Twin outboards counter rotation is it necessary?

Question

I would like to set up a boat with twin outboards, I have a opertunity to buy 2 used 50 hp motors but they are standard and both turn same direction. will the trim tabs take care of tourque or do twins need to be counter rotating. Is there a high hp that is a line not to cross or what?

Answer 1

Don't know anything about outboards specifically but common sense tells me the outboards must be counter rotating or a left-hand and a right-hand propellor must be fitted.

Answer 2

Your offered option will work, but you will not achieve maximum efficiency, and there will be a lot of stress in the steering linkages. Trim tabs won't do anything for this situation. It's about the extremely powrful vortexes which are set up by your propellers as they act on the water.

I was just dealing with this exact same problem with a biggish boat with twin inboard diesels, and nothing we did made any great difference.

So.....if you have the resources, try and get a left hand motor to go with your right hand ( assuming it's that way round ), if not see if you can pick up a spare LH transmission leg.

Good luck.