need horse power advice

[shorty28]

Im buying a new Aluminum Jon boat. 18' with 60" bottom and 82" beam. Side console and raised fishing deck front and rear. Boat weighs about 800lbs. HP rating is 50 to 90. Seems like a 90 would be too heavy for this boat. I plan to hunt in shallow marshes as well as fish in shallow tailwaters. Don't know if a 50 would be enough for the bigger waters I plan to fish as well. Im not in a hurry, just don't want to strain motor. Any one out there have a similar rig?? Any advice??

 

[rodbolt]

Re: need horse power advice

hello<br /> I would go with the 90. not that you will always use the power but its nice when you have a load of icy decoys and the wind is smoking and the dogs are wet. its been my experience in selling and servicing boats that underpowered boats really bite. merc and yammy make a nice proven 3cyl 90 that is not that heavy. the weight is not going to make it sit but an inch or so lower and with the console fwd your weight will be off the transom some. nissan and tohatsu make some good engines as well. jury is still out on E-tec and bomb stuff. time will tell.<br /> good luck but my advice is buy the largest thing its rated for.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: need horse power advice

I'll second the motion by Rodbolt....go with a 90hp, seldom will full power be needed, but you'll be glad it's there when you do....

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: need horse power advice

I'm gonna go the other way. That's a Jon boat. You're not going to take it out in big water if it's rough. It'll beat you to death. I'd go with the smaller class. 50 or 60 2-stroke. It'll sit a tad higher for back in the shallows, and the gearcase is smaller so you'll have a few inches less below the hull (don't get a Bigfoot). Mount it fairly high and put a small one-piece hydrofoil on it. It'll scoot! Flat-bottom boats don't need a lot of horsepower to push them...not like a V.

 

[james roach]

Re: need horse power advice

If you are OK being limited to a top speed of 25 mph get the 50. If you want the ability to do 40+ mph then get the 90. An underpowered boat sucks and anyone that tells you differently must be running an underpowered boat. You will be paying nice money for this rig so make sure you get it right. Take this advice to heart. I chose a 120 HP over a 150 HP on a new boat once and regretted it every day until I sold the boat. You dont have to be in a hurry but the ability to be in a hurry is nice. Please post results so if you opt for the lesser power the next man wont. Thanks and good luck.<br />James

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: need horse power advice

90 hp is the way to go. I agree, there are times you just want to get back to the dock fast. If it's rated for it, there's a reason.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: need horse power advice

I think 25mph is awfully pessemistic, James. 35mph would not be unrealistic.<br /><br />Just a side note about flat-bottom boats. One place I worked had a 20' Jon workboat with an 8' beam. An old 7.5Hp Scott Atwater they had planed that boat off with no trouble. You don't need a lot of horsepower to make them go. If we were talking about a v-hull in deep water, I'd agree with you guys all the way.