Engine Size

[lesta]

Hey boys,

the last few week i been lookin into buyin my first boat i'm going to buy brand new runabout and was wondering as i'm going to be mostly fishin every now and then for fun i would like to tow someone behind just wonder whats a good size moter for this job

thanks very much

[CiViC]

Hey boys,

the last few week i been lookin into buyin my first boat i'm going to buy brand new runabout and was wondering as i'm going to be mostly fishin every now and then for fun i would like to tow someone behind just wonder whats a good size moter for this job

thanks very much

what size boat are you looking at? also tinnie/glass/poly?

[Coach]

Go BIG!!!

I had this same problem... in the end i looked at the make/model of the boat and figured out the max HP for this tinny was a 40Hp

I "umed and ahhed" about getting a 30hp or a 40hp for around a week (I think it was about a grand difference in price at the time)

In the end, I rung a mate for advise..and he said..and I quote..

"What would the tool man do??"

(From that home improvement show)

So I went the 40, only split the hull once.. but she was a lot of fun!!!

I figure if you go light, then you always say...."I shoulda got the bigger, better engine"...

Best to cut any doubt out and go the max the boat can safely take!!!

Remember...

Bones heal,

Chicks dig scar's

but "Glory" is forever...

See you in the Newspapers!!!!

Ok.. I better write something serious..before someone yells at me.

Check the model./make of the boat.. they all have engine capacities listed...

if not available, look at one the same size and make ( Alluminium/glass etc etc) and work it out from there...it should be around the same capacity

Good luck!!

Edited November 14, 2005 by Coach

[lesta]

Yeah it's alliminum and the max is 40hp will this be big enough to pull some one on skis but?? what do you mean you slplit the hull?? sorry i don;t know boat talk

[Whitto]

I would also go for max horsepower ... you buy a motor that is to small and you will regret it.

A 40hp will tow a kneeboard or tube, but may struggle with a skier ... or maybe not, it depends on the hull and a lot of other factors like weight ... you will have to try it to know.

Good luck

[Coach]

Yeah it's alliminum and the max is 40hp will this be big enough to pull some one on skis but?? what do you mean you slplit the hull?? sorry i don;t know boat talk

Split hull = When the hull....splits....

I split the hull hitting a log at night, so it had nothing to do with the engine size.. more the size of the log.

this is something that I would not recommend doing....

40 on a tinny is quick, the weight of the boat is one thing you have to consider if skiing.. as you might have to have a few people up front to get it popping up quickly. We used to tow a surfboard behind ours pretty easily, but I never tried ski's sorry.

good luck.

[clutch]

Split hull = When the hull....splits....

.......Cheeky Bugger

Lesta, dont go over the Max. horsepower rating for your boat for safety reasons and I doubt they would pay an insurance claim if s#*& happens

However like Coach said.........Go Big!..........the Max mate

[Coach]

.......Cheeky Bugger

Lesta, dont go over the Max. horsepower rating for your boat for safety reasons and I doubt they would pay an insurance claim if s#*& happens

However like Coach said.........Go Big!..........the Max mate

Sorry...couldn't help myself...

[Whitto]

Hey Coach,

We hit a 3 foot Koppers log at around 50kph in the Poly ... it crunched into the hull like a torpedo and bounced off ... hardly made a mark ... not counting the undies

Lucky it missed the outboard 'cause that would have been very messy

[Coach]

Hey Coach,

We hit a 3 foot Koppers log at around 50kph in the Poly ... it crunched into the hull like a torpedo and bounced off ... hardly made a mark ... not counting the undies

Lucky it missed the outboard 'cause that would have been very messy

That would have been a bad souding crunch!!!

I would have been going about the same speed, hit it in the river near midnight (fishing for those mythical hartail)

The boat reared up (Geez she jumped) and it seemed a long time till I hit the water again.

last place I wanted to be was in the drink... in winter.... with a bay FULL of hairtail (NOT!!!)

Split went for around 8 inches.. right along the weld line so it wasn't too bad to fix...

lucky i had the brown undi's on that night!!!

From then on, i would run the engine without the trim in the lock position (Not sure if this is a safe thing to do or not)...

I have now bought a bigger boat and have hit a log in it and the power trim seems to "Kick up" alright without getting any damage.

[TinnyFisher]

I have a 4.1 M aluminium Ally craft rhino and a 40 HP yamaha enduro. I think it is good match. Most of the time I use 1/2 to 3/4 throttle and would only use full throttle in day light and flat condition. It is good to have the extra power there when you want to and able to use it. So if your boat is around 4 M go for 40 HP. if a bit smaller may be 30 HP

Dean

[numbers]

every now and then for fun i would like to tow someone behind just wonder whats a good size moter for this job

thanks very much

Lesta

I have done a bit of skiing in my time in some mighty quick boats.

Most skiing was done behind a 15' Dancraft with a 115 suzuki - lots of fun.

The whole skiing issue will depend mostly on the skier's abilities & size.

If you are towing kids who can ski - you should be fine.

The hardest bit will be deep starts (takes a LOT of power if you have someone hefty out back).

If you need an experimental skier give me a shout (you're only around the corner).

I'm only a lightweight (70kg) & there is always the trick of the beach start with about 60ft (of a 75ft rope) slack to give the boat time to get up to speed - hope your ski hooks are on tight!

I'm looking at getting a similar boat setup some time soon, so let us know how you go.

Cheers

Numbers

[Guest iain]

Running the outboard not locked down is ok until you gun it in reverse!!!!

When I used be around tinnys as a kid (before I grew to have boats with hydraulic tilt) I would never lock the motor down as it's not uncommon to run into sandbars etc, especially in unfamiliar waters. Although I think there is a safety release on outboards these days.

A few years a go my brother in law insisted on driving when we went out in my old mans tinny (15' forward steer with 25 horses) . I knew it was the wrong thing to do and let him drive against my better judgement. He took a channel marker on the wrong side and I watched us pass over a rock wall covered in around 6" of water. Being oblivious to this my BIL kept it on full throttle (which was fortunate because if we dropped off the plane we would have taken out the wall) and as the motor was not locked down it slammed into the rocks and bumped over them of them.

The biggest impact was when the motor reentered the water and the prop bit (still on full throttle) slamming the motor back down.

A bit of work on the prop with some pliers and we were on our way.

I drove.

[Coach]

Running the outboard not locked down is ok until you gun it in reverse!!!!

/quote]

Yeah.. one of our favourite things in summer when we camped in the bay was to sit on the top of the waterfall in refuge bay and watch the houseboats charge in looking for a good morning.

They used to all charge up to the morning and hit the engines in full reverse right at the last moment

Result: Family getting dragged off the boat (They would never let go of the rope once they had it)

Two 9Hp engines jumping up and whipping the surface like a pair of big egg beater's

and a whole heap of cheers from us at the top of the cliffs.

One time, it go so popular, we started running a betting pool!!!

A few years ago, i went back to that old cliff, for the "5:00Pm houseboat charge"..

but it looked like someone had learned to put the locks on the outboards..

Somehow...it just wasn't the same...

[lesta]

Lesta

I have done a bit of skiing in my time in some mighty quick boats.

Most skiing was done behind a 15' Dancraft with a 115 suzuki - lots of fun.

The whole skiing issue will depend mostly on the skier's abilities & size.

If you are towing kids who can ski - you should be fine.

The hardest bit will be deep starts (takes a LOT of power if you have someone hefty out back).

If you need an experimental skier give me a shout (you're only around the corner).

I'm only a lightweight (70kg) & there is always the trick of the beach start with about 60ft (of a 75ft rope) slack to give the boat time to get up to speed - hope your ski hooks are on tight!

I'm looking at getting a similar boat setup some time soon, so let us know how you go.

Cheers

Numbers

Sweet as Numbers i'll keep that one in mind seen as no one i really know can ski HAHAH...

And thanks everyone one for your advice it helped out heaps.