Single vs Twin on a 22 Cruiser?

J

JamesTXSD

Active member
Greeting C-Dory owners,
Still the new lookie-loo here who has yet to see one of these in person (any TX C-Dory owners who would be interested in showing their boat? I'm willing to buy dinner for two and provide pleasant conversation and some ask some newbee questions).
Last night, I had the opportunity to visit with a dealer who relayed to me that most of his 22s go out with a single as opposed to twins. As a former pilot, I sure like the idea of redundancy (and understand being underpowered with 1/2 of a twin engine set up), mechanical and electrical.
I have very little powerboat experience (sailor considering a change), but assumed that twin 40s on the 22 would help with low speed, close quarters maneuvering (our house is on a canal). Our neighbor across the canal with a powercat (non counter rotating props) does a very effective job of rotating his boat in the canal. Anyone using their 22 w/twins this way?
Thanks in advance for your time and advice. This is a great forum - I'm learning a lot!
Best wishes,
James
 
There's been beaucoup discussions on this subject in the past. You may want to check the archives. Our home is on a very narrow canal also and with twin 40s and the right alignment of the planets I can make a right angle turn to put the MOOSE in the slip.
Al
 
JamesTXSD":3q6foxmf said:
Our neighbor across the canal with a powercat (non counter rotating props) does a very effective job of rotating his boat in the canal. Anyone using their 22 w/twins this way?
James
Click to expand...

Hi James,
We have twin Johnson 50's on our 22' and I utilize the twins to their advantage all the time. I find it to be very effective. Yesterday, I cruised from Everett to Blake Island to Seattle and back to Everett and utilized the "rotating" ability of twins on three occasions. (Not that I couldn't have come up with the "same results" with a single), but it sure was easier to accomplish what I set out to do. The more you utilize this capability with twins, the more you enjoy having this capability. My brother-in-law has a larger vessel with twin "counter-rotating" props on a canal in the Florida Keys and I find that I'm able to "spin" the C-Dory just as effectively without the "counter-rotating" props.
 
Not to bash the twin engine love fest :P but two engines have twice the potential for failure than one. Sure you have a spare, but as few twin engine small airplanes can fly on one a C-Dory doesn't get home much faster on one than on a kicker. This isn't redundancy on light planes or boats.

Two engines have twice the maintenance expense as sell.

Smaller engines are not a robust as larger engines. Assuming you're running a couple of small or one big at the same rpms and same stresses the larger engine will be more reliable.

On a C-Dory with the props so close together you're likely to lose the both to FOD in the water.

There are some handling tricks you can perform if the controls are set up right. And they're sure yachtie on the stern.

-- Chuck
 
Hello Texas!

As mentioned earlier, twin vs single has been brought up before many times. Kinda reminds me of the diesel vs gas controversies in RV forums or Duramax vs (ptui) Dodge vs Ford in pickup forums.

Ultimately it's personal choice because it's your boat and no justification is necessary. :wink: Well, maybe you need to justify something to your personal Admiral, but that's a different story.

I like to use El and Bill's Halcyon vs Chris's Rana Verde as examples. Good examples since I would bet those two boats have got well over 25,000 nautical miles on C-22's between them.

Twin 40's (Halcyon) vs a single 75 (Rana Verde). Both cruise together often. Their 1200 mile cruise to Alaska is written up in Halcyon's tales if you're curious. Fuel consumption was virtually equal. Breakdowns, none that they admit to. Their adventure and a quick check ride convinced me that a single 75 Yamaha, the power recommended by the factory by the way, was right on the money. Bowing to a hell of a lot of C-22 experience, the only change I made was to forego the dealer recommended 17" prop for a Chris recommended 15" prop.

Would I turn down twins? Not if I were buying used, for sure! Had them on my Luhrs and loved the extra maneuverability, but ultimately anybody can maneuver with twins. It just takes more skill to do it with a single engine. Lots of skill if you're talking fixed shaft single, but easily gained with an outboard.

Besides, Tow insurance is cheap today....

Don
 
Dear C-Dory friends,
I appreciate the responses. As advised, I have read through the archives and have sent a couple e-mails to Texas owners (no response yet, though) in hopes of seeing one of these vessels up close and personal. I'm sure you can sympathize with my plight, trying to do my research. This forum has been a wealth of information. It may take me a while, but I am pumped about the prospects of new on-the-water adventures this boat will provide. The encouragement here is fantastic; that will very likely turn this sailor-boy into a C-Dory owner.
Thanks for making me feel welcome even though I am not yet an owner.
Best wishes,
James
 
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