15hp vs 25 hp for a 12 footer

[shingo]

Hi I want to buy a saturn 12 feet boat, the maximum engine is 30hp, do you think a 15 would be enough or a 25 would be much better? Both 2 stroke. The boat weight 110 pound.

I will ride the boat on lake and rivers

Also is the 25 hp a lot more thirsty, i mean if i do 50 miles will it cost a lot more with the 25 than the 15?

Finally what power would you suggest for an electric trolling motor which will be the primary propulsion method on some lake.

Thank you

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: 15hp vs 25 hp for a 12 footer

A 25 HP is much better if you will take full passengers capacity most of the time, if just 2 max 3 a 15 will work nicely. Fuel consumption depends on how heavy you have your hand on throttle grip. 2 strokes engines generally consumes about 12% of it's HP at wot/hour.

A 25 will consume 3 gal/hour, a 15, 1.8 gal hour, nobody runs wot all the time, it's perfect to plane the sib faster and then throttle back enough to maintain a perfect plane with much less fuel consumption. A 25 HP weights 50 + KG, a 15 HP + 40 KG. So think it over if placing and retrieving constantly from transom, or go for a trailer and keep sib inflated with engine living on transom.

If possible to get in your area go for a Tohatsu 2 strokes 18 HP, unbeatable in it's weight power ratio, beats any other 15 HP and weights near same as any other 2 strokes 15 HP. A 30 horse would be too much for a 3.65 mtr sib, Saturn seems to like overpowering most of their medium size sibs.

Happy Boating

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: 15hp vs 25 hp for a 12 footer

Woops, double post, sorry..

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: 15hp vs 25 hp for a 12 footer

Either one is fine and the fuel consumption versus distance traveled would be about the same.