So we now have an engine!
It’s not the engine I thought we’d have but it’s a beast!
When we set out on this journey of adventure and began looking at boats that would fit the bill and make the perfect Fizz Boat, I was really thinking along traditional lines of ex fishing boat or something similar, with a slow revving, low powered inboard engine.
As you may already know, we very quickly changed tack (if that’s relevant in a motor boating context?) and decided to go very contemporary, having a boat built that needed an outboard motor.
The speed permitted on The River Dart is only 6 knots...
The boat builder suggested twin 60-70HP engines as a minimum requirement but considering the maximum speed permitted on The River Dart is only 6 knots, I really couldn’t see the point in having such power in twin engines, so started looking at and pricing up single engine options.
An opportunity not to be missed!
When you start asking for advice, you have to be prepared for anything, so if single engine was to be the way forward, it was suggested that really we should be looking at more than 60HP.
I thought something like 70-90HP was being suggested, so looked a prices for new outboards around that size but it was then that we came across what we were advised was an opportunity not to be missed!
We found a Yamaha 225HP outboard for sale, with low engine hours and all the appropriate upgrades that particular engine needed to make it a racing spec’ engine and the cost would be no more than buying a brand new 60HP engine!
I was excited! Not yet convinced but excited…
I was excited! Not yet convinced but excited. Gaynor was less excited and didn’t see why we needed an engine at all at that point, considering we didn’t yet have a boat but I wanted to know more.
Our technical adviser explained all the benefits of having a motor this size and power but I’m not going to go into detail here, mainly because I didn’t understand all the technicalities (that’s the beauty of surrounding yourself with experts!) but what was obvious was that a motor that could achieve what we wanted it to do, while virtually idling, would continue to do it all day long and use comparatively little fuel and if we ever did need the extra power to get us out of trouble, then it was there in bucket loads.
This whole adventure has been about taking opportunities...
I was convinced and we grasped the opportunity with both hands. This whole adventure has been about taking opportunities, so this was just the next step towards achieving the object.
I hadn’t seen the motor, except in a video sent when our technical guy was checking it over with his diagnostic equipment but he’d assure me it was BIG!
See for ourselves just what we’d bought...
So when Gaynor and I went to the Southampton Boat Show in September, we made sure to stop by the Yamaha stand and see for ourselves just what we’d bought.
Gaynor’s face was a picture, with comments to match when I pointed out the model we’d bought, seriously thinking it would actually sink The Fizz Boat!
But she’s grown used to the idea now and having taken a photo of me stood next to the engine at the boat show, as a reminder of what we’ve got, we’re both looking forward to having all that power sitting on the back and confident our guests will love it too.
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