265 Express/Suzuki DF200APXW2

[Boxster964]

Hello
I had a Suzuki 300hp on my old boat it was the best outboard I have ever owned. Great fuel burn and quiet! If possible now that I sold that boat and bought a Marlin with OX66 I am thinking on refit with 300hp however the transom is rated for 500hp its a 2000 model year later it was rated for 600 and now I think they are up to 700hp. If you get time could you post your opinion as to speed and fuel consumption with the Suzuki's? I think I can beef up transom to get to 600hp but the insurance companies rule our lives. They make a detuned 300 called a 250hp but its the same displacement as the 300hp.
Thanks
Tony

 

[SkunkBoat]

A quick update.
Tilewave's 265 is getting the same motors. They moved the steering cylinders up on top of the tiller arm and the motors are out of the water! So they'll change mine at the 20 hr service.

As for performance, when its humming along its great but I think we need bigger props. Too much spin from dead stop or from slow..
I've got 160 gallons in now and I did not like the prop spin going out Manasquan Inlet on an incoming tide. These are 3x16x20 Suzuki props.

Tilewave got some info from a 265 with DF200s using Powertech 4x16x20 props and he said they nailed it. So we're looking into that.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Hello
I had a Suzuki 300hp on my old boat it was the best outboard I have ever owned. Great fuel burn and quiet! If possible now that I sold that boat and bought a Marlin with OX66 I am thinking on refit with 300hp however the transom is rated for 500hp its a 2000 model year later it was rated for 600 and now I think they are up to 700hp. If you get time could you post your opinion as to speed and fuel consumption with the Suzuki's? I think I can beef up transom to get to 600hp but the insurance companies rule our lives. They make a detuned 300 called a 250hp but its the same displacement as the 300hp.
Thanks
Tony

I posted some numbers earlier in the thread. Still playing with props but I'm already at 1.6 - 1.8 mpg cruising vs OX66 at 1 mpg.

 

[tilewave]

hello. i have a 2001 265 express and repowered with suzuki 200's along with skunkboat. so i test rode my boat on thursday.
we were recommended a powertech prop 4x16x20 as Chuck stated,from a 2001 owner i found online who went with the suzukis and is happy with them . but that exact size prop is not in the suzuki arsenal.
we put on a suzuki 4 x 15.5 x 21. im hoping the 4 blade will grab the water better as opposed to what chuck felt going through the inlet.
with the boat empty , only about 75 gallons fuel on a calm bay i:
- got up to 43 mph ( faster than my200 hpdi's ever did) hit 6000rpm's
-4500 rpm seemed to be where it liked to cruise with a 1.8 gph burn ( i forget cruise speed ,somewhere like 30-33 mph ??)
- we have another guy in the area with an 2001 and he hung the yamaha 200's on it. i took a test ride on it last year and it felt good also. the suzuki turns a bigger prop
so thats what i went for. im picking up the boat on Thursday

 

[bac0701]

I may have to get the merc 225s to be the odd ball trial lol awesome numbers.

 

[Bob Meola]

They are sweet. Is the cost about the same for Yamahas? I am starting to shop around

 

[tilewave]

They are sweet. Is the cost about the same for Yamahas? I am starting to shop around

the yamahas are more $ but if you choose to use your existing yamaha guages etc... that could make up for the savings.
ill take you for a ride on my boat if youd like to see the suzukis in action.im taking delivery tomo

 

[captain swag]

Perfect!!!

 

[SkunkBoat]

Weather and work are conspiring to keep me from running this baby. Wednesday is going to be sweet but its the one day of work a month that I can't blow off....

Tilewave picked up his boat and he likes the 4 blades but he also is looking for some weather to do a real shakedown.

We may do a side by side run if we can get weather and schedule to combine...

 

[SkunkBoat]

Wind, Weather and Work are pissing me off.
I have only been out 3 times since picking up the boat.
The last time out was a crap fest. As I said before, the motors need bigger props. Too much spin on take-off.
Well we had an interesting ride home. There was a following sea, slighly on the port side. The boat kept heeling over to starboard. So bad it was like there was one trim tab all the way down.
Could not keep the rpms matched on the motors. Very disappointing. At this point the boat is not seaworthy for anything but a river cruise. Need to get different props and maybe some toe adjustment

I stopped at Tilewave's boat on the drive home that day and he was there. He took me for a quick ride and his 4 blade 15.25 x 22 props are a huge improvement. No spin on take off.
He does get higher top end rpms, which seems strange,flirting with max out at 6200 where as mine top out at 5950. He has not been out in any kind of sea yet (same weather!).
I scheduled my 20 hour service. I'm at 16 hrs now.
I'm torn between getting the same props or trying something like a 4 x16 x 22 LSF4 from powertech.

 

[bac0701]

four blade's are the ticket

 

[Holokai]

4 blade is the way to go. I went on the high end of the recommended pitch range and cut my fuel burn at trolling 15%. The prop doesn’t blow out in rough water and I get way better fwd/rev idle response that helps with docking. Running a 208 with a Suzuki 250 so my numbers won’t help you much but I’ll definitely endorse the 4 blade.

 

[glacierbaze]

You can never go wrong asking Ken, at Prop Gods, for an opinion.

 

[Summertop511]

Wind, Weather and Work are pissing me off.
I have only been out 3 times since picking up the boat.
The last time out was a crap fest. As I said before, the motors need bigger props. Too much spin on take-off.
Well we had an interesting ride home. There was a following sea, slighly on the port side. The boat kept heeling over to starboard. So bad it was like there was one trim tab all the way down.
Could not keep the rpms matched on the motors. Very disappointing. At this point the boat is not seaworthy for anything but a river cruise. Need to get different props and maybe some toe adjustment

I stopped at Tilewave's boat on the drive home that day and he was there. He took me for a quick ride and his 4 blade 15.25 x 22 props are a huge improvement. No spin on take off.
He does get higher top end rpms, which seems strange,flirting with max out at 6200 where as mine top out at 5950. He has not been out in any kind of sea yet (same weather!).
I scheduled my 20 hour service. I'm at 16 hrs now.
I'm torn between getting the same props or trying something like a 4 x16 x 22 LSF4 from powertech.

I know the feeling. Got out opening weekend for sea bass and work and wind keeping me in. This week looks better and yesterday the wind finally stop after the morning rain. That sucks and disheartening after spending all that money about the motors. What is another 1k on props lol it’s a boat

 

[Holokai]

Wind, Weather and Work are pissing me off.
I have only been out 3 times since picking up the boat.
The last time out was a crap fest. As I said before, the motors need bigger props. Too much spin on take-off.
Well we had an interesting ride home. There was a following sea, slighly on the port side. The boat kept heeling over to starboard. So bad it was like there was one trim tab all the way down.
Could not keep the rpms matched on the motors. Very disappointing. At this point the boat is not seaworthy for anything but a river cruise. Need to get different props and maybe some toe adjustment

I stopped at Tilewave's boat on the drive home that day and he was there. He took me for a quick ride and his 4 blade 15.25 x 22 props are a huge improvement. No spin on take off.
He does get higher top end rpms, which seems strange,flirting with max out at 6200 where as mine top out at 5950. He has not been out in any kind of sea yet (same weather!).
I scheduled my 20 hour service. I'm at 16 hrs now.
I'm torn between getting the same props or trying something like a 4 x16 x 22 LSF4 from powertech.

Call Ken Reeves at Prop Gods and see what he recommends. The larger diameter LFS4 props might give more bite but you’ll be guessing as to the exact pitch to match what Tilewave has.

If you like his setup might as well copy it and take out the guesswork. But if you’re going for more stern “traction” the LFS4 is the ticket. Good luck and hope you get it sorted out soon!

 

[Steelhead211]

Hey skunk boat I’m thinking about putting the same motors on my 265 express. Do you feel underpowered at all? Are these the inline 4s?

 

[tilewave]

Call Ken Reeves at Prop Gods and see what he recommends. The larger diameter LFS4 props might give more bite but you’ll be guessing as to the exact pitch to match what Tilewave has.

If you like his setup might as well copy it and take out the guesswork. But if you’re going for more stern “traction” the LFS4 is the ticket. Good luck and hope you get it sorted out soon!

hello Holokai, thanks,, i spoke to ken a couple of times on behalf of skunk and myself. we repowered at the same time /same place. so far props are good but i do want whats best for the boat.
what would be the difference as far as the power tech giving up better "traction" over the suzuki ?

 

[tilewave]

Hey skunk boat I’m thinking about putting the same motors on my 265 express. Do you feel underpowered at all? Are these the inline 4s?

hello Steelhead, so far these motors feel good to me. i went from 200 hpdi's so the 4 stroke do seem to have less torque but still not bad, my top speed is 43 mph. this is a few mph faster than what it did prior
.these motors are geared to have more torque . i have 4 blade props on mine but yet to test it a good choppy sea. the prop selection seems to make a huge difference in this application . not sure where you are located but
im willing to take you out for a sea trial. btw i found someone local who repowered with the yamaha 200's inline 4 and he took me for a ride . they werent bad either . i like the suzuki better
skunk had the 225 ox66 so i think his boat went faster prior. he test rode my boat last week and likes the 4 blade over the 3 they put on his, so i think he'll be switching

 

[Steelhead211]

hello Steelhead, so far these motors feel good to me. i went from 200 hpdi's so the 4 stroke do seem to have less torque but still not bad, my top speed is 43 mph. this is a few mph faster than what it did prior
.these motors are geared to have more torque . i have 4 blade props on mine but yet to test it a good choppy sea. the prop selection seems to make a huge difference in this application . not sure where you are located but
im willing to take you out for a sea trial. btw i found someone local who repowered with the yamaha 200's inline 4 and he took me for a ride . they werent bad either . i like the suzuki better
skunk had the 225 ox66 so i think his boat went faster prior. he test rode my boat last week and likes the 4 blade over the 3 they put on his, so i think he'll be switching

Right now I have the ox66s with 4 blades. They seem to have better traction in seas. I’m located in Washington state. You and skunk are running the Suzuki in-line 4s correct? Thanks for all the info.

 

[Holokai]

hello Holokai, thanks,, i spoke to ken a couple of times on behalf of skunk and myself. we repowered at the same time /same place. so far props are good but i do want whats best for the boat.
what would be the difference as far as the power tech giving up better "traction" over the suzuki ?

Sounds like you have the OFS4 Since they’re 15-1/4” diameter. Skunk has 3x16x20 Suzuki props. Talking to a few people(Ken, PowerTech, etc.) the Suzuki props are more like 1-2” pitch than the stamped number. Basically you have the same effective pitch but you have an extra blade and he has 3/4” more diameter. The extra blade means more surface area and should provide more traction whereas the smaller diameter will still allow you to get up in rpms.

Now that I think about it Skunk might be best off using the same props as you. You could take both your boats out and swap props to test. The 200s are a smaller block/have less midrange torque than the 250 so I’m not sure how they’d do with the LFS4 (16”) diameter since they’re having trouble getting up in rpms with the 3 blade 16” props. Different hull (Adventure 208) but my DF250AP with a LFS4 19” pitch just hits the minimum WOT range of 5400. He could perhaps try a different pitch if he wants to play with hole shot/top speed.

I’d still call Ken again to discuss since he might have better knowledge about any trends for different model year as of your hulls.