So these boats with many engines.....

[julians]

While I was waiting to fill up with diesel in majorca the other day, also filling up was a 40-50foot open boat with 5 large (250hp) outboards on the back, it looked fast but then it got me thinking, how do the throttles on these boats work?

On a boat with 2 engines you have 2 individual throttles, so do these kinds of boat have 5 throttles?

How does it work?

 

[Mr Googler]

Mercury Marine unveils electronic controls making the operation of five-engine and six-engine boats easier and more precise | Mercury Marine

all fly by wire now. I guess in “dock mode”, it pairs the outer engines and ignores the centre. That’s how a quad setup works anyway.

 

[BruceK]

One has to wonder. I get by with 460 hp in a 34 foot boat. Newer version with bow rider X-over has 1400 hp right out the factory. It must go like stink!

 

[julians]

One has to wonder. I get by with 460 hp in a 34 foot boat. Newer version with bow rider X-over has 1400 hp right out the factory. It must go like stink!

Imagine the fuel bill!

 

[BruceK]

Imagine the fuel bill!

I cant see it really using much more for comparative speeds and when you open those puppies up, sure you're sucking the juice but you're also pushing the miles. These toys play at about 60knts. Enough for you to spill your gin as you burn 0.7 gal US per mile

 

[Mr Googler]

I get the outboards on bigger boats thing.

easy maintenance, tilt them out of the water when not in use, more internal room etc....

I’d have a pair of oxe diesels

OXE Diesel 300 hp outboard engine - OXE Diesel

they weigh about the same as a fallen star though ?

 

[hunton69]

He started all the engines at the same time on this one

 

[Mr Googler]

Worlds most expensive salt water jacuzzi

 

[stelican]

So how many sparkplugs at service time

 

[PilotWolf]

There was a customs and immigration RIB behind me on the pontoon a couple of years back.

They had 3 huge outboards- can’t remember the HP.

I asked one of the officers how fast it went, I was in uniform so clearly not asking for the wrong reasons.

His reply was ‘ more than 40kts’ and smiled.

W

 

[julians]

So if the answer to how do they work today is fly by wire and computers, how did they work in the old days of mechanical throttles? A single throttle controlling more than one motor?