bertram31.com

Not for me Brew......I feel better running the tried and true.

hb

Not for me. Maybe on Bobs next Bertram raceboat.

did he say 54' center console??

Yes he did. That is soo stupid.

not to mention that without a raised bridge of some sort, at 54ft your visibility over the bow is half a mile away ...

Time will tell. Intrepid does make a heck of a boat.

Here is the drawings of the 54ft Intrepid Express hull. It looks like they will make an flybridge version also in addition to the express outboard 54ft. These new 560hp outboard are more then a 31ft Bertram needs. The twin 350hp ob bertram flies already.

There is certainly a demand for this kind of boat and outboards can make sense depending on how you use your boat.




Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. They sound great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIcD_buO ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmaxslQA ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2er8OM9O ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0IJ0bwO ... re=related

So what do you guys think, are these giants the future? Do they replace triples and quads? In the outboard market or is there a problem with the design.

I know some of you are smart enough to have a valid opinion.

A lot to find out before you can have a real opinion. My opinion means nothing because the people I have seen with triples and quads don't seem to care a bit about money and operating costs. Not one knew a thing about maintenance and most couldn't dock worth a damn. If it WERE me, I would say two engines are easier to maintain than four and easier to maneuver than four. I would also guess fuel consumption would be less on two rather than four. Having a boat for the purposes of fishing, I would be curious about the harmonics of four vs two. Also, somewhat like we advise our brethren in choosing between diesel companies, the availability of your dealer is an important factor. These new engines distribution, service and parts availability would be important. Right now, Mercury, Yamaha, Suzuki, Evinrude etc guys are everywhere, but that baby GM or not, will need the test of time before sticking your neck out. I still have the problem of absorbing why, if you needed that much horsepower, you wouldn't buy a boat with two tried and true diesel engines and a lot more creature comforts. On the other hand, if I was a dope runner, yes.

I want to know what Bruce thinks.

Boats used to be a mutli function platform. Now as they get specialized especially in the area of center console fishing boats, this application doesn't surprise me much. "If you build it they will come".

I'm old school enough to know I'd rather have a custom boat out of NC with hull flare big enough that it looks like a dinner plate plopped on the bow, but understand the need for some to have a center console go fast fishing platform.

Like motorcycles, most of the fun is the ride to and from for me.

I've also been on the water long enough in many parts of the world to understand and realize that if you can cruise 32 knots without beating yourself to death, its a special day.

I've also been spoiled in that our local fishing grounds are only a few miles off shore and thus a 60mph fishing boat is over kill.

What I saw happening years ago amoung friends, family and clients with Big Boats/Yachts. They had no issue with the money to upkeep and run the boats but couldn't find a crew to fish when they could...

They wouldn't go out alone, even with one other guy it's not enough. They missed lots of days on the water...getting frustrated some downsized to Center Consoles, Parkers, Steiger Crafts and the like.

Coming from a million dollar yacht, buying a Center Console with Triples and every goodie available was a piss in the ocean...

wow i have never heard a person put into so few words as sim. that is absolutely the real world at least here at oakdale yacth.the real rich will pay the price although. ed had a 55 haterass then 38' jupiter with no crew!we went out on this 60mph cc "this boat sucks i cannot go in the cabin and make myself a drink" ed bought a 45' cabo on the condition i would pilot it to the canyon. i would think if he knew how novice i was and could get brewster i would be out of job tommorow but this is the case they could handle a cc with one other guy a big cabin boat is out of the question for the average guy so he buys a cc not because he wants to but because it it the only way.

There is an article on these engines in the latest issue of Soundings magazine. Page 20, May 2011. Mine just arrived yesterday in the mail. BTW.. the magazine has gotter smaller.. now it is the same size as lots of others on the rack.

My personal opinion is split.. I think their engineering approach is excellent, but I wonder if a 500+ HP outboard engine is a solution looking for a problem that might not exist. They can save a lot of space, but in boats the size these engines will be used on is space really an issue? How many days will you be able to use all this HP on the open ocean? How many local mechanics will be qualified to work on them? Do the existing boat builders want to design new boats for these engines when the boating business is as bad as it today with no solid signs of improvement? How many boat owners today will be able to afford them? Fuel economy in the age of near $4.00 a gallon and rising gas for such a huge engine has got to be an ever increasing concern.

I assume they found answers to these and other questions when they did their market analysis? As in all things boating related.. time will tell.

I think these will be either a fantastic success or a huge bust. I can't see a middle ground here. Who needs to have a boat that can pull 2 dozen water skiers?

I personally think that these 557hp Seven Marine Engines will not very successful at breaking into the market. The high price, complex gear box, electronic steering and non-existant service network will keep them to very limited production.

What I do foresee though is Yamaha and Mercury getting pushed into creating a 400hp-450hp outboard motor for the masses. These engine will allow triple 450hp OBs on a 45ft+ boat instead of having to resort to quads.

Grady White has been dreaming about a 42ft dual stateroom express for a while. 400hp+ obs will make alot of this a possibility for several makers.

capt. bone yea but these are really try and proven engine . very, very reliable cts engine no faults been around for a while and zf gears with trolling valves built in i say terrific but these guys need alot of bread to butt heads with yamaha. looking at it as a technician i would have a thousand percent more confidents in a lower unit gear train from zf then the cheap shit on the yamaha 250/300/350hp . you just cannot put than much hp into those puny gears------my 2 cents i hope the best for american inovation!!!

There is an article in the most recent issue of "Salt water Sportsman" magazine (May 2011) (Thank you John Brownlee)...

This is the first place I have seen the price of these engines..

$68,900 each!

well i guess thats not going to work out! triple 350hp yamaha cost 81,000 and two of these monsters cost 137,800 . i stated in the past the best by multible test at this marina prove triple installation to be better then duel in every test possible especially fuel economy.that 43' boat will not go on plane with one monster but will get up with two of the three 350hp yamaha. you will get home and secondly you can kill one engine on plane going to canyon and pull back those sticks and increase fuel enconomy big time.three is better than two at all speeds and conditions with 250/300/350 outboards.

Bob...

I should also have said these engines weigh 1,000 lbs each!