F
itted with the
maximum
horsepower rating
the Powercat 3100
Sedan Cruiser is far
from shy when it comes to
serious get up and go, but is
that really necessary? I have
two answers and the first
being yes, just because I like
the serious extra gumption,
and the fact that the motors
will always work less under
load. The second answer is
a no, and that’s due to the
Powercat hull’s efficiency
and ability to still perform
adequately with twin Suzuki
DF175’s. So it’s simple, if the
bank balance allows I would
go the 300’s, and if you’re on
a tighter budget, then the
175-200hp would make a fair
difference on price.
A closer look at the Suzuki
300’s, well to start the 3100
runs a 30in leg and that
keeps the motors way out
of the water. They are a 4lt,
55-degree, V6 four-stroke –
and are one of the quietest
outboards in the industry. Iwill admit that I have done it
once, and tried to start them
while running. Good habit
with any Suzuki four-stroke
outboard, check the rev-
counter before presuming
they are off!
On the water, due to
efficiency of the 3100 hull,
these motors turn a boat that
looks more like a mellow
cruiser into a serious piece of
ballsy dynamite. Low down
with the 21.5in stainless
props the hole-shot is more
like a smaller sports boat,
and throughout the mid-
range and right to maxed-
out RPM, the 300’s punch
out a whopping 53kts – now
that will blow your hair back
on a 30ft cat – well not in this
case as the new hard-top
protects you.
Again, what I do like about
this combination is that the
motors are hardly working
in the mid-range. 2500rpm
returns a speed of 15kts
on the plane – ease them
to 3500rpm and you then
pounce to 30kts speed, andtradeboats.com.au 77