However, Watt didnt let that fact bother him, and it didnt bother his customers, either. If youre interested in one of our boat models, but are still wondering how much horsepower you need, were here to help please dont hesitate to contact us. While abiding by your insurance companys rules for boat horsepower, its important to remember that doesnt mean a change in horsepower wont bring a change in your premium cost. Remember that for any given horsepower 4 stroke engines are usually a lot heavier than 2 stroke. The boat may simply be too heavy at the rear because the load distribution is uneven. For the majority, the computation method is best to use. Through reading this information, youll be able to learn more about where it came from, how its calculated, how to determine the amount you need and the dangers that come with having too much. Many underlying factors affect the endurance of the motor, such as maintenance, type, and age. For example, a 5,000-pound boat could have an engine with between 125 and 200 horsepower. Remember the boat horsepower-to-weight ratio once youve decided on horsepower and are matching outboard to boat size. Repeat, increasing the turn in speed until you can no longer pass the test, or you reach the maximum throttle. Once youve considered the use of your boat, the next question to ask is what the normal number of passengers for your boat will be. The centerline of the prop shaft should be 3 1/2" below the plane pad with the engine cavitation plate paraelell with the plane pad in the center of your boat. As we all know, the best static trim, of the motor, to get to plane is no good when planning, and passengers want to move around. You also need to know a well maintained four-stroke gasoline engine is estimated to burn about 0.5 pounds of fuel per horsepower per hour, while a similar diesel engine is estimated to burn 0.4 pounds of fuel per hour. Putting an over-sized engine on your boat will cause your boat to sit too low in the stern, and that will make it much more susceptible to being swamped by its own wake or that of a passing boat. As I am not altogether familiar with salmon trolling I pinged the Scania distributor in Seattle (Tim Sandeman - Cascade Engine Center) for his input. This website uses cookies to ensure you have the best user experience on our website. The divisor, 5,252, comes from a series of calculations that convert rpm to radians per second. Keep this fact in mind as you consider what horsepower to choose. made a great little harbor tug - I moved a lot of sail boats out of harms way during a couple of pretty good storms. Most V6 models can tow up to 5,000 pounds and most V8 models can tow up to 7,300 pounds. It is important to be informed about your outboard boats engine capacity concerning how long it has before it finally gives out. In no way was the engine's weight too much for that hull. 30 Yami twin, (11 pitch - cupped), Tilt nTrim (PT-35, (6 setback)), and a homemade dolphin (3/16 aluminum), that just kisses the water surface at 20 plus mph.I can trim down, get on plane quick when loaded, maintain plane at 12/13 mph if it gets too rough, and I can trim up to just shy of porpoising, which is 30 mph lightly loaded.Moreover, last weekend we went from Pohick bay on the Potomac, north to Roosevelt Island and back a superb sight-seeing trip of the Nationals Capitol BTW. Unfortunately, comparing the steam engine to the Newcomen engine wasnt effective marketing, as most of the population was still using horses for mechanical work. This is an extremely important factor, as it could affect your ability to get insurance coverage for your boat. The good news is, these rules are in place for boat manufacturers, so assuming your boats manufacturer is following the federal regulations, you can consider the maximum horsepower capacity listed on your boat meets the federal regulation for its maximum horsepower. Contact us at 1-800-736-7685 2200 West Monroe Street Decatur, IN 46733. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Today, it applies to boat and auto engines, but its original use was to describe the power of a steam engine. I've seen an F60 motor on a 15' Alert (heavier version of the classic 15 Sport) and it appeared too heavy even on it. with standard prop - too fast. There are a few different ways you can define overpowering a boat. For example, other experiments determined one horsepower equals 746 watts of energy. Too heavy a motor can make a small boat unsafe or cause listing and drainage problems aboard larger boats. If that's the highest hp you can get from that engine, then I would go with the lighter weight/smaller footprint 9L Deere in 550hp. There are three main areas of insurance the amount of horsepower you choose for your boat will affect overall coverage, premium cost and type of policy. The transom must be sufficiently strong when mounting more than an inch above the original transom top. But this aircraft carrier can float, even though it's over 300m (1000ft) long, at least a million times heavier than you are, and carries about 70 airplanes and 4000 sailors. An overpowered boat is also hard to control. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. As a boat manufacturer, at Formula Boats we know the balance of giving you the power and speed you want while making sure safety is a priority. There are several factors to take into consideration when youre determining how much horsepower you need the manufacturers limits and recommendations, boat horsepower-to-weight ratio, fuel efficiency, use of the boat, number of people on the boat and an industry rule of thumb. If youve been searching for a boat to purchase, or have reached the point at which youd like to get a new engine, chances are youve asked the question, How much horsepower do I need for my boat? While the individual concerns may be different wanting to make sure theres enough horsepower or not too much horsepower its a question many people who are interested in purchasing a new boat ask. Imagine you have a large socket wrench with a two-foot handle. In the late 1700s, a Scottish engineer named James Watt invented the first steam engine, which improved on a design pioneered by Thomas Newcomen in 1712. First it is too heavy for a 13 foot boat. However, it is still true in some cases, and that additional weight is another component of high horsepower that can be dangerous. Currently thinking about the 20hp Honda. Y ou can't walk on water: you're too heavy and you'll sink like a stone. If you can complete the 90-degree turn without losing control of the boat or reducing the throttle, your boat has passed the test. Once the torque has been determined, youre able to convert torque to horsepower by multiplying torque by revolutions per minute (rpm) and dividing that product by 5,252. There have been numerous replies without any further comments from the initiator. According to the federal government, yes. Is Magnuman still reading this discussion? The relevance of horsepower, the measurement of 550 foot-pounds per second, didnt stop with the Industrial Revolution. When youre focused on adjusting the power trim of the boat, you now have two additional metal plates you can use to do the heavy lifting when it comes to tilting the engine in or out. too, that engine heights are right and the boat isn't driving its bow in too deep when there is no trim applied or the boat is running in a neutral trim position. This usually means that with dual engines, they must be mounted an inch lower than a single engine on a boat of similar speed. Sounds like you have the engine trimmed incorrectly, it should be all the way down to get your boat on a plane, then trimmed up to increase speed by lifting th bow about 3/4 trim up on the trim indicator. Discover a boat you like through our boat builder? If you have a boat that was built before 1972, came from overseas or was home-built, you may not have a capacity plate, but boat owners manuals are often available online. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Or will you be pulling water skiers, wakeboarders and tubers? Your boat dealer or boat builder should be contacted. Just to warn you though, there are about a hundred people who are going to tell you the following: 20/25hp is perfect for a boat that you let your kids/teenagers use by themselves35/40hp is good if you weigh your boat down with people or gear50 hp is just a waste of gas, because the hook shape in the bottom of the whaler hull drags, and prevents the hull from going much faster no matter how much horsepower you throw at it. Even though we narrow down the options, it can still be tough to choose the amount of horsepower that will give you performance based on boat weight and use, but also fuel efficiency. Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features! See: http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/002449.html for a discussion of imputed maximum transom weights for classic Boston Whaler boats. Place sandbags or buckets of water near the installation location to replicate the weight, and then see how it affects your boat. The rule of thumb is based on weight alone, and says you should have between 40 and 25 pounds of weight for each horsepower. Re: 120 lb 25hp kicker too heavy? Engines will have a point in rpm at which the power available from the engine has reached its maximum. On the other hand, thicker oil is good for maintaining good oil pressure in a performance engine. Improper operation; Overheating from excessive load will show up only at higher throttle settings. If not, you can always contact the boats manufacturer to inquire about their limits and recommendations for your particular boat model. Is it illegal to overpower a boat? This is known as peak horsepower its often documented as ___ HP at ____ rpm., Once you understand the history of horsepower and how thats connected to the calculation we use today, its natural to wonder how much horsepower your boat needs. Torque is easiest to explain through an example. which isnt too bad because there is a discrepancy in how manufacturers weigh The boats reach an enourmous speed and are very very loud! Going under the range will cause the boat to lug, while going over can cause engine strain. This arrangement is pretty common to all outboard engines in this size range. with a power prop it made a marvelous ski boat. Yes, the range is wide, but thats because boats have a variety of different designs and handle differently. Definitely the best engine configuration is the most used C18 (1015 HP). Evinrude is all in on 2-stroke technology and their G2 outboard is leading in power, emissions and fuel consumption. If you upgrade without abiding by these rules and notifying your insurance company, theres a good chance they wont cover any claim you file. When youre trying to determine the amount of horsepower you need, its essential to consider the weight of the boat. While one or two outboards may give you the same horsepower result, keep in mind additional weight will accompany each additional outboard motor. As with most decisions related to boating, the use of the boat is always a factor. Sometimes, the follow-up question is, Is it illegal to overpower a boat? Whether youve been asking yourself one of these questions, or are just curious about how horsepower can affect the cost of fuel and insurance, weve gathered several pieces of information to educate you on horsepower. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. 9. You have two choices. Through his experiments, he determined one horse could do about 33,000 foot-pounds of work in one minute meaning a horse could lift a 33,000-pound weight one foot in one minute. There are federal laws in place to ensure the appropriate horsepower limits are listed on all boats. Setting the throttle at a low maneuvering speed and facing straight ahead, you then turn the wheel 180 degrees in half a second or less and hold it there. The easiest place to start is with the boats capacity plate or owners manual. If youre considering purchasing a boat, our online boat builder gives you the opportunity to fully customize several different boat models with a few different horsepower options. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. We have dealers located throughout the country ready to help you find your boat. The result is a boat running seated on her stern, a lot of fuel burned and not that much faster. Overloaded Engines can Cause Overheating: Several factors can cause overloading: Oversize propeller; Overloaded weight on the boat; Running at too high a speed. From time to time, vessels without trim-tabs will require the captain to order passengers from one side of the boat to another to balance trim in a heavy crosswind, or direct passengers to the bow of the boat from time to time to achieve plane. Is it illegal to overpower a boat? Upgrading to a V8 engine will greatly increase your towing capabilities, making it possible for you to tow heavier for further distances. There is also a chance your insurance company will not cover a vessel that exceeds the boat manufacturers max horsepower. On a classic pre 1972 boat the transom would almost be under water at idle. Here is a TOP 5 video of very big and powerful engines in some quite little speedboats. But if the oil is too heavy it may interfere with the normal operation of the variable valve timing system, or be slow to circulate when a cold engine is first started. At low speeds or idle, the engine will cool properly. You'll get an argument and you'll have to take him out in the boat to prove it. Other causes for an aft heavy Jon boat may be due to poor distribution of load. Pick the paint, powertrain, accessories and more with our new boat builder. Also, a quick turn can flip the boat. Add a third pontoon to your boat--$2500 cost. His only fix will be to take back the engine and give you a lighter (less horsepower) engine or take back the hull and give you one with better bouyancy. 3. These cookies do not store any personal information. Heavy items like tackle boxes, big ice boxes filled with drink, etc, should be positioned evenly around the boat. I would not say too heavy.some 9.9hp are 90-100lbs.Another 20 lbs is not much.It will depend if you are going to permantly mount it or take it on and off.The boat may be off balance a bit.Charlie Get started by searching for the dealer location closest to you on our website. The first part of the performance test is the quick-turn test. The horsepower capacity section of the Code of Federal Regulations contains its definition of overpowering a boat. When choosing a propeller, choose a pitch that will keep the engine RPM in its recommended operating range. Otherwise, your excess horsepower may be putting you at risk for fines and other consequences. You multiply your boat length by the transom width. An outboard motor that is too big and heavy for your boat size can really way down the stern causing the bow to rise out of the water. Then you take that number, which is known as the factor, and match it to a horsepower capacity according to the Code of Federal Regulations Table 183.53 Outboard Boat Horsepower Capacity, shown below. Ventilation:This problem occurs when air from the surface or exhaust gas from the One ought to also consider that a 1976 hull is now 31 years old, and while it certainly may be just as strong as the day it was made, it could also be not as strong. But if the motor is mounted too low the anti-ventilation plate will drag in the water when the boat is on plane and can cause excessive spray around the motor and transom. There were a few flaws with this new measurement the biggest being the assumption that a horse could continue to work at that consistent rate instead of tiring out. For example, your homeowners or renters insurance policy will usually cover smaller powerboats with less than 25 horsepower. The 1400 CATs are too heavy and too large as well. Add lifting strakes to what you have. Bigger and faster is not always better. Even with additional horsepower that doesnt add weight to the boat, the additional speed applies pressure that can cause significant damage to your boat. I bet the Deere is cheaper than the Scania and Cummins as well. In addition to giving you a maximum for passengers and cargo, the manufacturer will also spell out the absolute maximum boat horsepower. Second, it will make the boat go too fast. Churning excessively thick oil can also generate heat and rob the engine of power. Your insurance adjustor might protest as well and refuse to insure you or deny a claim. For example, the additional weight can make a self-draining cockpit useless, leading to flooding problems. In an engine, torque produces power so being able to relate it to horsepower is critical. Even with all that banging around I never saw any signs of undue stress on the hull. Every part of your boat, from the transom to the bow, was created to withstand a certain amount of pressure and stress. You apply 50 pounds of force to that handle when you do that, youre applying a torque or turning force of a total of 100 pound-feet to the bold. There are equally as specific instructions for the conditions in which you can perform this test. The Retreat 230 RFL is one of Lowes shorter pontoon boat models. Keep in mind, with that calculation, you could get the same result 100 pound-feet of torque by applying one pound of force to a socket wrench with a 100-foot handle, or by applying 100 pounds of force to a socket wrench with a one-foot handle. More Speed More Power and the Danger of Overpowering Your Boat Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000. If youre running a lower horsepower engine at full throttle all the time, its going to use more gas than a higher horsepower with less throttle. Note: For flat-bottom hard-chine boats, with factor of 52 or less, reduce one capacity limit (e.g. engine is lifted higher out of the water than a single, centrally located engine. This boat extends about 237 long and has a beam of A Jon boat that is too aft heavy may be due to having the wrong sized outboard motor fitted to the boat. Also, your Honda 115 hp outboard is probably a little heavy for a 20' boat. If your boat is currently insured and youre considering a motor upgrade, make sure you know your insurance companys rules for horsepower limits. You can be sure horsepower options for each boat model we provide are within the limits we believe maximize your performance while maintaining safety. ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area, http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/002449.html. 8. Some of this problem can be mitigated by adding hp but its not idealThat said, I am most pleased with my set-up now that it is finally fully optimized. Through this method, there are very specific instructions for boat preparation addressing everything from motor mounting to fuel tanks to ensure consistency. Comparing the power of a horse to the power of a steam engine showed Watts steam engine could do the work of five horses, and it went on to become an integral part of the Industrial Revolution. I'm also looking for suggestions for another re-power. Marine dynamometers are available, too taking into consideration boat operation by simulating on-the-water operation. The rule of thumb is based on weight alone, and says you should have between 40 and 25 pounds of weight for each horsepower. It's wide beam provides greater bouyancy at the transom. A device called a dynamometer applies a load on the engine and then measures the amount of power it produces to determine torque. If its usually just you and a friend or a spouse, that weight is different than if you enjoy boating with several of your family members and friends. For example, a 5,000-pound boat could have an engine with between 125 and 200 horsepower. match it to a horsepower capacity according to the Code of Federal Regulations Table 183.53, Horsepower capacity is (raise to nearest multiple of 5). Doing the opposite calculation taking 300 divided by 5,000 gives you a result of 0.06 horsepower per pound. With the engine trimmed in, the prop has maximum grip to transition the boat onto plane. Make sure you know the state and local laws for the areas in which youll be boating. Porter, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The amount of horsepower you choose will impact your fuel efficiency. The boat was rated for 40-HP maximum at a time when such a motor probably only produced about 36-HP at the propeller. As a rule of thumb, boats with higher horsepower will be more expensive to cover. The maximum horsepower the boat can use while still completing this test is defined as the maximum horsepower capacity, unless it is more than 40 horsepower, in which case, the maximum horsepower capacity is capped at 40. Make sure you get rid of all dried-on salt crystals, which attract moisture. boat sits so low in the water that it is only partially self bailing with the at-rest water level coming over the top of the battery box (with the plug out). 5 to 3). State and local laws regarding overpowering your boat vary. kerno - 7/15/2006 9:54 PM. While this rule of thumb can be a helpful way to get a ballpark range, it still requires some guesswork when it comes to considering your boat handling. Trade in your boat (not your engine) on a longer pontoon. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Yes, the range is wide, but thats because boats have a variety of different designs and handle differently. Moving weight around in a small boat to achieve desired performance is not a new concept, nor do I think it is frowned upon on this site. profile | register | author help. The performance test method is for boats that are 13 feet or less in length, have remote wheel steering, have a maximum capacity of no more than two persons and at least a 19-inch transom height or at least a 19-inch motorwell height and at least a 15-inch transom height. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Even if your state and local laws dont address overpowering your boat, youre still putting yourself at risk in other ways. The equation is GPH = (specific fuel consumption x HP)/fuel specific weight. gas hog - range was less that 20 miles at full tilt. Depending on trim at wot the boat either chine walked or tending to go THROUGH waves instead of over them. 44 miles round trip, and we still had a gallon left in our 6 gallon tank! To do this, you need to know gasoline weighs approximately 6.1 pounds per gallon, while diesel weighs about 7.2 pounds per gallon. A 50-HP modern motor will produce 50-HP at the propeller, which is thus about a 38-percent increase over maximum rating. The boat horsepower-to-weight ratio is simple to calculate and can be expressed in horsepower per pound or pounds per horsepower. Youll be calculating the gallons of fuel that are burned per hour (GPH). Life Expectancy of an Outboard, Inboard and Jet Boat Engines. 13 foot boats do not need to be going 50 miles per hour. Experience the thrill of building your personalized Formula. Cost??? If youre in an accident, the fact that your boats horsepower is above and beyond the manufacturers recommendations will be in the accident report. Dont forget to adjust the result based on remote steering, transom height and boat bottom. Lets say, for example, your boat weighs 5,000 pounds, and it has a 300-horsepower engine. If boating in saltwater, occasionally wipe down the engine with a rag damp from freshwater. You only have one gear ration available, a 2.08:1 and it weighs 570 Lbs. I had a 500hp 9L Deere in my 38 Wesmac and thought it was a great match with the boat; 2:1 reduction, 28" DQX prop pushed the boat very well. According to Boating magazine, running your gas engine between 3,000 and 3,500 rpm and your diesel engine at three-quarters throttle is the sweet spot for fuel efficiency. Even with todays lighter boat engines, there is no getting around the fact that they more engines you have on your boat, the heavier the boat will be (aka it could be hurting your gas mileage if you dont have your boat optimally fitted) In some cases, yes. In recent years, more horsepower hasnt always meant more weight. Engineers also did calculations to relate horsepower to torque, which is especially important for boat engines. 2. In other words, if you put a one-horsepower horse on a treadmill, it would be able to operate a generator producing 746 watts. For example, if you want to determine the fuel consumption for a 300-horsepower gasoline engine, you would calculate (0.50 x 300)/ 6.1, giving you a result of 24.5 gallons per hour. Here are a few examples of how your need for speed can get you in trouble when it comes to boat maximum horsepower. Are you using the boat just to cruise with friends and family? Quiet, dependable, but TOO FAST and HEAVY. Answer: You dont tell us much about you boat or the motor, but I can share a similar experience and what I found relative to this problem.In the photo above the red arrow is pointing to a large hex nut on the outboard engine support bracket. If youre the type of person who doesnt need precise calculations or just doesnt want to be bothered with them the Boat Trader blog offers a rule of thumb to use when determining the amount of horsepower for your boat. A dive into a wave can easily throw everyone off the boat. The lower the number, the faster your boat will go. 4. There are two different ways the federal government uses to determine the maximum horsepower for any given boat one is a computation, and the other is a performance test. It was a big deal. A Glastron GTS 205 is a viable boating option for vehicles in this class. Through using a dynamometer, youll be able to see the horsepower versus rpm values for the engine, which is especially important for calculating peak horsepower. Boats that are larger and have more than 25 miles per hour horsepower almost always require a separate boat insurance policy. To market his new product to this audience, Watt knew he had to come up with a way to compare the work of horses to the work of his invention. Swap the power plant over. A higher pitched prop allows the boat to move faster by travelling a farther distance with each rotation. Horsepower is defined as a unit of power equal to 550 foot-pounds per second used to measure the power of an engine. Good shallow water boat for small rivers and coves. In addition to solely considering the horsepower of the boat, the overall size of the vessel, which takes horsepower into account, may determine the type of boat insurance policy you need to get. While you may not have fines because of breaking state and local laws, you are very susceptible to being found negligent and the victim of a lawsuit, especially in a case where there are damages. Then, get out on the water with great family and friends! Your 20' boat would probably been better suited for a 90 horse Honda. An outboard engine can run on an average of about 1500 hours. I re-powered a 1965 13ft'er with a 225lb+ 50hp John/Suz 4-stroke with power T/T. Either overloading or overpowering your boat is extremely dangerous. Taking 5,000 divided by 300 gives you a result of 16.6 pounds per horsepower. Low-speed work boats pushing a heavy load, however, can benefit from having the motor For those who prefer exact calculations, Boating magazine has provided some calculations you can use to run some of the numbers. Quick Tip: Wear the engine kill-switch lanyard when operating an auxiliary outboard. In this case, youd have both metal plates tilted about the same angle in or out, to match the power trim of the engine. The comparable small-foot 3-cylinder Mercury 40 is used on the current 130 Sport, which was designed for the heavier weight (relative to a 40HP two-stroke). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Likes: I like the boat for its roominess and with the 50 hp it goes 32-34 mph.It is easy to handle and it cuts through the waves easily. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In any case, no matter what the weight, a 50-HP engine on a classic 13-foot Boston Whaler is probably too much horsepower. If you decide to ignore the boats maximum horsepower and overpower it, youre exposing every part of your boat to pressure above and beyond what it was designed to endure, risking significant damage to the hull of your boat. Putting more horsepower behind your boat may seem like an innocent way to add some excitement to your boating experience, but it could cost you a significant amount of money in fines, lawsuits and damage to your boat. Boat is not an especially "fast" hull but with the 675 did a 20kt cruise and 26kt WOT. At 175 pounds it pulled me out of the water on one ski in about 5 seconds. This new steam engine could do the same amount of work as the former Newcomen engine, but used only one-quarter of the fuel. Perhaps some allowance for a modest reduction in strength with age might be appropriate. The current 150 Sport is designed for the weight of the 4-cylinder F50/F60 Yamaha and 40/50/60 Mercury BigFoot. However, just because you have a higher-horsepower engine does not necessarily mean youre going to use more fuel. I am convinced that power tilt and trim is of more value on these boats than an extra 10 hp. If theres too much weight forward, the boat will run bow heavy and will be hard to Dislikes: The boat seems to leak while travelling through the water as if water is being forced into it somewhere.I changed the 43# trolling motor to the new Motorguide Verimax 55# bow stick control.
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