I just put this 70 hp force outboard on my 17.5 foot polar skiff, fiberglass cc. I took off a good running 1996 Johnson 48spl. I took it out on the water and it ran OK, it was surging just a little going out but coming back it was fine BUT. The reason I made the change was I was having trouble getting the boat on plane and when I started the motor to come back I was in a descent outgoing current maybe a mile from the inlet and it wouldn't plane. I cruised slow till I got closer to the dock and then it planed just fine. Sometimes the motor puffs or sneezes when I first start it like it missfires or something so I'm going to check the timing and clean the carb. One thing I wonder is going from a 50hp johnson to a 70 hp force should be a pretty noticable hp increase and I would think it would get on plane better? Any suggestions and I'm also thinking there might be water in the hull even though none comes out when I pull the lower plugs to drain it. I have owned the boat for about 6 years and never had the planing problem till last year. I had it in the shop and the mechanic said one carb was bad so he found a good used one to put on it but it still wouldn't plane sometimes so I put this motor on hoping it would be better.
5string in NC
5string in NC
