Single screw straight inboard - Pro's & Con's

[Irish Knots]

Looking for input on a Single Screw Straight Inboard 6.2 Merc. 300hp 10"x16" bronze rudder

the boat is 28-feet Baha

9'-6" beam

6300 dry weight

deep-V Hard chine planing type

with a Thruster & kicker

Looking for input on Speed - fuel - handling - docking etc (generic info)

Never driven a straight Inboard Single is why i ask

[alloutdoorsman]

What does the boat weigh? Hull style? Boat type?

[SCREAMER 1]

Don't do single screw! You'll be sorry! Go twins! Our last baha was a single 28, good boat but hard docking in certain conditions and it's nice to have 2 motors in case one breaks down.The kicker is nice, but in 5 foot waves and 10 miles down the lake during a tournament that you need it to get back with a limit of fish it will never happen! Our last Baha had a 454 big block in it and top speed was 18-20mph. Very slow. Even though it's new they still break! I talk from experience!

[Missdemeanor]

I also have a twin screw baha....to mirror screamers comments, a twin is a must. Just remember that anything could happen like engine breakdown, hanging a line in the prop. Docking with a twin screw is a relatively easy....no steering wheel, just use the shifters and drive her like a tank. I will never own a boat without two main engines...good luck

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Irish Knots]

thanks for the input guys!

[A-TOM-MIK]

265 Pro Hunter, rather small rudder, weight around 6300

Docking isn't too bad once acquainted with it, does get tough until you know how to handle it, I didn't back into the dock for my first year, now do it with ease and it was a very windy season last year

and for your info Mr Screamer every time I broke down last season with my single screw I was towed in without incident !!!! lol

Also had to fish out the front door during tourney's as speed is rather slow, but still managed a 3rd and an 8th with the lead sled Screamer speaks of

(:

Tom

[G-Daddy]

You can do a lot with the thruster. If it is a stern thruster a lot of the problems of a single screw inboard are gone. For instance, you turn the wheel over hard to starboard and she still backs to port. With a thruster you can get directional flow where and when you want it.

[SCREAMER 1]

Mr. Screamer? I like it! lol ....Nothing wrong with a single screw if the price is right and it is a step up from your current boat.

[RYE]

I fished a 27' Baha single screw for 12 seasons. Never backed in to dock, wouldn't want to on regular basis with current of any kind. Mine would back to port and also to starboard in right conditions with NO throttle. Was only ever towed off one time. It was a 350 chevy block Mercruiser. Cruised 28 mph with a weight of approx. 7000 lbs. Wouldn't be afraid to go back to single again, much better fuel economy then a twin, on a long run, I can tell you that much.

[jimski2]

There are millions of single screw boats out there for over a century of use. They usually back up with the stern swinging to the left. Experienced operators have no problems. There are instruction books on handling single screw boats.

You can run out of fuel with a lot of engines and you will still go no where. An extra engine adds a lot of weight and the underwater struts and rudders create more drag and your fuel mileage drops a lot.

With 25,000 boats on the market today, it is a buyers market and you have a lot of choices.

[blrunner]

the boat is 28-feet Baha

9'-6" beam

6300 dry weight

deep-V Hard chine planing type

with a Thruster & kicker

With a bow thruster you won't have any problems docking and they troll very straight. I had a Baha 25 single screw with no thruster and it took a while to get use. A friend of mine has a 25 Carolina Classic single screw with a bow thruster and he backs his boat all the time.

[Irish Knots]

Good info as usual, thanks for the input!!!