{"id":5819,"date":"2025-03-07T10:04:47","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T10:04:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/?p=5819"},"modified":"2025-03-07T10:04:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T10:04:47","slug":"single-vs-twin-outboards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/?p=5819","title":{"rendered":"Single vs. Twin Outboards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>    Single vs. Twin Outboards<br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><br \/>\n    <!-- no image --><br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><\/p>\n<div>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image disable-lazyload\" alt=\"Contender 24S on the water\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-1.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">The Contender 24S is a versatile boat, well-suited for this comparison.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy Contender Boats<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<p><iframe id=\"wxuzj5efbz\" src=\"https:\/\/boatingmag.dragonforms.com\/wxuzj5efbz\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:165px;border:none;overflow:hidden;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Contender Boats is known for tournament sport-fishing boats, but the company describes its 24S center-console as \u201ca great day-tripping boat\u201d that fishes well but also serves families and divers. After several sea trials on the upper and lower Chesapeake Bay, we certainly agree. On those tests, we explored a common question: Should you power your boat with single or twin outboards? Read on to see what we found.<\/p>\n<p>We tested two Contender 24S boats\u2014one with a single <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/story\/boats\/yamaha-updates-its-popular-v-6-offshore-outboards\/\">Yamaha F300<\/a>, the other with twin Yamaha F150s.\u00a0 Both offered top speeds in the low 50s and efficient cruising speeds of 30 to 40 mph (3,500 to 4,500 rpm), yet the twins\u2019 performance stood in stark contrast to the single. As expected, the weight of the twins planted the 24S\u2019s 22.5-degree transom deadrise deep-V hull firmly in the water at all speeds and accelerated that boat to 30 mph, which was\u00a0 slightly faster than the single, presumably because of the greater surface area of two propellers versus one. Their lift also caused them to run slightly flatter at high speeds. Despite the weight of the two engines, this Contender\u2019s well-designed cockpit still self-bailed \u00adeffectively with twins as the scuppers remained above the waterline. Nonetheless, we think the single was the hands-down winner for several reasons.<\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-3-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Two Yamaha outboards\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-3-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-3-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-3.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">There are multiple factors to take into account when choosing between single and twin outboards.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy Yamaha Motor Corporation<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<p>The weight difference between the two boats is around 500 pounds. This shows up clearly in the performance charts shown on the opposite page. First, the single-engine boat is \u00adfaster at every rpm stage. The \u00adsingle rose onto plane at a lower rpm range (2,500 to 3,000 rpm), despite the lift from the twin \u00adpropellers. \u00adSecond, the single was significantly more fuel-\u00adefficient, \u00adtopping out at a remarkable 3.9\u00a0mpg versus 2.7 mpg for the twins at 3,500 rpm. Twin engines require twice as much rigging and maintenance as a single, and they take up more room on the \u00adtransom\u2019s dive platform. \u00adFinally, the twin-150 rig costs $23,499 more than the single 300 (retail base price $157,210 versus $133,711). Note also that the twin-engine boat would\u00a0not\u00a0plane with a single 150, even with the crew all the way up at\u00a0the bow to help balance it. (The boat will likely do so with one of the optional twin 200s.)\u00a0Rather than buying twins for get-home redundancy, an annual \u00adtowing-service \u00admembership might serve many boaters. To me, Contender\u2019s 24S is a great boat for a big estuary like the Chesapeake or for near-coastal work, say up to 25 miles offshore.<\/p>\n<p>While the 24S shows its pure Contender fishing genes, it also offers a head in the console (5 feet, 7 inches of headroom) and seating ranging from U-shaped forward seats to transom jump seats. It\u2019s family-friendly enough to take some kids \u00adbottomfishing, serve \u00adSaturday \u00adrace-committee work for a yacht club, or join friends at a sandbar. The 300 hp outboard is plenty powerful\u00a0for casual tow sports.\u00a0There\u2019s a lot of storage space, much of it dry, plus coolers. A couple could cruise the 24S\u00a0along the coast and its\u00a0rivers with a little attention to Airbnbs and waterside restaurants.\u00a0It\u2019s built like a tank\u2014solid enough\u00a0to be heirloom quality for multiple generations of\u00a0a \u00adwater-loving family.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read Next:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/boats\/sterndrive-vs-outboard\/\">Sterndrive vs. Outboard<\/a><\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-2-1024x768.jpg?resize=800%2C600&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Contender with twin outboards\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-2-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-2-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Twin-2.jpg 2000w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Twin engines offer get-home redundancy, but there are other considerations.<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Courtesy Contender Boats<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<p>One criticism: Its fuel tank,\u00a0at 130 gallons, seems large for the single-engine version; range at 3,500 rpm works out to 456 miles.\u00a0While few boaters complain about too much fuel capacity, I\u2019d guess that most people choosing the 24S wouldn\u2019t run more than 100 miles per day, so an 85- to 90-gallon capacity seems more appropriate (range about 230 miles)\u00a0to avoid wasted\u00a0space or carrying an extra 330 pounds of dead weight (55 gallons of fuel). For twins, or a single 350 or 400, one might want the extra 55 gallons. That\u2019s my opinion, as someone who would run 40 miles one way in it on occasion. Yours can differ, certainly.<\/p>\n<p>So, as the only \u201cSport\u201d model in Contender\u2019s line, the 24S seems underrated, deserving of more attention for coastal folks who aren\u2019t interested in hardcore blue water.\u00a0Yes, as a semicustom builder, Contender can build sport \u00adfeatures such as forward seating into larger models, but this boat seems to fit neatly into a widespread coastal niche where it fishes ably but also shows off its well-honed versatility.<\/p>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"479\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Specs.jpg?resize=800%2C479&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Contender 24S single outboard performance data\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Specs.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Specs-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Single-Specs-768x460.jpg 768w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Contender 24S Single 300 HP Yamaha V-6 Outboard Certified Test Results<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Boating Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How We Tested<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<strong>Single Engine:<\/strong> Single 300 hp Yamaha V-6 outboard<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Drive\/Prop:<\/strong> Outboard\/15.5\u2033x 17\u2033 Saltwater Series II 3-blade stainless steel<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Gear Ratio:<\/strong> 1.75:1 <strong>Fuel Load:<\/strong> 75 gal. <strong>Crew Weight:<\/strong> 380 lb.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"hydra-container\">\n<div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Twin-Specs-2.jpg?resize=800%2C480&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Contender 24S twin outboards performance data\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Twin-Specs-2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Twin-Specs-2-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BTG325-SPL-Twin-Specs-2-768x461.jpg 768w\">                <\/div><figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Contender 24S Twin 150 HP Yamaha I-4 Outboards Certified Test Results<\/span><br \/>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Boating Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How We Tested<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<strong>Twin Engines:<\/strong> Twin 150 hp Yamaha I-4 outboards<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Drive\/Props:<\/strong> Outboard\/13.75\u2033x 19\u2033 Reliance 3-blade stainless steel<\/li>\n<li>\n<strong>Gear Ratio:<\/strong> 2:1 <strong>Fuel Load:<\/strong> 40 gal. <strong>Crew Weight:<\/strong> 380 lb.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contender 24S Specs<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\">\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>LOA:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>24\u20196\u2033<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Beam:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>8\u20196\u2033<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Draft:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>2\u20190\u2033<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Weight:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>5,000 lb. (dry)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Transom \u00adDeadrise:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>22.5 degrees<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Fuel Capacity:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>130 gal.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Water Capacity:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>15 gal.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Waste Capacity:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>10 gal. (optional)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Max Horsepower:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>400<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Available Power:<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Yamaha outboards in single or twin configurations<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/single-vs-twin-outboards\/\">Single vs. Twin Outboards<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/\">Boating Mag<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> \t<BR><br \/>\n <BR><\/BR><br \/>\n    Capt. John Page Williams<br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n<BR><\/BR><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boatingmag.com\/single-vs-twin-outboards\/\">Go to boatingmag<\/a><br \/>\n \t<BR><br \/>\n <BR><\/BR><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Single vs. Twin Outboards The Contender 24S is a versatile boat, well-suited for this comparison. Courtesy Contender Boats Contender Boats is known for tournament sport-fishing boats, but the company describes its 24S center-console as \u201ca great day-tripping boat\u201d that fishes well but also serves families and divers. After several sea trials on the upper and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2872,126,148,3091,167,352,2960,174],"tags":[127],"class_list":["post-5819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-april-2025","category-boatingmag","category-boats","category-contender","category-engines","category-outboards","category-versus","category-yamaha","tag-boatingmag"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5819"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5819"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5819\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/krogragg.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}