New 300 V-8?

Some interesting reading about the new Mercury 300 V-8. TORQUE!! and fuel economy. Anyone have any experience with the new outboards?

I'm always looking to the horizon for when I'll need a repower. I think I'm too far away to realistically be shopping. But the new outboards are really getting nice!

Yes they are! And don't forget to compare weight and (many forget) how much oil each one holds... My concern as I look over many of the 300 HP models is weight versus the number of cylinders. When V8's and V6's are within a few pounds, I start to wonder just how thick the cylinder walls are on the V8? Lower unit gearing can make up for some loss of torque by allowing you to swing a larger prop.

So far though, it looks like the Suzuki holds the most oil at 8.5 quarts. The more "motion lotion" it has the better! Give all of it more time to cool back down before being sent through the block again

If you want torque though, I will take an inline 6 over a V8 any day problem is... When was the last time you saw a large output inline 6 Outboard?

Lastly if you want to cheat and use less HP, but still have the same (or better) speed and lower fuel burn... Then this is what you need to not only help make it into a tunnel style hull (due to the offset) but save on fuel by greatly reducing hydrodynamic drag...

I bought my 2008 boat, with a 2008 Suzuki 250 4 stroke. It only had 66 hours, and I just bought it last April. I think I'm around 130 hours now. I am so, so far away from a repower. But I always look to the Future. And this Mercury looked really good. Not sure if a Jack Plate would Mount to my 235. But it would definitely be something to look at when the time comes.

130 hours... It just got broke in! LOL

As long as the stern is flush, you should have no issues mounting a Jack Plate and would do wonders even with your current engine and ROI, much better than a new engine

Keep in mind, depending on the jackplate, it re-positions the motor out from the transom, creating an effective increase in weight. And that weight is leveraged farther out from the transom, not on the transom...... which applies a twisting force on the transom. Point being, our roplene transoms aren't as rigid and strong as other reinforced boat's transoms. Not to mention, you've got the mack daddy of heavy engines.
Don't get me wrong, I have a jackplate and really like it, but mine is on my full length aluminum bracket and I reinforced the entire rear transom, both inside and out. Even so, from time to time, I still get that thought in my head that at some inopportune time the whole transom is going to crack and fall off. .

You could always opt for one with the minimum setback. Might be fine that way. Food for thought.

One last tidbit on jackplates. Most motors are usually set at a point that the water trailing off the keel in directly in the path of the prop. (cavitation plate about even with keep.) If you jack it up with the motor mounted on the transom, the prop will begin to cavitate as it moves out of the path of the solid water coming off the keel...... and you will lose thrust.

However if you set it back several inches and then jack it up, it will still be in the boat's solid water path due to the fact that the solid water rises above the keel as it moves past the transom. Hence the reason for setbacks. Less draft, no cavitation, less drag, more speed.

Aft end of the 235 is anything but flush. Very angular. And it has a "set-back" built into the transom. The engine hangs on the transom, but further back from the keel because of the shape. I think I'm far enough back, and a jackplate may extend me too far considering the comments about the strength of the Triumph transom. The boat is undercover and it's drizzling a bit, or I'd attach a photo. But the transom on the 235 is not flat across like the 215 and others.

If and when I repower, it will hang there just as Triumph designed. If it were a full transom glass or metal boat, it would get a bracket for sure.

But what I'm hearing about the 300 V-8 sounds awesome. Wish it were like trying on shoes. And as inexpensive too!!

And about the hours on the outboard: I picked up this boat, outboard and trailer last year with only 66 hours on the whole thing!! I know I've said it alot, but I had always wanted a 235, but didn't want to spend the extra $$. When the time came to search for a new center console, I was blown away that I found a brand new 10 year old boat. Couldn't be happier.

Except maybe with a new 300 V-8!!

Offshoreman said:

Aft end of the 235 is anything but flush. Very angular. And it has a "set-back" built into the transom. The engine hangs on the transom, but further back from the keel because of the shape.
If and when I repower, it will hang there just as Triumph designed. If it were a full transom glass or metal boat, it would get a bracket for sure.

Click to expand...

Actually the way your transom extends, it may appear to be a setback, but because the keel is the same all the way back, it does not provide the benefits of a setback jackplate or motor mount. No matter, I think on that model, keeping it where it belongs is a good plan.