Suzuki 300HP outboards for cruising
When our friends at US Harbors asked if we had any interesting stories about cruising boats that use outboard engines, their timing couldn’t have been better. I had recently sea trialed the new Aspen C128 that features twin Suzuki 300HP outboards. This 44’ proa catamaran has a lot of cruising amenities including three cabins (one with a king-sized bed), two heads, a fully equipped galley, twin steering stations both inside and up on the flybridge, and an EZ davit system that allows you to deploy an 11’ tender between the engines. Twin outboards like the Suzukis provide speed, efficiency, and reliability ideal for long range cruisers like the Aspen. Their shallow draft and the ease of maneuverability the outboards provide is also ideal when cruising.
The Suzuki DF300BS V6 power with a 4.4-liter displacement provides plenty power and the counter rotating dual-props deliver extra grip that translates into the torque required to move the Aspen C128 smoothly and quickly up to a top speed of around 30 mph. But what if one engine fails, a prop gets fouled, or you simply need to save fuel in order to gain cruising range? Can a single Suzuki 300HP outboard power this 24,000lb cruiser effectively? Find out in this US Harbors article that focuses on the new outboard powered Aspen C128 catamaran.
