Max HP?

[vandy21]

The max Horse Power on my bayliner says 140hp, but there are so many more 150hp outboards. I would like to get as much power out of my boat as possible, but dont want to strain my boat. I was wondering if i could get away with a 150 or not, and also, would i potentially get in trouble for this? I am going to replace the floor on my boat soon and could possibly strengthen the transom if that would help.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Max HP?

If you got a 141 Hp, you would still be breaking the law in many of not most states.

That being said, a 135 V-6 Black Max will beat the snot out of any V-4 or inline-6 140.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Max HP?

yeah thats what i figured, and thanks for the motor advice

 

[hitace]

Re: Max HP?

you could always get 140 decal stickers from ebay they will never know

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Max HP?

if you can't change the law, then the law can't change you ..... get a new made plate ..... or change the decals on the motor ..... there is always ways around everything .....

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Max HP?

Sure, there are always ways to cheat. But that 2L 135 Black Max is still the fastest legal option, and it'll get dang close to what a 2L 150 Black Max will do. Same cubes. Get into overpowering and you open yourself up to a whole host of unpleasantries.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Max HP?

if you can't change the law, then the law can't change you ..... get a new made plate ..... or change the decals on the motor ..... there is always ways around everything .....

You've gotta be joking. Here's a scenario: You get in an accident that's your fault and someone is injured. It happens all the time. During the investigation of this accident your little subterfuge with the decals or ID plate is discovered.

The fact that the boat is overpowered added to the fact that you deliberately altered the engine or boat to make it appear that it was not over the HP limit for your boat means that you pay, and pay big. You might even check your insurance policy, which probably has an exclusion for overpowered boats.

Advising people to do stuff like that is a very bad idea.

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Max HP?

i'm not telling them what to do, just a suggestion to what I would have done if we had your laws, you see .... even if you have an accident and they find out the truth, there is nothing they can do if you claim that you bought the boat like that ......... how would they prove you are the one who fiddled with the plate or the decals ..... as I tell the water cops that stop me ..... "I just bought this boat and we washed it with a chemical wash through a water compressor, and that is why, officer, my licence have a funny colour ..... " hahahaha

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Max HP?

Fine with me. You take the risk.

My point is that iboats probably doesn't want to be in the business of telling people they should do something illegal. Here in the USA, you can lose your home and everything you have over an accident like that. Insurance companies don't care about your explanation about an overpowered boat...assuming that you have insurance in the first place.

Here, you're responsible for what you do. It's the owner's responsibility to know how his boat is equipped. Besides, altering the plate on your boat or sticking incorrect decals on the engine is pretty easily spotted.

It's just a bad idea, and it's an idea that can get very costly if you're in an accident.

The guy can do whatever he wants, as long as he's willing to handle the consequences, but I don't think that iboats is interested in helping him do the wrong thing.

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Max HP?

true, true ..... as long as one accepts the inevitable I guess .....

 

[vandy21]

Re: Max HP?

yeah i see both sides of the argument, i dont think that i am going to over power my boat because a few more horsepower isnt woth the risk of all that. i was just wondering how bad of an idea it is. i think a 135 or a 140hp should power that 18 footer just fine.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Max HP?

Yeah, either will push your boat right along. It's just not worth the risk of overpowering, even if it's just 10 hp, in my opinion.

That extra 10 hp won't do much, really, anyhow, to improve your performance.

The one place I draw the line on this is on an older fishing boat rated for a 14 hp engine. I saw one with that rating just the other day. Ain't nobody making those engines anymore, so I'd put a 15 on it in a second. It's the same percentage difference as you're talking about, but there's not much risk of me causing a big boating accident with a little tinnie out fishing on the water.

Different story with a larger faster boat. The risk for an accident is much higher, so the liability risk is higher, too.