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What size Outboard

K

Karla

New member
We are going to build a luxury yacht of around 9metres in length. It will hold 4 people on board. What size HP outboard motor should I be looking at getting to go relatively fast and can you recommend one? Thanks
 
Most unit's above 20' are typically not rated. However the manufacture or designer should be able to give some recomendation's as for power required. The new BF250A is really nice. Thanks Martin
 
Much would depend on what type hull you will be building. "Luxury Yacht" is a fairly broad term these days and could mean anything from a sea going sailing vessel to a houseboat.

If you are building a deep draft V hull power vessel, a single outboard, even a very large one, might not provide you with the performance to go "relatively fast". The building material will also be a factor in how much "push" you will require. A wooden, or heavy fiberglass hull will demand much more power to move efficiently than, say, an aluminum or Kevlar/plastic composite build. Many fishing and pleasure boats of this length can sometimes require 2 or even 3 fairly large outboards on the stern to push the hull to "design" speed when the vessel is loaded with gear and passengers.

One method of investigation into this subject is to simply visit a few marinas and try to find similar boats as the one you have in mind to see what they are using. I would say you will find around 50% of the boats in this size range will be outboard driven and the other half will be inboard powered. Of course, unless you can speak with the owner of a vessel, just looking might not reveal as much information as you need.

If you are building your boat on an already in use design, there should be plenty of information available from several sources including previous builders and owners.

If you are considering "laying your own keel" and designing and fabricating your own dream, then I would certainly suggest consulting a marine architect to assist you with at least the basics. A decent architect will keep you from making some very expensive blunders.

You are on the right road though! You're asking questions and that will eventually get you where you want to go.

Good luck.
 
It depends on the overall weight of the boat, the type, width, and draft of the hull, and where and how it will be used. If you are going to be in the ocean, then I recommend dual engines.
 
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