Avon searider 5.4 with 60+HP 4stroke

[jvb]

Dear forum,
i am a new fan of your competent community and would like to ask advice for finding my ideal set up:

i am looking for a 5.4 avon searider with somewhat like 4stroke 60hp or bigger (not too heavy though).
i prefer a 4stroke as i sometimes need to go slow and quiet. (mainly only one person on the boat)
i dont mind a scruffy look as long as everything is functioning and reliable in any weather.
also the trailer doesnt need to be too fancy as i wont travel on land too much.
i would have it in sweet water (river Elbe) all year and use the trailer mainly just for launching it - and in winter storage.

i have a friend driving to london in 2 weeks from today who could tow it to germany for me.

i think about 5K would be a reasonable price.

any advise where to acquire would be a great help!
thank you!
jan

[doggypaddle]

A 60 especially a heavy 4stroke will leave you wanting more power unless you dont mind being slow.
I dont think the performance is particularly inspiring with a 75 4 stroke either which would be near the max transom weight~170kgs
a 90 tohatsu or yamaha 2 stroke is nece on a 5.4.
seariders were designed when 4 strokes wern't available so theyr'e not ideal. but as you point out good economy at part throttle but with 3 on board and a 60 4 stroke you wont be needing part throttle other than to do 10 knots

[doggypaddle]

Originally Posted by jvb

the trailer doesnt need to be too fancy as i wont travel on land too much.

jan

Presume it needss to get to germany though in the first place!

ollyit on here has a 5.4 he may sell with a 2 st evinrude. you can alyays change the engine.........

[jvb]

Originally Posted by doggypaddle

Presume it needss to get to germany though in the first place!

oh yes, absolutely right. so should be able to make ferry, customs, and the german Autobahn-Polizei...

Originally Posted by doggypaddle

ollyit on here has a 5.4 he may sell with a 2 st evinrude. you can alyays change the engine.........

thank you! i was looking at recent ads in the forum lately. yet didnt find the perfect match.

i prefer a working set that has been driven. i agree a 75 or 90 would be better than 60, yet i think it shouldnt get too heavy in the back.

[Zubenelgenubi]

I have recently purchased an Avon Searider 5.4 & I have fitted a new Mercury 90hp 2 stroke outboard. Its an extra long shaft (25") which fits the boat well as the transom is level at a height of 25" as it was formerly outfitted with twin engines.

The engine came supplied with a four blade 13 3/4 x 19" aluminium propellor which provides great lift & acceleration but a top end speed of just 32kn with two adults on board. Adjusting the engine tilt has a negligible increase in speed. I was hoping to get a higher top end speed than 32kn.

Could anybody with the same boat & a similar engine set up please let me know what size & type of propellor you are using?

Tks.

[jvb]

Originally Posted by Zubenelgenubi

I have recently purchased an Avon Searider 5.4 & I have fitted a new Mercury 90hp 2 stroke outboard. Its an extra long shaft (25") which fits the boat well as the transom is level at a height of 25" as it was formerly outfitted with twin engines.

The engine came supplied with a four blade 13 3/4 x 19" aluminium propellor which provides great lift & acceleration but a top end speed of just 32kn with two adults on board. Adjusting the engine tilt has a negligible increase in speed. I was hoping to get a higher top end speed than 32kn.

Could anybody with the same boat & a similar engine set up please let me know what size & type of propellor you are using?

Tks.

good question.
this is also interesting for me as i thought a pack like yours would be nice and fast(er).
maybe you should ask this question in a different forum? it is a bit hidden in here i guess.

[njensen]

i have a SR4.7 with a 2 stroke suzuki DT65 (98). currently i'm using the SS1400 (think it's 11-1/2 x 14) (stainless) propeller which gives around 33 knots. i've got 2 alu props as well and have tried a propulse composit also. The stainless is by far superior. Just now i'm considering to replace the 65 hp with a tohatsu 90 TLDI - i know it's a big one for the boat but i need the extra power to get out of the water when the boat is contains 4 persons and a lot of diving equipment. well it has been working fine since 98 ... so maybe i don't really need it ... but it would be nice :-)

[david54]

Originally Posted by Zubenelgenubi

I have recently purchased an Avon Searider 5.4 & I have fitted a new Mercury 90hp 2 stroke outboard. Its an extra long shaft (25") which fits the boat well as the transom is level at a height of 25" as it was formerly outfitted with twin engines.

The engine came supplied with a four blade 13 3/4 x 19" aluminium propellor which provides great lift & acceleration but a top end speed of just 32kn with two adults on board. Adjusting the engine tilt has a negligible increase in speed. I was hoping to get a higher top end speed than 32kn.

Could anybody with the same boat & a similar engine set up please let me know what size & type of propellor you are using?

Tks.

HI

I have 5.4 searider with yamaha 90hp 2 stroke weight 122kg, prop aluminium 13 3\4" x 17" pitch. top speed with two on board and 91 litres fuel 42mph, with one on board 44mph. engine rev to maxium 5500 revs. When I fit yamaha black ss prop 13 3/4 x 17" pitch top speed is reduced 35mph revs top out at 4800. When I bought my searider it was fitted with a dt 140hp 2 stroke weight 168 kg, fitted with 21" prop forget dia now. But top speed was 44mph on a calm day. Same speed as the 90hp, that's because the hull was desighned to do 44mph. Pick up with 140 hp was exceptional whole boat would lift out water, but you could only get top speed on calm day with all the weight placed in the front of boat and engine trim right in. Handling is great with the yamaha fitted suits the searider well, lightest 90hp 2 stroke there is. Does your engine rev to it's max rpm with the 19" prop if not try a 17"

[Zubenelgenubi]

I now have a 3 blade 13x19" aluminium prop & the engine is running at 6000 rpm (max rated is 5500). Im going to try a 21" prop, hopefully this weekend, this should reduce the rpm to 5500 ish & hopefully increase the top end speed. Its seems from all the SR gurus on here that a Laser II SS prop of 20" pitch is the way to go, a new one is $428 though!

[JSP]

Going back to four strokes on 5.4 searider. My 115 V4 2 stroke weighs in at 163 KG, the max transom weight is 175kg. A Yamaha 90TLR 4 stroke is 168kg. So what would be stopping someone (me if any one can give me the money) sticking a 90 4 stroke on?

[david54]

Originally Posted by JSP

Going back to four strokes on 5.4 searider. My 115 V4 2 stroke weighs in at 163 KG, the max transom weight is 175kg. A Yamaha 90TLR 4 stroke is 168kg. So what would be stopping someone (me if any one can give me the money) sticking a 90 4 stroke on?

Good question, from my experience with the suzuki dt 140 hp fitted 168kg it was either to heavy or to powerful. The searider didn't handle well with it on. If yours handles ok with 115 hp and nearly the same weight as the dt, that would mean the dt 140 was trying to push the hull through the water past it's design speed of 44 mph. So that would mean the weight wasn't the problem.

It's definitely a better handling boat with the yamaha 90hp 2 stroke fitted @122kg.
I was in at the north wales boat show last year and got talking with the avon dealer and he has sold a couple 5.4 seariders with the 80hp yamaha 4 stroke same weight as the 90hp I think. He reckoned that was about max power/weight you could use on the searider with out up setting the handling.

In my opium the lighter the better, if I had the money for a new engine i would go for the 90 etec or tohatsu 90 tldi 2 stroke. What does any one else think?

[Rogue Wave]

As good old doggyfashion pointed out the considerable lack of power the small 4 stoike combination will deliver will be an expensive disapointment. Best engine for a 5.4 is a 2 stroke 90 yammie. If you can't abide the thought of having a proper engine on the back then look at a smaller new tech 2 stroke Tohatsu tldi 90 might be nice, etec 90 or an opti 90 perhaps

I repeat the 4 stroke combination will be very disapointing on the 5 .4 searider and a waste of a great hull

[Downhilldai]

90 Opti is quite heavy though.
Turbodiesel posted some test results of various 2-stroke Mercs on a SR5.4 a little while back:

http://rib.net/forum/showpost.php?p=278606&postcount=32

[Rogue Wave]

agreed on the weight of an Optii a Yammie 2 stroke 90 is 116kg (and definitely a Carlsberg engine in my opinion i.e. possibly the best engine ever made)

I think the Etec and TLDI come in around 145 KG and the Opti is 180

Which is consistent with the order that i recomended the engines

Interestingly enough a a yammie F90 is 164 kg so I think i'd go for that before the Opti. I firmly believe a 60 4 stroke on a 5.4 will be a heartbreaker inless you just do river work

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

agreed on the weight of an Optii a Yammie 2 stroke 90 is 116kg (and definitely a Carlsberg engine in my opinion i.e. possibly the best engine ever made)

I think the Etec and TLDI come in around 145 KG and the Opti is 180

Which is consistent with the order that i recomended the engines

Interestingly enough a a yammie F90 is 164 kg so I think i'd go for that before the Opti. I firmly believe a 60 4 stroke on a 5.4 will be a heartbreaker inless you just do river work

164KG is not far off the weight of my engine.

[RockPowerboats]

Hi there,
not sure if you now have the boat you want but I'm selling my SeaRider 5.4M. Mine is fitted with 2 x 40hp Johnson 2 stroke outboards. Plenty of go, nice and light and nice handling. Theres a photo in the "For Sale" section of this forum.
Interior is immaculate, tubes average and hull a little untidy (purely cosmetic however and she remains perfectly serviceable)
I am asking £6000 or nearest offer for mine as it is on a brand new Hallmark trailer fitted with working brakes which has never seen water (salt or fresh)
Please feel free to get in touch if you are interested you can email me on enquiries@aplmarine.co.uk or you can phone me, either on 00441758614614 or 00447814766856 and ask for Andy
Many thanks
Andy

[chewy]

Originally Posted by JSP

Going back to four strokes on 5.4 searider. My 115 V4 2 stroke weighs in at 163 KG, the max transom weight is 175kg. A Yamaha 90TLR 4 stroke is 168kg. So what would be stopping someone (me if any one can give me the money) sticking a 90 4 stroke on?

Can't see why not mate?

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by chewy

Can't see why not mate?

Nor can I.

[JSP]

Right come lads, all chip in so I can try it out!