I drive our ski teams twin rig.It is a Tom Miller built 03 Dyna-ski. We currently have twin 175hp mercury optimax engines on it. We are looking at buying one more 175hp optimax, and making our boat a triple rig. We are also looking at selling the 175,s and getting twin 225 optimax's. Which would pull more triple 175's? Or twin 225's? I know the triple will pobably pull more, but would the 225's be close in comparison because they are larger displacement?
jachainskier, I sent you an email with my take on things, let me know if you did not get it. ez@mustskis.com
If your dealer will support your team with big blocks go with the Merc 225's. They will pull as hard as 175's and is less work/expense for your team.
Three 150's (or 175's) will out pull the twin 225's but they are going to cost you a lot more to get and set up than a change to a pair of the 225 motors should. With 3 motors you should be able to have smoother pulls with less roll out speed being needed typically. It will take the driver some time to master the repowered boat either way as a three motored boat drives different (obviously) than a two motored boat and the pair 225's are heavier that the small block 175's so the boat will tend to squat more making this combination different to drive also. The weight in the front of your boat may need to be increased either way. The new 20' Dyna-Ski Closed Bow Boat is longer than the old 20' Hydrodynes giving the boat slightly more floatation (about 5%). The driver and passenger sit about 18" further forward from the back of the boat so their weight is moved forward which means you should be able to get away with less weight in the front of your twins and triples. The bow (nose) of the new boat and the old boat are only slightly different in length about 8" or so. Todd at Twin Lakes Marine has a twin with 225 and a triple with 150's on it so he could answer the question. He is the Aquanuts triple rig driver and had triple 225's last season. Why not call him and ask? PJP
