will a boat with a small motor ever plane out?

[jonboatman]

I have a 14ft monarc jon boat with a 10 hp evinrude. The gas tank is all the way in the back along with the trolling motor battery. At full speed the boat is real nose high. I have tried to adjust the tilt settings on the motor, but it didn't do much.<br /><br />Would it help to put the trolling motor battery up front, or is that unsafe. Also, someone told me to raise where the motor mounts, is that a good idea?<br /><br />Thanks for any help.

 

[one more cast]

Re: will a boat with a small motor ever plane out?

I have a 12 footer and with a 5 hp the only way I can get the nose down is to put someone or water jugs in the front but when I put my 15 hp on the same boat the nose comes down so fast it almost slaps the water.I tried every adj. I could think of with the 5, I think its just under powered.

 

[skiffer]

Re: will a boat with a small motor ever plane out?

Try a different prop, one with more thrust at low speeds. I did that on an 18' I had once and it solved the problem.

 

[JB]

Re: will a boat with a small motor ever plane out?

Howdy, JBM.<br /><br />That is very marginal HP to plane your jon.<br /><br />I would rather raise the stern than lower the bow. A hydrofoil would do that. I recommend the SE Sport 200.<br /><br />Check that the AV plate on your engine is even with, or about 1" above the bottom. <br /><br />Good luck.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: will a boat with a small motor ever plane out?

You've got too much weight at the transom! Jons are typically flatbottom boats and will need some weight forward. Try moving the battery amidships, and the gas tank forward. An old 10hp planes off my big 14'-semi-V fairly easily, so power shouldn't be an issue. When in doubt - experiment!<br />- Scott

 

[steelespike]

Re: will a boat with a small motor ever plane out?

I agree with Cw, years ago we used to plane a 14 ft crestliner utility with<br />200 lbs of kids on the back seat it took some doing and the motor needed to be<br />trimmed right but it would plane and run about 21 mph.

 

[ledgefinder]

Re: will a boat with a small motor ever plane out?

Just to chime in here, we have a new Mariner 9.9 on a 14' aluminum V-hull. Empty except for driver, it's all the motor you'd want on the ocean (slams around skipping off the wavetops). With 2 adults & two small kids, still planes but kind of drones along. Might check whether your motor's healthy & propped right (hitting 5000+ rpm).

 

[Squeakit]

Re: will a boat with a small motor ever plane out?

I have a 12ft aluminum Landeau flat except for a kind of V in front where the bow comes to a point, and very shallow draft. My old 5.5 Fisherman with full (heavy) pressure tank and just me (150lbs) will jump it up on plane and scoot along nicely. Add my wife, a full food basket and a couple of camp chairs, the boat will still plane, but rides lower in the water and slower. My 5hp British Seagull motor (geared low with big bulky gearbox and 9inch 4blade prop, designed for displacement hulls), will just barely plane the boat with nothing else but me in it, and where I sit is absolutely critical to the point of me leaning forward can make the difference. I think in a low-power situation, weight distribution has got to be the most important thing.

 

[mbb]

Re: will a boat with a small motor ever plane out?

A rule in boat design for flat bottoms is that it takes 1 hp to plane every 50 lb weight. 10 hp will do ~500 lbs. A 14ft boat may weigh 160lb or 250 lbs. Add a 70 lb motor, a 200 lb person, 60 lb battery, 20 lb gas tank (3 gal) and 25lbs of other stuff and you may be overloaded. I have had a 14 with a 9.9 that wouldnt plane, and a 12 that would plane great with only me and a 6hp.