osprey eagle engine rating ?

nugent · 02 April 2009, 10:19

I have been looking on various sites,
can any one confirm the engine rating 90 or 110hp. short or long shaft..
i am a little confused on the hull set up as it measures end to end 6.0mtrs but spec say there a 5.6mtr

been offerd a nice 140hp suki at the right dosh, but will cause insurance issues,
fun tho

Pete7 · 02 April 2009, 13:06

Pull up a sandbag a quick history lesson

Two decades ago Offshore Components the boat building division of Northern Diver asked Ralph and Mike to update the Osprey 18 and came up with the new range of: Merlin 5.0m, sparrowhawk 5.2m, Eagle 5.6m and the rare Sea Harrier at 6.4m.

The Merlin was a disaster and quickly dropped, leaving the Sparrowhawk with a recommended maximum of 75 hp and I think the Eagle at 100 hp. The Sparrowhawk would do 36 mph with 75 hp and the Eagle 44 mph in race trim.

The Sea Harrier was recommended for 135 hp but one with 200 hp Merc V6 broke the boat (The same owner also broke an XR24 replacement by hitting a partially submerged wreck at 50 mph in the middle of the night) whilst pissed

In 1993 a customer asked Offshore Components to build a Sparrowhawk with a Suzi 115 hp. They refused because they knew the customer and also suggested it was far too much power for a little rib. However the customer persisted so eventually a Sparrowhawk was built with dire warnings from the manufacturer. A year later the new owner returned to say fab boat and nothing went wrong so Osprey upped the rating for the Sparrowhawk to 115 hp having been field tested by a customer for a year. The Eagle also got uplift to something like 150 hp.

As with most rib manufacturers of the time a tape measure bore no resemblance to the quoted lengths or widths and weights were a best guess depending on how much a trailer bent under the load.

Pete

Pete7 · 02 April 2009, 13:10

Most transoms were 21 inches btw, so that a long shaft engine of 20 inches would sit 1" above the keel.

Pete

nugent · 02 April 2009, 15:17

Pete
you are a star, so 115 is fare game but 140 asking to break sumat or me

year of manu early 90's me finks

cheers for the response

Pete7 · 02 April 2009, 19:18

Which 140 Suzi were you thinking of putting on it? Does it have the original A frame which helped support the transom.

Pete

Downhilldai · 02 April 2009, 23:34

Soozook DT115 and DT140 are the same basic motor.

Nasher · 02 April 2009, 23:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Soozook DT115 and DT140 are the same basic motor.

Yep, except one is more fun on a 6m boat

Nasher.

Downhilldai · 02 April 2009, 23:50

Loads of spares available for these old girls...........................Does that DT140 need a new hood, Nuge?

nugent · 03 April 2009, 07:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Loads of spares available for these old girls...........................Does that DT140 need a new hood, Nuge?

not that i know of its on another boat that i have been offerd at the right sorta cash,

still haggling its going on tho one way or tother i hope

blufin · 03 April 2009, 17:12

i put a 130 v4 yam on an eagle..no probs..great boat..went well..as pete says 21" transom. iirc at the time the hull was rated for 115hp.
hth gerry

nugent · 04 April 2009, 05:23

wide awake and chomping at the bit,

Makakie · 08 June 2009, 20:52

A little bit offtopic but why was the Osprey Merlin a disaster?

Pete7 · 09 June 2009, 10:42

The Merlin hull is a cut down Sparrowhawk, but it is too deep and wide so tips from side to side at rest. Also it isn't 5m more like 4.8m. the extra length of the Sparrowhawk whilst still slightly tippy (compared to later desings) is far more stable at rest.

Under way the Merlin runs bow up even with the engine trimmed in and needs careful distribution of weight up the sharp end. Osprey stopped making them in 92 because the Sparrowhawk was much better whilst costing little more to produce.

I part exchanged my Merlin for a Sparrowhawk and there was a big difference.

Peter

Makakie · 09 June 2009, 11:54

Thanks Peter!

No Merlin for me