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I have a little 14' aluminum boat with a 9.9 hp motor which I figured would get me around to go fishing. I am worried, though, that the motor won't get me off Utah Lake fast enough when the wind comes up. I am looking at options in the 15-25 hp range. Any opinions about which would work best? It seems that I might get 1 mph for each horsepower. Does that sound about right or am I way off? What would it take to make it plane? Thanks for helping out someone who is still catchinon.
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The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
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A boat that length with a 9.9hp motor is good enough, there is sufficient power. If you're caught out in a strong wind your best option is not to see how fast you can go but powering the boat to bring bow up so you prevent scooping water. It's also hard to control a boat at high speeds bouncing from wave to wave.
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I could not agree more Roger.
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I also agree. Sound advice. In rough weather I like to lower the motor so the V of the bow plows a bit more into the waves. It gives a better ride, offers more control, and reduces the sudden bow lift when you hit a wave. As far as HP, to me small boats always seem to be under powered. I prefer to max out the HP allowed on the Coast Guard rating plate. That and the correct prop will increase the versatility of your boat. You can effectively use the boat when you max out the people/weight rating and/or give you more speed when conditions allow. I like those kind of options.
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This sounds like a logical reply. Put max allowed hp. That way you have power when wanted or needed. Then use safe judgement on how much throttle to give it with current conditions. Just because you have 25 hp, doesnt mean you have to run wide open throttle the whole time.
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Thanks all for your input.
My boat either doesn't have a capacity plate or it is too faded out to read. It's an early '70s vintage and the plate became a requirement in Nov. 1972 so it may have been manufactured too early to have a Coast Guard plate. I've done a lot of research and have seen such boats powered with up to 25-30 hp motors. The thinking is that it's better to have it and not use it than to need it and not have it. A 15 hp motor seems to weigh little more than a 9.9 but a 25 is a considerable amount more weight hanging on your tail. I'm just going to have to get it out and see what the dynamics are like with the 9.9 and see if I would even feel like I need/want more power.
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A pic of you boat would help too Craig, if it is a shallow drafting boat a motor too big could sink it in big waves.
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Could do that soon. I sure appreciate all your help, everyone. Yeah, if it has such a shallow draft that the gunwales are always down near the water I don't want it and will sell it and get something better. I don't have much extra cash (my wife says zero) but I want to stay as safe and comfortable as I can.
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Do you think your wife will get mad if you sell her car for a boat? Tell her you’ll take her fishing everyday maybe that will calm things down lol. Just a thought I had one day but my wife threatened me with my life...
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Heck, she won't even let me put a lift kit or a hitch on it [
][angelic]. You know, she's such a sweetheart that she would go out with me (but not every day). In my present boat I mean--just to make sure I would be safe.
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Well I did some more checking and research and found out it is a 1972 Rich Line Challenger. There is a full-color brochure for both 1971 and 1972 with specs online. I was correct--it was rated for a 40 HP motor. In the 1973 brochure the recommended HP was dropped to 25. It has a BIA load capacity of 870 pounds and the boat itself is either 175 or 200 pounds depending on what year brochure you look at.
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The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
