Suzuki DF20AS EFI - Impressions and review.

[chipko]

Hey Fenlander,

If ever you want to dispose of the Suzi 12l tank and line please pm me. Kinky doesn't bother me.😀
Might be interested.
Cheers, chipko

[Stigomery]

Fenlander, is this for multi-day trips? Reason I ask is that during the (albeit low number of) trips I've so far had on river and sea I find it impossible to make a dent in the fuel.

I've been carrying a small 5l can as a reserve but as said I've not even used 1/2 a tank on a single outing.

Perhaps because I've been going solo the times I have been opening the throttle and also I've not been caning it for long periods?

I do have a big old 5 gal fuel tank that was for the 55 I could clean up if I do need a long range option I suppose - assume a good rinse in fresh petrol would clean out most of the old 2-stroke gunk.



(Future planning)

[Fenlander]

Chipko I appreciate the offer but I'm keeping the original Suzuki tank/line in case I sell the outboard in the future then I'll have everything as supplied new... I even took the original packing box from the dealer and it hangs in the garage roof now.

Yep weight is a factor Stig no doubt as the throttle opening to get on the plane is noticeably higher with 2 adults, 1 teen, dog, kit (& all that fuel!) than on a solo outing. I'm almost never solo.

Also... and not thought of it until just now... the pronounced V of the Aerotec particularly when well loaded doesn't skim over the water like some SIBs so is probably not as economical on fuel as others for any given outboard size.

On his report of the new Yamaha 6hp 4-stroke Gurnard managed 22.25Nm on 5lit and on our initial trip we managed 14.6Nm for the same amount of fuel. Given the difference in boat size/overall weight, hull profile & outboard size I'm happy enough with our fuel usage.

There's an old rule for fuel when boating of a third out, third for return and a third for the unexpected. Well I'm super cautious and prefer a quarter plus a quarter with half left in reserve. So a 12l tank on that calc doesn't give me enough of a day out.... particularly on our two week Scottish holidays where it's all a bit remote.

Final thing is that most of our longer distance outings are in Scotland and this year for example it's a 24ml round road trip to the petrol station from our cottage so the more we can buy each time the better.

If you wanted more range that big old tank would be perfect... as long as it was completely empty then just filling with neat fuel will be fine.

[Max...]

Stig, useful idea here:

SIB fuel use?

It is all so dependant on use - we are mainly on the sea and out there a 12l is useless - would go through that in 20 nm with no reserve. Mucking about in waves or skiing etc 10 litres would only do 15nm. I even get nervous with our 33 litre bladder nearly full sometimes.



Bladders are brilliant as they keep the whole floor area clear and hold so much as well as balancing the boat nicely with the skipper opposite.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Max...

Stig, useful idea here:

SIB fuel use?

It is all so dependant on use - we are mainly on the sea and out there a 12l is useless - would go through that in 20 nm with no reserve. Mucking about in waves or skiing etc 10 litres would only do 15nm. I even get nervous with our 33 litre bladder nearly full sometimes.



Bladders are brilliant as they keep the whole floor area clear and hold so much as well as balancing the boat nicely with the skipper opposite.

Max

Where did you get your bladder from?

Cheers

[Stigomery]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Max

Where did you get your bladder from?

Cheers

I looked at bladders, they're bladdy expensive!

So as not to derail... linky

[Max...]

Second hand - pretty good price that way but agreed, very pricey new - mainly as no-one except the military/commercial rescue boys seem to buy them and as we know they always happily over-pay for everything. Got mine from Whisper on here - maybe PM him or Matt H who seem to find these things quite often.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Max...

Second hand - pretty good price that way but agreed, very pricey new - mainly as no-one except the military/commercial rescue boys seem to buy them and as we know they always happily over-pay for everything. Got mine from Whisper on here - maybe PM him or Matt H who seem to find these things quite often.

Ah seaflex I deal with them for lift bags cheers

[Fenlander]

Well we've had another day out with the Suzuki. It now has 6 of the 10hrs needed to run in and at this stage is allowed full throttle for a max of 5mins.... oh if only the easterly breeze and sea state would allow! As so often happens we had a decent run out but by the return when I wanted to trial speeds/revs the sea state was not ideal once we headed back into wind.

I'll report more in the thread... Suzuki DF20AES - prop size but with our hefty loading in the Aerotec it feels far more gutsy and responsive with the new 10" pitch prop compared with the 11" pitch it was supplied with.

Also by re-trimming the boat to be a little less bow heavy the slightly heavy feeling to the tiller steering I'd mentioned has gone.

It really had to work hard today as by mid afternoon it was gusty and once the tide turned against wind it produced a typical short chop added to larger waves with windblown crests. Typical shake your teeth out weather for SIBs so I was on and off the throttle much of the time to make best progress and keep crew in the boat... so no real chance for it to drop into its lean burn mode.

So given load carried and the conditions I was quite happy with 8l fuel used for 18Nm.

We have adapted our way of handling the outboard so it is lifted less one-handed and doing this it's proving less stressful at 44kg than my previous "it's OK I can manage on my own" efforts with the old 36kg 2-stroke.

No more to say really... thank goodness after the outlay and taking a chance it would suit it's turned out a total success.

[Fenlander]

Much better weather yesterday for a modest 14.1Nm trip to find a cafe lunch.

We completed between the 6hr and 8hr running in period... just two more and it's finished.

Carrying our usual robust load we cruised at a very comfortable 14-17kts all the time we were out of the 4/6/8kt limits.

I tried premium unleaded this time and I'm sure it was a bit smoother... but could be wishful thinking. Regardless I will continue to use it.

Fuel used was 4.5l for the 14.1Nm. So far then fuel usage has been...

Hours 0-3 (slower speeds) 0.34 l/Nm
Hours 3-6 (difficult conditions lots of on/off throttle) 0.45 l/Nm
Hours 6-8 (yesterday, mostly cruising on the plane) 0.32 l/Nm

According to Suzuki with a lighter load (ditch both crew, dog and half my fuel) and a more skimmy floored SIB I should be able to get down to 0.2 l/Nm at a 14kt cruise.

Still no splash ingress into the Aerotec... about half a mugful after the whole day and most of that was from me jumping in from knee deep water.

Not related to the outboard as such but one image shows us just starting to pack up... from the perspective of ever present onlookers it really is a case of is that lot really all going in the back of the car.