]

I had a 17 Twin Vee with a 4 stroke 50 hp. Bought it new in 02 and sold it in 05. Put 300 hours on it in three years. That little engine would turn 6000rpm all day long with out a problem. All I had to do was change the oil and filter along with the impeller. Perhaps one of the most trouble free boats I ever used. Never hear anything bad about Suzuki round hya. Opinions vary though. Some people think Ficht and the Etech(Ficht with a new name) are great engines way ahead of their time technology wise. I would rather have a sharp stick in the eye over evinrudes after going back to the dock on one engine a countless number of times with them. I would love to try a big pair of those suzuki motors.

[bob lico]

bruce i was also very impressed by suzuki 300hp.oakdale yacth took on the edgewater boat line.we received on of each lenth this week.i took a customer and the saleman on a test ride with triple 300hp suzuki on the 35 edgewater pilot house center console.very quiet indeed at 50plus in rough water.the edge water had a neat inovation.a fiberglass motorised wall that goes up and down that can completely hides the two e-120 raymarine electronics.not to change the subject but i could not figure how to intergrate the smart heading sensor and gyro compass with c-80 for the purpose of overlay with my electronic set up.i have two systems (simrad ap-27 auto pilot with flux compass) and c-80 set up with 4kw open array with smart heading.the problem is i have two compass should i intergrate or make independent .it seam like the auto pilot and the raymarine 125 gps driven navionic on the c-80 would have a build in variation is this true???

[Bruce]

Ed,
Early on there was some wiring harnass problems and they made a 12 plug 6 cylinder that was pure junk. Never would run right.

In the late 90's when the market was turning to 4 stroke, Johnson was selling Suzuki's under the Johnson brand to add the 4 stroke to its line since it had none of its own.

Many OMC dealers before the bankruptcy claimed this Suzuki/Johnson was the best motor they sold.

Sad to say the Johnson brand is just about gone. When current inventory is sold, the Sea Horse will no longer be and the company that Bombardier created with the OMC assets it bought will concentrate on the Evenrude E-Tec line.

Everyone is going 4 stroke and I wonder how long Evenrude will last with its E-Tec 2 stroke.

Bob,
For redundancy I prefer multiple compass units. If setup correctly, no problem. I suspect the GPS is correct and the auto pilot was never setup correctly, or had the compass unit installed wrong.

Magnetic compass was no shock as its shoved in a hole with metal all around. Compass swinging is a lost art using a gyro compass.
Unfortunatly you have to know what area you are in and what magnetic variations to apply to it when using solo.

The variation on GPS is built into the system. It can be set manually or automatic use.
Sometimes if you are using a gps and standard compass you'll set the gps to magnetic north instead of true north.

If GPS is set to true North, it and the compass will be off.

[ianupton]

Bob,

I think you saw / rode on the Everglades 35.

Dougherty left Edgewater a long time ago and started up Everglades.

Edgewater is run by Peter Truslow (president) and does not have any affiliation with Dougherty.

Edgewater only rigs with Yamaha on their consumer products.

Ian.

[Whaler1777]

[In Memory of Vicroy]

That sucker makes a Hyeana Boat look sleek.

UV

[BillinFI]

I do a lot of offshore navigating in an ocean racer (sailboat). As the old saying goes, a man with one watch always knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure! Same is true with compasses.

Swinging a compass is not that hard. Look in an old Chapmans and the procedure is spelled out. I think some of the better compass manufacturers provide instructions with their real compasses. This is true for both fluxgate as well as direct view magnetic units. I always swing the compasses on board before a race (four compasses.) Even for a first timer, with care you should be able to get them within 3-5 degrees of each other on most if not all headings. Make sure you create a Deviation Card for each compass. That way you can keep track of problems that may crop up.

We use an E series system with all the bells and whistles, and I do not particularly like it, but it gets the job done. My principal navigation environment is completely digital, in a computer. One advantage is I constantly log the entire data set running along the bus so I have a complete time series data file that allows me to go back and review things after the fact. Very helpful.

I have just finished the paintwork and re-gelcoating of my B-25. I am installing a bracket with 2 Suzuki 175 4 strokes. I have a Honda 90 on my 18 RIB and after 10 years (its an early one) I would never go back to a 2 stroke. After talking to the Donzi factory folks, I was more confident in the Suzukis as that is the engine they seem to prefer.

[Capt. Mike Holmes]

John Brownlee's new magazine, Center Console Angler, has an article about fishing on a new Sea Vee cc - 39'11" LOA, 11' beam, powered by FOUR 300 hp Mercury Verado outboards. 67 mph, and they said at 45 mph cruise it burns 46 gph - a little less than 1mpg.

That has to be around $100,000 worth of engines, hate to guess at total cost.

[bob lico]

my friend john posted these pictures for me this is the boat i test drove actually i drive these boats about every two weeks.it works like this after the credit check and all the paper work sometimes the customer will not give the final ok without the stst---------subject to sea trial.when they have a real hardnose they put a x next to the stst.on this boat we waited till washboard tubulance at the inlet.the customer and i wear a "lifeline jacket"and he signs a waiver.i hit the inlet at 35 or 40 and drop the hammer going into the big stuff most of the time ok ok lets get back .900 hp can really make a impression if you are not used to it especially when they driver is brain dead.anyways the everglade is a very well made boat the those 4strokes are the ticket as bruce indicated.

[bob lico]

this is the hot ticket right now jupiter only makes a limited amount and they sell as a soon as they come in.as far as outboards are concerned nothing out there gives you that pin in the seat feel like verados.when you are at cruise (4000 rpm)and you drop the hammer the torque is instant feel like shot of nitrios oxide.best workmanship on any cc i ever seen .