Does my boat have enough power?

[anchor1]

I have a 15' key largo with a 50 hp yamaha outboard. Is my boat powerful enough to pull a kneeboarder, weightborder, tube etc.

 

[Stachi]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

I have a 15' key largo with a 50 hp yamaha outboard. Is my boat powerful enough to pull a kneeboarder, weightborder, tube etc.

no ones boat EVER has enough power !

 

[clarkbre]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

no ones boat EVER has enough power !

That was my initial thought but you beat me to the punch. There's always room for more HP.

 

[Triton II]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

I have a 15' key largo with a 50 hp yamaha outboard. Is my boat powerful enough to pull a kneeboarder, weightborder, tube etc.

I pulled tubes, skiers and occasionally towed much bigger boats with my 16ft cuddy Quintrex (aluminium) which weighed about 2000lbs with a couple of adults and half fuel. The Quinnie had a F60 Yam and coped well, so a 15ft Key Largo (I'm guessing around 1500lbs) should be OK with 50. Your HIN plate should give you max and possibly recommended horsepower ratings for your boat. Good luck.

TII

 

[brick75]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

Pull a tube....sure. A wakeboarder...I don't think so.

 

[anchor1]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

How about a kneeboarder?

 

[Triton II]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

How about a kneeboarder?

No worries IMHO!

TII

 

[commander315]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

A tube on 50 will be fine. Most Water-skiers, wake/knee boarders are gonna need at least 100hp, from my experiences.

 

[Triton II]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

A tube on 50 will be fine. Most Water-skiers, wake/knee boarders are gonna need at least 100hp, from my experiences.

Depends on the boat. The Key Largo website features a range of boats from 15'10" up. The smallest 15'10" boat is maximum rated at 75hp. Small boats are not ideal for towing but they can do it safely and provide heaps of fun, especially if you're not pulling up 300lb gorillas. So I'd say Anchor's 15 footer with a 50 should be OK providing it's not full to the brim with gear, fuel, big adults etc. Down here in Oz, we get little 13ft tinnies with tiller steer 30s on them pulling wake and kneeboarders all the time, it's simply a matter of technique and, in some cases, perserverance! Good luck Anchor... my advice for what it's worth... give it a go.

TII

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

I think that hull could handle twin Chevy 454s. Go for it.

 

[purpony]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

I just went kneeboarding behind my friends 15ft '72 MFG with a newer 50hp Merc this past weekend.... it pulled me ok, not really fun though due to the slower speed. There where 3 adults and a 2yr old in the boat when pulling me. I dont think a wakeboard would be doable.

 

[commander315]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

I think that hull could handle twin Chevy 454s. Go for it.

lol.. i agree, with a couple of Bravo 3's

 

[DoGood]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

There are a lot of variables at play like the weight of the person being pulled and how much gear you have in the boat. My guess would be you could pull someone under 150 or so on a kneeboard or tube without much problem. A wakeboard is going to be a little harder but I wouldn't count it out. I'd borrow someones board/tube/etc. and try it out.

Everyone who thinks you need a big ski boat to ski behind is just wrong. Growing up everyone had small boats. We were lighter then, but we could still pull kneeboards behind 15 and 25hp jon boats.

 

[jfadool]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

I have wakeboarded behind a 15ft aluminum with a 25 tiller merc. 2 people in the boat, no cooler or other heavy gear.

It was no speed demon and the wake was tiny but it got me out of the water with some work from me and the engine. Ideal no, fun yes.

 

[109jb]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

A tube on 50 will be fine. Most Water-skiers, wake/knee boarders are gonna need at least 100hp, from my experiences.

I guess things have changed in the last 30 years. Back then, my buddies and I used to do a lot of skiing behind a 15' tri-hull with a 40 HP outboard. We slalomed behind it too but had to drop a ski to get up and couldn't do continuous hard cuts but it did OK.

 

[QC]

Re: Does my boat have enough power?

Wakeboarders and Kneeboarders do not take near the horsepower that a deep-water slalom start skier start does. I think you're fine as long as you understand the limitations.