Re-power 1998 Parker 2320 pilot house

[Tireman]

Hi Everyone I'm new to this forum name is Bill. I want to repower my boat and am concerned about added weight a new 4stroke will add to the transom. I bought the boat used in 2003 and have had 17 years of pure pleasure. It was fitted with a 225 yamaha 4stroke which was not the original engine. I believe originally had a 225 2 stroke. The added weight of the 4 stroke was obvious and I had to make some adjustments with longer trim tabs to get the boat to get up on plane more quickly. Now I want to repower to a Suzuki df300ap but am concerned about the added 77 pounds it weighs verses the 225 yamaha. Any suggestions? I'd rather not go Yamaha again as I know the new 300 is same weight as 225.

 

[tomc585]

Move balast forward

 

[Tireman]

Hi Tom thanks for the reply... honestly, I have no Idea what the balast is or how you would do that.

 

[Phil]

I have a 99 2320 with a 225 2 stroke. I had two 9.9 4 stroke kickers on the transom in addition to a 55 gal bait tank near the back. So roughly about 700 pounds extra weight. I’ve been on multi-day trips with full 150 gal of gas and never had a problem. Yes, it took longer to get on plane but not a safety concern. The Yam 225 4-stroke is a dog—that’s why you have problems getting on plane. The extra 77 lbs is nothing. Get the Zuke—it will be a beast with that hull. Just dial it in with the right height and prop, My 99 225 with 2000 hours++ is still running good else I’d probably get one too.

 

[pelagic2530]

Warthog will chime in here in 3... 2... 1...

You have a couple things to think about. The most drastic (and hardest to solve) being this: when drifting or at anchor, with the engine off, do you have a situation where you've noticed water coming back up through the scuppers with a couple/few big guys standing near the stern? Look at it this way: 77lbs is the weight of a young kid. If having an extra kid at the stern with you while you're fishing causes a wet deck or other issues... then yes, it's time to be concerned about the extra weight of the motor.

If not, then you're realistically in good shape. The larger wheel of the Suzuki is going to compensate at least a bit for the extra weight at the stern by providing "rise" when the engine is running. Otherwise, you should be able to compensate with the trim tabs. At any rate, all Parkers benefit from having weight moved forward, so maybe in this process it's time to consider moving your batteries forward into the house. That will more than negate the extra weight of the motors, along with improving performance and keeping your batteries in a better, more sheltered location. But all things considered, 77lbs is a pretty minimal increase in stern weight, and if you think you could benefit from the extra horsepower, it's probably a good trade.

 

[GoodChance]

Suzuki is a junk motor built from recycled battleships sunk by the Allied forces in the South Pacific. Buy Mercury or Yamaha.

(that should awake Wart)

 

[warthog5]

but am concerned about the added 77 pounds

Stop worring about it....It's the same or damn close to a gp31 battery...

What you forget is.....Now your gonna take that nasty oil tank out and throw it away....freeing up more space.

But.....if it was Me....on a 23ftr......I'd put a DF250Ap on it......It's a really good fit for a 23ft boat.

 

[Tireman]

Thanks for everyones reply. I am going to move the batteries up front as the boat is already set up for this. I want to learn more about the ballast, at least I know what it is now. Yes the boat does swamp a bit with 3 or 4 adults if we are anchored and fishing towards the back, but less now with new scuppers. Phil I am very interested to know if your lower unit is a 25" or a 30"? I am also going to look into 250 option does anyone else have an opinion on this?

 

[Tireman]

I think I have to agree with Wart since my yami only had 700 hrs and threw a rod through the block. Then after rebuild the powerhead went a100 hrs later. I'm done with Yamaha. I serviced every year and flushed after every outing.

 

[GoodChance]

What hp to get???? That all depends how you use the boat and where. If you are regularly fishing in the notoriously rough Long Island Sound or North Atlantic, a 250hp will likely be plenty of hp since you can rarely cruise much above 20-25 mph anyway.

But if you are in Florida, a 300hp may be a better option.

Which motor to get? This is a harder question and one best answered by you ...... which brand is best serviced in your area? Is Suzuki well represented by a good/great service facility? Yamaha or Mercury?

I think you'll find that Suzuki generally has pretty poor customer support for warranty issues with Yamaha and Mercury more willing to serve their customers after the sale.

 

[GoodChance]

This guy has been very patient with Suzuki and been dealing with Suzuki for 8+ months on an engine under warranty. Still not fixed. This would cure me from Suzuki. Unfortunately this type of support from Suzuki is not isolated..

Another DF350 issue - Page 14 - The Hull Truth - Boating and Fishing Forum

 

[Phil]

From the top of the engine bracket to the anti-cavitation plate is about 25 inches so I guess it is 25 in. lower unit. My engine is mounted on the cut out transom as high as it will go. Good luck and let us know what you end up with and how much it costs..

 

[Mpellet]

From the top of the engine bracket to the anti-cavitation plate is about 25 inches so I guess it is 25 in. lower unit. My engine is mounted on the cut out transom as high as it will go. Good luck and let us know what you end up with and how much it costs..

You might wanna find the model/ serial number for your engine and confirm 100% you’ve got a 25” leg. I have different boat 2005 Parker 2520 with the notched transom ( no bracket) and my boat requires a 30” leg.

Not something you want to get wrong when ordering a new engine.

The 30” legs also have a 5” spacer piece that is on top of the lower unit and below the midsection.

 

[Phil]

Good to know. After 2 decades of use, the only thing I can read from the tag YAMA..

Here's a pic. I don't see any spacer. Do you?

 

[Tireman]

Thanks so much Phil that picture is perfect... I'm looking to see if the first wing above the prop shaft is even with the very bottom of the transom and it looks pretty darn close. With my current setup the wing is about 4 inches higher than the very bottom of the transom which I'm now being told is not good. This would explain why my boat ran best with the engine trimmed all the way down. Another reason I'm leaving Yamaha... the dealers and shops that are certified to work on them in my area are horrible, super expensive, and very dishonest. Bunch of ---holes. I'm in southern California Ventura area.

 

[tomc585]

Phill, whats the stainless clamps securing on your mid section?

 

[Phil]

The SS clamps are part of the EZ-Steer kicker steering system that has a tie bar with quick connects on each end that snaps on the back of the main and kicker engines. That way you can steer the kicker at helm. And if you have an auto-pilot you can let it steer so you can relax and enjoy being on the water using very little gas and energy

 

[Live2fish]

Are you on a bracket or transom mount? I had a 99 with a df250 and a friend has a 99 with a 300ap they just put on and no issues but both boats are full transom bracket boats