conversion of suzuki DF40 to tiller steer on Poly

[Tony_N]

I am in the process of ordering a new Polycraft 4.1 open boat with a suzuki 40 HP 4 stroke electric start motor. This is just for river fishing/crabbing when i can't get outside (The process from looking for a 2nd hand boat for about $3000 to a new one at $12000 has been an interesting journey)

Suzuki in their wisdom do not make the 40 HP 4 st. motor with tiller steering. They do make a 50 with tiller steering which is the same weight as the 40. However in their wisdom, Polycraft don't rate the boat for 50 HP even though the side consul 4.1 is rated for 50 HP. Go figure??

I'd look at a Honda or a Yammie - but I am reliably told that at 40 HP the boat really needs the extra grunt provided by the EFI over carbies. (or a 2 stroke)

It is possible however at extra expense to get a conversion kit to turn the 40 into a tiller steer. I can't find any pictures of what this conversion might look like. I just want to make sure it doesn't look tacky for resale down the track. Anybody know where I might get a pic of a conversion like this?? Or maybe how I can talk Polycraft into rating the boat for 50 HP??

Thanks

Tony

[bushbeachboy]

What about a 40 e-tec? At 104kg it's a heavy little sucker. Merc website shows 98kg for 40 4 stk efi. Tohatsu TLDI 40 comes in at 93.5kg. Yammie F40B is 96 but is a carbie job. Aaarrgghhh!!!! Too many choices.

[Tony_N]

Hey bbb

Yeah - I'll look into the e-tec today. Very surprised at that weight !!! However, the Suzi is 110. Can't come to grips with the mercs - had a 70 Hp Blueband once - the old "black anchor " tag stays with me in my dreams (quite inappropriate to the new motors I'm sure ...but still...........)

Tony

[bushbeachboy]

Hey Tony, I sent you a pm.
Cheers

[Jeremy]

Have a chat to the manufacturers of the polycraft boats and you might be able to get your hull re-rated to 50 hp. Worth a try.

Jeremy

[joey_1987]

Have you considered a tohatsu? They compete well on price, my best advice for you would be to go to the websites of all manufacturers and look at the outboard models you want, note the weight and displacement of them all. More displacement=more torque, especially for a 4 stroke. Then get prices, and work out which works best for you, ideally the lightest outboard with the largest displacement. Also, jump onto www.boatpoint.com.au and look at some engine reviews there. Look at the tohatsu 50 TLDI.

[sf17fisherman]

i have a mate that is a poly dealer as well as a suzuki dealer and i know for a fact that poly craft can re rate the 4.1 tiller to a 50hp (and what a beast of a boat they then become )
as for the 40hp you can buy the tiller conversion kit for it and it will make it look like it is a normal 40hp tiller however i'm not sure of the cost and would have a guess that it would cost a bit to do

[Tony_N]

Thanks for the replies fellas. I have also received several PMs on this topic.

I think I am starting to wilt with information overload. I had limited my 4stroke motors to Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki. This is based a lot on my perception of resale value in a few years time. I was informed that I really needed EFI (the Suzi) rather than carbies. Then today I am informed that the Suzi is a really BAD mud-runner. ie if the telltale gets blocked by mud (which I know I will do often while crabbing where I go) it is a major task to clear the line which involves taking off the bottom cowl - a difficult task on the water.



Tony

[hphero]

Just returned form a few days fishing up in the NT. I was amazing to see the number of Suzuki engines up there! I went to a Suzuki dealer up there to ask a few questions about the engines and he told me that over 95% of the crabers in NT use suzuki's. Didn't really believe him, so I went for a fish up where he told me where they would be and sure enough, Suzuki engines everywhere. I asked them if they had any problems and in broken english they told me that they treat the engines like s&*t and they can't bust them. They run the aground, through mud bars ect, still going.

I have seen a 40hp with a tiller on it and it doesn't look all that diff from the 50tiller. I would chat to Suzuki and ask the questions that you need to be answered. I did, they were great.

cheers.

[New_fisher]

Quote From Tony: "I'd look at a Honda or a Yammie - but I am reliably told that at 40 HP the boat really needs the extra grunt provided by the EFI over carbies. (or a 2 stroke)"


Just a thought tony - the engines are rated to a certain power - not engine deisplacment, therefore 40 hp should be the same from all 40hp engines otherwise they would label it a fifty etc... the EFI may be more economical or smoother I am not sure, but choosing one engine from two that have the same power because one has more power than the other seems like choosing between two 3.3 litre cars because one of them has a bigger engine?
the EFI might be a better engine but I dont think you will get more grunt from it,
Cheers Ray

[Tony_N]

Quote From Tony: "I'd look at a Honda or a Yammie - but I am reliably told that at 40 HP the boat really needs the extra grunt provided by the EFI over carbies. (or a 2 stroke)"


Just a thought tony - the engines are rated to a certain power - not engine deisplacment, therefore 40 hp should be the same from all 40hp engines otherwise they would label it a fifty etc... the EFI may be more economical or smoother I am not sure, but choosing one engine from two that have the same power because one has more power than the other seems like choosing between two 3.3 litre cars because one of them has a bigger engine?
the EFI might be a better engine but I dont think you will get more grunt from it,
Cheers Ray

Yeah Ray but I didn't question him on this - The guy is an outboard mechanic and he actually used the word "sluggish" rather than grunt. I have assumed that despite the equal HP the EFI is dealing in the combustion chamber with just the right amount of fuel and that efficiency is reflected in the boats capacity to get out of the hole.

Aren't HP's developed at a certain number of revs? and I think maybe he's saying that it takes longer for the carbied motors to reach those revs. (um.... I am not a mechanic)


Tony

)

[billfisher]

I would think that any 40 hp would be heaps of power on that boat, especially on a tiller model. I just have a 30hp (2-stroke) tiller model on my 4.1 poly. I'm quite happy with its performance. I have clocked it at 24.3 knots on the GPS. This boat has a fairly shallow V so does not need as much horsepower as an equivalent sized fiberglass boat. Also with a tiller I am very wary of too much horsepower, you don't have the same control as a console model. I was thrown out of a tiller tinnie once after hitting a small wave.

[Tony_N]

Hey Billfisher have sent you a PM

Tony

[staino]

Hi Tony, I have a 4.1 poly that is rated to 50hp. All I did was ask polycraft through the dealer .The main concern they have is with safety (ie vision & top end speed in the tiller version) If you tell them you have plenty of tiller experience they should not have a problem with it. I wanted the extra power to tow the kids around the lake on a tube when they get older, but for now my 25hp merc will have to do. I have also owned a 50hp 4st evinrude (suzuki) and did find the telltale to block up when in tuggerah lake but only where it exits the motor. All that was required to fix it was a piece of red tubing used as whiting attracter to unblock the outlet. cheers,staino. p.s. If you do decide on an etec let me know how it goes.

[Tony_N]

Hey Staino

Wow, that initial post was a long time ago. Took delivery of the boat yesterday - opted for the 40 Suzi 4stk tiller. Happy camper.

BTW noticed that this was your first post - welcome to Ausfish - hope you get as much from it as I have. There are some great (but sometimes differing) opinions on this site. I love it

Tony