JUNE 2025 Column HOW MANY ENGINES ARE BEST FOR YOUR BOAT? PART 1 By Capt. John N.Raguso
One of the most frequent questions I get when doing local seminars, hanging out at the marina or running into prospective buyers on the boat show circuit is,“how many engines is best for my boat? ”My typical response is,“that depends”. Size, Type & Style Drive the Equation Not all vessels are created equal. On some, like a typical 26-to-31 foot downeaster lobster type layout, or a small 18-to-21 foot outboard center console skiff, the delimitation is there’s only room for one engine, either down in the bilge or bolted to the
transom. With boats in the 23-to-50 foot range, sometimes you have a choice. With inboards and I/O’s, the quantity of power is determined by available bilge space, naval architecture, weight limitations, center of gravity consid- erations, etc. In some rare cases prospective owners can choose between one inboard engine or two in the same hull, but more often than not, it’s either one or the other with no alternate choices. For outboard powered craft, it’s a totally different sea story. One of the latest boating trends is that an increas- ing number of traditionally inboard powered sport boats and fishing craft are switching over to the design flexibili-
ty and convenience of outboard power. Many of these boats that historically featured twin gas or twin diesel inboards mounted low in the bilge, are now sporting anywhere from two-to-six big block outboards on the stern, adding speed, range and opera- tional nimbleness to the mix. The newfound space under the cockpit sole can now be dedicated for storage, added fuel capacity, room for a gyro stabilizer, insulated fishboxes and more. The typical choice for 23-to-26 foot outboard powered boats is either one engine like a single 250-to-350 horsepower V6/V8 outboard or twin 150s/200s. For boats between 27-to-32 feet, the usual format is twin outboards and the user chooses the size of the powerplants (200s, 250s, 300s, etc.). Once you get into the 33-to-38 foot range, the choices get more creative, with the
norm being twin 400-to-450 HP big blocks or triple 300s or 350s, depending on the manufacturer’s weight and horsepower limitations. Some twin-hulled cata marans might offer the choice of either one or two outboards on the back of each sponson. On larger 45- to-65 foot craft (yes, you heard that correctly, 65-foot outboard powered boats), users will have a choice of choosing four-to-six mega block outboards bolted to the transom.
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