20hp Motor for 17 foot tracker?

[bobothewizard]

I currently own a '91 tracker tx17 and it is powered by a '93 evinrude 90/65 jet. The jet is just to big for the boat as I only have about 4 inches of room between the top of the boat and the water line.

My question is this, there is a local lake in the area that has a 20hp restriction on it and I was thinking of trading in the jet motor for a 20hp prop motor, but I am wondering if i would be under-powering the boat itself.

I dont want to get into a situation where the boat wouldnt even plane correctly.


Any thoughts?

 

[lncoop]

Re: 20hp Motor for 17 foot tracker?

You would definitely be underpowered.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 20hp Motor for 17 foot tracker?

You want 70% or greater of the max rated HP for acceptable performance.

 

[bobothewizard]

Re: 20hp Motor for 17 foot tracker?

Ahh I see you are for York... The lake i was referring to is Marburg...

I guess I would have to get a smaller boat to meet the horsepower restrictions on that lake.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 20hp Motor for 17 foot tracker?

Well people run all sorts of boats with small motors on them on that lake. You'd be fine there but would be underpowered everywhere else. If you were going to go to Marburg like 80% of your time I'd say go ahead with the swap. Not sure if your boat could handle the weight of a main motor and a smaller kicker motor but that could be an option as well.

 

[bobothewizard]

Re: 20hp Motor for 17 foot tracker?

Ya know I just got a whacky idea but what do you think of this...


Instead of a 20 prop, I end up getting a 20hp jet and convert the console to a stick steer. While sitting up front the boat should level out and move a little better then sitting near the middle with a console?

This way I can still fish the river with the boat, it wont go fast but as you and i both know how the rocks are in the susqy we dont want to go fast.


Do you think this would work?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 20hp Motor for 17 foot tracker?

Well I stick to Lake Clarke and Conowingo with my boat so I can still go fast. I have fished with a buddy on his boat at Ft. Hunter and New Cumberland and speed is the last thing you need there. Sounds do-able but I don't think I'd like stick-steer much. I'd prefer a wheel.