Mazziena 26CC – V8 350hp Honda
Mazziena 26CC – V8 350hp Honda
NJ Prince 27 Exclusive - DF300BMD Suzuki
Only those who’ve felt salt drying on their lips cannot ever forget the taste of a true journey.
And a true journey has no destination, nor does it seek harbors.
It’s the silence that speaks louder than words,
the fears you’ve overcome,
the storms that didn’t break you,
the moments you felt so small but didn’t give up,
the return to your truest self…
We were a five-person crew, with 300 liters of fuel and all our equipment loaded onto the Nuova Jolly Prince 27—the official boat of the "OLIMPIA 2025" mission. This was part of a symbolic relay race held in conjunction with the Winter Olympic Games in Milan, involving seven different crews covering a total of 3,842 nautical miles.
Mounted on the boat’s transom was Suzuki’s 300hp dual-prop engine, driving 15 1/2” x 21” propellers with a 2.29:1 gear ratio. The new DF300 is the world’s first 300hp four-stroke outboard with dual counter-rotating propellers. The innovative pairing of Suzuki’s dual-prop system and two-stage gear reduction helps deliver superior torque—specifically designed for heavier models. The DF300 is built to run on 87-octane fuel, making it ideal for everyday use on larger boats.
Participating in the fourth part of this journey, we covered 546 nautical miles over five days, consuming 947 liters of fuel—that’s 1.73 liters per nautical mile.This trip was also a great opportunity to evaluate both the Prince 27 and the 300hp Suzuki engine in real-world conditions through an exhaustive, multi-mile endurance test.
Day 1 – Friday, May 2, 2025
We departed from Skiathos Port at 11:30 AM, heading east toward Linaria on Skyros—65 nautical miles away. Weather conditions were excellent, with variable winds not exceeding 3 Beaufort. Cruising at 28 knots and 4000 RPM, the Prince 27’s deep-V hull clearly showed its offshore character, giving us a smooth and enjoyable ride.
At 2:00 PM, we entered the beautiful port of Skyros and refueled at the dockside station.
On the next day, we stayed in Skyros as a strong north wind, peaking at 6 Beaufort, prevented us from crossing to Psara.
Day 2 – Sunday, May 4
At 11:30 AM, with the north wind subsiding, we set course for Psara for a short coffee and rest stop.
We cruised comfortably at 27 knots, and two hours later we rounded the black ridge of the island, slowly entering its picturesque harbor.
After an hour’s stay, we headed for Chios, where members of the OFSX (Chios Inflatable Boat Club) had prepared an unforgettable welcome for us. Two hours later, accompanied by the club’s rescue RIB, we entered their narrow harbor—headquarters of the club—greeted with horns, smoke flares, and fireworks. We celebrated with food and festivities until sundown and then moored the boat at the main port.
Day 3 – Monday, May 5
At 11:30 AM, with the southern wind picking up, we set our course toward the Samos-Ikaria channel. Midway through, we faced a fresh 5 Beaufort headwind and decided to alter our course toward the eastern tip of Samos, where the conditions were much calmer.
We stopped for coffee and fuel at a marina near Pythagorio, then continued toward Lipsi—our scheduled overnight stop.
We covered a total of 105 nautical miles before arriving at the charming port of Lipsi.
Day 4 – Tuesday, May 6
After a wonderful evening hosted by our friends at Lipsi, we set off for Kos Marina for a short coffee and refueling stop.
We then cruised to Symi—our next overnight stop.
After a 90-nautical-mile course, we docked at the island’s fantastic harbor, enjoying the magical view of colorful houses climbing up the hillside.
Day 5 – Wednesday, May 7
After enjoying beautiful Symi, we pointed the bow toward Kastellorizo—our final destination, roughly 100 nautical miles away.
Up to Rhodes, we cruised into a fresh 4 Beaufort wind, where the Prince 27’s hull sliced through wave crests like butter, offering yet another smooth ride.
Once we left Rhodes in our wake, the weather calmed, allowing us to maintain an average cruising speed of 30–32 knots.
At 5:00 PM, we slowly entered Kastellorizo’s picturesque harbor, once again captivated by the stunning sight of colorful houses embracing the bay.
Performance Review
Both the Suzuki engine and the Prince 27 left us with an outstanding impression.
The boat handled beautifully in all sea conditions, with its knifelike hull softening our ride and delivering a journey with great comfortable and safe.
It’s also worth noting the boat’s exceptionally solid construction—despite the prolonged strain of many miles, we experienced no annoying creaks or noises and could move freely around the deck, both aft and at the bow.
Sea Trial Results
While in Skyros, I had the opportunity to have a more detailed sea trial with just two crew members and 300 liters of fuel, without our luggage.
The boat got on plane in 6 seconds, stayed on plane at 2500 RPM with a speed of 11 knots, accelerated to 30 knots in 8 seconds, and reached 40 knots in 14 seconds.
At 3000 RPM, we cruised at 18 knots consuming 1.38 liters per nautical mile.
At 3500 RPM, we did 23 knots with 1.43 L/NM.
At 4000 RPM, we cruised at 28 knots consuming 1.6 L/NM, and at 4500 RPM we reached 32.5 knots burning 1.75 L/NM.
At WOT (Wide Open Throttle), the Prince 27 recorded a top speed of 44.5 knots, with the engine approaching the manufacturer’s recommended RPM limit.
You can see our measurements in the table below:
A close look at the performance table shows that this test setup requires no major adjustments, and the slip values across the RPM range are excellent.
The only recommendation we’d make is to switch to 15 1/2” x 19.5” props when the boat is heavily loaded, allowing the engine to reach its maximum RPM range.
It’s worth noting that even during the journey—with five crew members and full luggage—the cruising speed and fuel consumption at 4000 and 4500 RPM remained consistent.
This is yet another major advantage of Suzuki’s dual-prop outboard.
Manufacturer:
Nuova Jolly Marine
Via Bologna, 3/5 - 20060 Bussero (Milano)
Tel. 02/95334031 - Fax 02/9503235
www.nuovajollymarine.com
infojolly@nuovajolly.it
