Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

[davidduracraft]

Hello. I live on a lake with a 10 hp limit and have a chance to buy an 18 hp 1958 Johnson motor. Does anyone know if if the cowl size for an 18 is the same as a 10 hp Johnson of the same vintage? No one really checks unless you make it obvious and the motor hanging on the back is a whole lot bigger than others of the same type. Thanks so much for the help.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

won't happen. 18 is way bigger than 10. buy a mid 70's early 80's, 15 and put a 9.9 cowl on it.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

you could try painting over the cover, and writing 10 hp on it, lol.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

Good luck

 

[David Greer]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

The 18 was a great old motor and actually can be carbed up to a 33 so i heard. Too big to pass for <10. plus it will pollute way too much; there's a reason for the size limits.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

Lawayers love guys who passs off their larger engines for their little brothers.

 

[David Greer]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

In Virginia it's illegal to paint over the HP even if you are painting the motor for duck hunting.

 

[MrPhotographer06]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

wow.. i dont think we have that rule in SC.. i've got a 59 rude 35 and have a newer lark III 40 cover on it haha

 

[bowman316]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

I spray painted my whole motor, except for the evinrude sticker, but i almost painted that too.

I think an all white cowling would look weird with no brand on it.

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

I spray painted my whole motor, except for the evinrude sticker, but i almost painted that too.

I think an all white cowling would look weird with no brand on it.

HEHE , make a stencil that says "generic" , spray it with flat black paint .
Alternative is a stencil of a question mark or 2 .

BTW , many places with HP restrictions are quite good at looking at the model# and serial # , to see if you are actually running what the cowl says it is . Change out the transom bracket ( for a "legal" motor ...) along with the cowl , if your local enforcers are wise to the cowl trick .

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

Never mind the appearance of the outboard. It doesn't take long for the lake patrol folks to know how a 10 hp outboard performs on a variety of boats. Stick a 15 hp on, even if you change the cowling, and you're busted the first time you go WOT.

Best idea is to get a 10 hp if you're going to go on 10 hp lakes, then find a boat that will perform well with that outboard. If I had a 10 hp on my 12' aluminum boat, it would run almost 20 mph. I only have a 6 hp.

Trying to flout the law will end up just getting you in trouble.

 

[The_Kid]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

Never mind the appearance of the outboard. It doesn't take long for the lake patrol folks to know how a 10 hp outboard performs on a variety of boats. Stick a 15 hp on, even if you change the cowling, and you're busted the first time you go WOT.

It all depends on the 10hp motor. I have a 1949 Super 10 that would be a lot faster than what the lake patrol folks are used to seeing and I'd still be legal

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

They check model numbers here. Unless you have the model number plate and can do a really good copy of some factory decals, I'd say they'd catch it.
I got away with a 15hp with 9.9hp decals and plate for a while here, but I don't think they'd miss an 18hp on a 10hp lake.

 

[cwhite6]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

One thing you should think about, however unlikely it will happen, is liability. Say you fool some folks and run the 18 on the lake. Then, say you unintentionally get in some kind of wreck or crash and cause damge to someone or their property. Their lawyer is going to eat you alive because you are illegally running a higher horsepower motor on a lake than is allowed. I know it is silly and unlikely, but in todays sue happy society, it could happen.

 

[David Greer]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

you might also void your insurance coverage

 

[Nandy]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

It will really depend on the expertise and how smart is the person checking your rig. Where I'm from we had a limit of 30 hp for all lakes. Some of my friends bought decals in ebay and use them in their larger boats. Depending in which lake they went they didn't get checked and in some they got checked. Two that I recall got caught when the smarter warden checked the model numbers.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

Heck..Run twin 9.9's...

Each one is under 10 hp limit..

OK...I know it wouldn't be legal..Just found it slightly amusing

 

[bowman316]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

say that one is a back up in case you break down, you are just being responsible.

 

[tbebko]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

We have a lake that we go to with a 10hp limit. We only have a 125 HP on the stern and electric on bow. The wiring burned out for the electric in the middle of the lake so we had to start and use the 125 HP. No one said anything cause we didn't give it much gas, just enough to get us going.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Can I pass an 18 hp for a 10 hp outboard?

Heck..Run twin 9.9's...

Each one is under 10 hp limit..

OK...I know it wouldn't be legal..Just found it slightly amusing

A few have tried that here, they've been writing tickets but people were fighting it since the law said nothing about multiple motors, but now they state that a boat can not be powered by more than 10 hp.

I watched one guy from out of state back in, launch a boat with twin 70hp motors, he thought we were kidding when we told him that there was a 10 hp ban. They were on him in seconds, they towed the boat, wrote several tickets, and hauled him away. You would have thought he robbed a bank. They sat there and waited for him to start both engines, then came right down on him.
There are no signs anywhere at that location, but the fish and game fliers all list the restrictions, but you have to buy a fishing license or at least read the fishing regulations to see those regulations. I'm not sure how a pleasure boater would ever know if from out of state.

What makes it even less obvious is the boat ramp picture signs showing what appears to be a big engined fiberglass bass boat backing down a ramp.