why 9.9hp and not 10hp

[Palomino]

Why do all the marine outboard makers make 9.9hp engines instead of 10hp? Doesnt 10hp sound larger? I mean a $1.99 sounds great and much cheaper then an even $2.00 at Taco Bell but why 9.9hp for outboards?????

RAWR!!

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: why 9.9hp and not 10hp

Because the wording in many of the state regs is a limit of less than 10 horsepower on state park lakes.

For this reason and because of demand, 9.9 engines usually carry a premium price in the used market over smaller and slightly larger engines

 

[Texasmark]

Re: why 9.9hp and not 10hp

Back when they started doing this is spread like wildfire. Was a long time ago; I remember it but forgot whether it was 60's or 70's time frame. You know there were a lot of PO'd 10 hp owners out there and the initial demand for 9.9's had to be high.

Mark

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: why 9.9hp and not 10hp

I believe the origin is based on federal law. Boats used as tenders and powered with less than 10hp do not need to be registered. The catch is that it can only be used as a tender. No doubt their manufacture thrives because of the under 10hp lakes.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: why 9.9hp and not 10hp

I believe Canadian law was the same -- ten horse and above you have to register. There's also some obscure regulation that states the manufacturer's power claims have to be within a certain pecentage of the actual output. Not sure what that number is but the margin of "error" allowed in the marine industry is far greater than the automotive. This gives the manufacturer more leeway to fiddle the numbers.

On a somewhat similar note, my 2004 Yamaha 90hp 4 stroke is -- I've heard -- actually a 100 hp motor. As told to me, there started to be a significant difference in insurance rates for 100 hp plus outboards a few years ago. Interestingly, about the same time Yamaha's line of 100 hp motors was discontinued. You can have 90 or 115 now...
Sure be nice to know for sure. Rodbolt -- can you comment?

Course for those shallow enough to care about such things, breaking the three digit hp rating on one's engine cover might be worth the extra insurance money. Then again, maybe Yamaha still sells the 100 hp decal set. For those that care, of course...

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: why 9.9hp and not 10hp

For a long time many states did not require that a vessel, powered with less than 10 hp, be registered. Most, if not all states, have now gone to regulation that requires that any boat be registered if it is powered by mechanical or electrical means. And, as Frank Acampora pointed out, there are a multitude of areas where local governments have restrictions on the size of the outboard.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: why 9.9hp and not 10hp

For a long time many states did not require that a vessel, powered with less than 10 hp, be registered. Most, if not all states, have now gone to regulation that requires that any boat be registered if it is powered by mechanical or electrical means. And, as Frank Acampora pointed out, there are a multitude of areas where local governments have restrictions on the size of the outboard.

Yeah, Texas is that way. If on private water no problem, but you can't even have a trolling motor driven 2 seat car topper without it being registered on public waters.

Mark

 

[island boy]

Re: why 9.9hp and not 10hp

Where i am from you are not allowed to keep your boat on the public dock if it is 10hp and over.

 

[Evinrude Boater]

Re: why 9.9hp and not 10hp

From Transport Canada's web site;
"All pleasure craft powered by an engine 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more must be licensed. It is no longer mandatory for pleasure craft over 15 gross tonnage to be registered."

 

[scoutabout]

Re: why 9.9hp and not 10hp

From Transport Canada's web site;
"All pleasure craft powered by an engine 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more must be licensed. It is no longer mandatory for pleasure craft over 15 gross tonnage to be registered."

Wonder why I haven't seen a similar rash of 7.4 kW motors....