33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

[jdsgrog]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

I'm talking about the structure. I only saw a small piece of wood (the clamping board) holding the 7hp motor. I'm not sure what is on the back of the boat nor do I know what other bracing you have in your boat. But the pics of alumacraft fd's I've seen had a well reinforced transom.

I have a lund s14. The transom has wood enclosed in aluminum, plus aluminum reinforcements for the motor clamps, plus two braces. The transom thickness, or clamping board thickness is about 2" thick. I believe the lund s14 was replaced by the ssv14. If you look at the specs of the lund utility boats, the wc14 and the ssv14 are similar, but when you look at the structure of the boat, it differs. This is reflected in the max hp allowed.

The boat you have is a sears boat that may have been made by alumacraft. But I'd wonder if the boat was the fd series boats. It's not to say the sears boat is not seaworthy. It looks like a nice boat. But putting a 33hp on a boat that may have been made for half that hp may be pushing it.

 

[DaveyHAZZ]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

yea i get where ur coming from. the transom will be replaced with a full board in the back of it. will take pics later. also i will add stainless steel brackets to reinforce it even more.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

Take a look at the USCG regs for boat manufacturers regarding horsepower capacity in the link below. Section 183.53 should give you a good picture of your boat's limitations before you start modifying it. Post any questions you have about the calculations. Good luck!

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2004/julqtr/pdf/33cfr183.53.pdf

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

Davey, you asked our opinions and now you seem to want to argue with any that don't fit your plans. There is a lot more that goes into a max horsepower rating than the strength of the transom. Although we don't have the official rating of your boat, others in this thread that have checked out the pics of your boat have agreed that it does not look like a model that has a greater than 15HP rating. Iboats does not endorse overpowering.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

One option to a a console with steering/helm wheel is stick steering. Tashasdaddy has some pix of this up on the forum in other posts...maybe do a search for "stick steering."

 

[Texasmark]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

Post some pictures of your Alumacraft 14 ft boat.Alumacraft made many different 14 ft Series boats.I once had a TS 14 Alumacraft that was only rated for 20 HP.I currently own an Alumacraft FD 14 boat that's rated at 40 HP.It has the reinforced Transom.

That must be the model my friend had as it had reasonable width, good depth for a 14' utility skiff and the transom had heavy duty castings at the corners, a splash well (slight but still had one), and a knee brace in the center.

33 was not too much power for that boat.

Mark

 

[steelespike]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

Its not that narrow, its about 53" at widest point. not to bad in weight but it is deep. any more opinions

Thats about 8" narrower than present day boats rated at 15hp.And your thinking of adding more weight with a console and appoarently a little more weight with the transom buildup.I think the 33 weighs about 150 with the tank.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

Thats about 8" narrower than present day boats rated at 15hp.And your thinking of adding more weight with a console and appoarently a little more weight with the transom buildup.I think the 33 weighs about 150 with the tank.

The 33 is probably very close to your 150 estimation when gas tank is calculated in....some have posted the actual weight of the motor in this thread...I think the motor alone was about 120....

Davey-
On this forum we are just trying to give you our honest opinions-we only want what is best for you/passengers/and boat. We definitely do not want you to overpower your boat as that could turn very ugly. I would highly suggest that you have a certified person inspect your boat and provide you with a max hp rating (if that is possible)....we just want you to be safe.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

Davey I think you are trying to put a square peg in a round hole. It's not the first time someone has posted about trying to fit a motor they have onto a boat not made for it.
Think about where you are: if the motor fits, you just screw it onand go. To make yours fit--with a big maybe--you have to reinforce the transom, move ballast around, build & install a console, rig steering and controls, while figuring out on the fly where to place it (which is really workng backwards unless you can afford to buy 3 different lengths of steering and try each of them).
Go get an 18-20 hp and be done with it. Or keep the 33 and find a 13' whaler (real or imitation) to run it on--I bet you can find a 1970's McKee Craft whaler clone for $500. You'll spend a lot less, and have more time for boating, and you will know you are safe.
Aside from hurtnig yourself or others in an uninsurable accident, consider how you will feel if you guess wrong, and your boat, motor, new console and steering ends up on the bottom.

 

[DaveyHAZZ]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

either way i need a console, im a big dude (250) and a tiller handle in the back wouldnt cut it for me. id never plane off

 

[jdsgrog]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

I'm 220 lbs and the '58 18hp tiller I had on it before my 33hp planed out the boat fine, and that was with me, a metal pressure can, trolling motor, and the motor (total of about 380 lbs.). It didn't shoot me out of the hole, but I always got on plane fine. In fact, the boat planed two of us in the boat, of course with the other guy up front.

If you are planning to put a console in, here's an idea. This is a kid with an old alumacraft (looks to be in the '60's vintage) with an 18hp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg-5ZdyL7HE&NR=1

 

[DaveyHAZZ]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

another 30 shouldnt make to much of a difference i guess. BTW he has a nice console.not as functional for me as for him tho.. i need something thats not the whole boat width. i got a seat up front i need to get too and such...thanks


D

 

[Willyclay]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

The link below is to another forum member's thread describing his efforts to modify an older aluminum boat to accept a more powerful and heavier motor. He provides details of his transom rebuild AND did it a second time to help ensure safety by staying within the USCG formula. Good luck!

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=296743

 

[steelespike]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

I think your boats rating, 650lb., includes the motor. So you,motor and a tank of gas
nothing else puts you at about 400lbs doesn't leave much for a passenger,soda,
gear and battery etc.

 

[DaveyHAZZ]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

dont need battery. 400lbs is good enough for me, as long as i can get 1 big person or 2 small ones. fine with me. dont always have to go crazy with gas either (fill up whole 6 gallon) i can do just a gallon.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

Forgive me if this has been answered already-but have you gotten either of the motors yet? just wondern how that was goin.

 

[cougar1985]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

Its not that narrow, its about 53" at widest point. not to bad in weight but it is deep. any more opinions

specs for my old woody are as follows, lenght 14 feet width 58 inches depth 23 inches and weights 275 lbs.has a stated capacity of 35hp.i weight 240lbs and have no problem running a 1958 18 hp tiller johnny but my 33 hp tiller really makes her jump.i would assume because your boat is 5 inches narrower it would do just fine with 18 to 25 hp max.

 

[funk6294]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

dont always have to go crazy with gas either (fill up whole 6 gallon) i can do just a gallon.

BAAAHHHHAAA, Ok, if you are down to the point of having to not fill a 6 GALLON gas tank all the way up just so you can make weight I think you may need to reconsider what you are doing.

Here is a rough break down of you your weights

Engine > = 130lbs
Fuel > 6 gallons * 6 lbs per gallon = 36lbs
Beer cooler > = 5lbs
12 pack beer > 12oz*12 = 144oz/16oz per lb = 9lbs
Anchor > = 12lbs
Paddle > =5lbs
20 percent Fudge Factor > =40lbs
Total of gear > =237lbs

Remainder for gear and passengers 650-237 = 413lbs

Based on the calcs I would think you are OK from a weight standpoint, but the coast guard regs for powering should still be followed.

I am no expert in this but reading the regs if you are going to use a tiller a steer then 25hp would be the max. If you do a console, then the max would come out to 33hp.

It is important to note that all of the calculation ONLY take into account the boats physical dimensions and not construction techniques, and nor do they account for the boats ability to manuver correctly with the resulting numbers from the HP calculation. They are only a starting place. When you read throug the coast guard docs there is an entire on the water testing proceedure that is used to determine boat handling characteristics with applied HP.

All of that being said, I am a total gear/speed head and am trying to figure out how you can hang that 33 off the back, but I am more inclinded to think you may want to go with a slightly smaller motor. Then again this is one mans opinion and if the owner of the motor will let you test drive it on the boat and you feel comforatable with the performance that is your call, but I am not, and nor will anyone else on here tell you to overpower your boat.

 

[DaveyHAZZ]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

you and your beeer lmao...wtf is fudge factor?..btw im selling boat anyways. getting eithe ra 15' or 16' boston whaler to suit what i want to do wuith it

 

[River - Runner]

Re: 33 hp evinrude ski twin on 14 foot alumacraft-good idea?

Safety first!

Is this your boat?

My 1968 FD Alumacraft. I bought it new. 55" beam. Rated for 40hp. The lower transom wood is only for motor mounting bolts.