Repowering 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

[thedockboy]

Looking at putting a 1992 88 horse Johnson 2 stroke on a 1987 20 foot Wellcraft Fisherman Centrer Console. Is this enough power? We just use to take from the slip to fish in local waters in long Island Sound. Do not need speed just reliable transport. Is this enough to take 2-3 adults out without issue? We do not go out when rough etc. anyway but I am wondering if the engine is too small for the boat.

 

[JB]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Look at the capacities plate or sticker, dockboy. It will say Max power. Anything above 70% of that Max power rating and at or below the Max rating should perform well.

Good luck.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Looking at putting a 1992 88 horse Johnson 2 stroke on a 1987 20 foot Wellcraft Fisherman Centrer Console. Is this enough power? We just use to take from the slip to fish in local waters in long Island Sound. Do not need speed just reliable transport. Is this enough to take 2-3 adults out without issue? We do not go out when rough etc. anyway but I am wondering if the engine is too small for the boat.

Ayuh,... It sounds pretty anemic to me...

A 20' boat is more likely to have 150hp, Plus...

 

[Monterey10]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

I had a 140 hp on mine. To run an 88, you would have to prop it down several pitches. The V-20 I had had a deep V hull. It rode nice. This is why you may need the larger engine.

 

[Philster]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

It's probably not enough power based on JB's guidelines.

A 20' boat like that is rated for at least -- at least -- 175 HP, and that means 122.5 would be the baseline power. I'd say you could get away with a 115HP 2-stroke as the minimum power. That would be just enough.

(That hull might be rated for 200 HP)

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Or another option - twin 88 HP's

 

[Solittle]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

An 88 won't cut it. The Wellcraft is one of the heavier boats and it rides great because of the weight. In my book a 115 would be minimum.

Oh and I own a 1988 23' Wellcraft CC with twin 110s.

 

[thedockboy]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Yeah- I did not think enough - a 235 is the recommended max.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

although you plan short, safe trips, an underpowered boat in tidal waters is dangerous. You need to be able to get out of the way of large vessels quickly; you need power to get home against tide and wind if it catches you--and it doesn't take much to create a problem for an underpowered boat. You need enough power to be able to trim the boat correctly. You need a motor large enough that if it drops a cylinder--a common occurence--or has other mechanical issues it can still get your home or out of danger.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Actually for small water it could likely work, my V-20 center console fisherman JUMPS with my 78 115 on it... the issue would be if you get into bad weather and need to make a run for it.... I hate to push another forum here but come on over to wellcraftv20.com and tell em smokeonthewater sent ya.... we'll line ya out... It's pretty well known there that 90 hp (including your 88) is the smallest useable motor for these boats.... 60 hp won't plane it well if at all.

these boats are actually pretty light.... IIRC 930 lbs for just the hull

EDIT: I completely missed HC's post and he does make some very good points.... personally I wouldn't leave an area that I was sure I could get help quickly unless I had two engines and two fuel tanks...

 

[gardnerJ]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?


1972 with 225 Yamaha, rebuilt stringers and transom. YES!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

Re: Repwoerina 20' Wellcraft - is 88 horse enough?

It just occurred to me also that that 88hp is rated at the prop and my 115hp is rated at the crank.... you may well have the same hp as me and while the above 225 would surely kick my butt, my boat runs really well with no lack of power whatsoever.... in fact on my first testdrive one of my 3 carbs stuck the float valve and I lost a good chunk of power.... the boat still planed...


I bet that yammie makes her FLY