Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

[IHDiesel73L]

I helped my neighbor get rid of an old shed on his property and in it was a 7.5HP two stroke Gamefisher. He gave it to me as the boat that it came off of is long gone. He put Seafoam in the gas and ran the tank dry before putting it away. The motor was wrapped in plastic so it's in pretty good shape. I don't think there's any reason why it shouldn't run, but I'm going to snag a manual from Ebay and give it a good once over. I have two 9.9 lakes within 15 minutes of my house so I've always wanted a small aluminum boat to tool around in. I see some pretty large (16-18') boats out on the lakes running 9.9s (they're not setting any speed records of course), so would a 14' or so be within range of a 7.5 assuming it wasn't really loaded down? I'm just looking for something I can take my wife and daughter out in to fish and have a nice day on the lake.

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

I think you just have to strike a balance between comfort/capacity and speed! A 12' would be faster (especially if you're fishing alone) but a tight fit for 3 people, and a 16' would be slower but more comfortable. So a 14' is probably a good compromise! You won't be winning any races though

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

Got one of those on a 14' jon boat. Tools around pretty good and fishes three people on small lakes very well. Does well as a duck boat to.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

You may not be able to plane a 14'r. Find one to borrow and give it a try before you buy one.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

a 7.5HP two stroke Gamefisher.

What flavor of 7.5HP, Eska or Force? The Eska powerhead looks like a lawn mower engine with fins, the Force powerhead looks like a, well an outboard powerhead. As I remember, the Eska is a single cylinder, the Force is a twin cylinder. I had both of those outboards along with a Gamefisher/Force 5HP, the Eska 7.5HP was really close in power to the 5HP Force, not even close to the 7.5HP Force.

I have my Force/Gamefisher 7.5HP on a 14' jon boat and it works fine, run in the mid 20's wide open.

 

[IHDiesel73L]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

What flavor of 7.5HP, Eska or Force? The Eska powerhead looks like a lawn mower engine with fins, the Force powerhead looks like a, well an outboard powerhead. As I remember, the Eska is a single cylinder, the Force is a twin cylinder. I had both of those outboards along with a Gamefisher/Force 5HP, the Eska 7.5HP was really close in power to the 5HP Force, not even close to the 7.5HP Force.

I have the one that looks like a lawn mower engine from the top-definitely a single cylinder. Sounds like a 14 footer is the way go based on the replies here. Would I see a major difference in speed with a Jon vs. a Vee given the fact that the former glides over the water and the latter cuts through it? I know Jons can get dicey when its rough because of their low freeboard but we'd be careful about watching the weather and probably wouldn't go if there was a chance it could turn quickly.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

... Would I see a major difference in speed with a Jon vs. a Vee given the fact that the former glides over the water and the latter cuts through it?...

Cutting through the water takes more power than skipping over the water.

Jon = Faster Harder ride on rough water.
Vee = Slower, better rough water handling.
Your choice!

Inland Lakes? Rivers? Open Waters? What's your preference?

I would argue that a boat can safely handle seas up to about 50% of the freeboard.


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[IHDiesel73L]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

Inland Lakes? Rivers? Open Waters? What's your preference?

Two 2000ish acre (9.9 limited so no big wakes to deal with) lakes will be all this boat will ever see. They can get rough when the wind gets up, but we have enough sense not to be out there when it does.

 

[JEBar]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

we had a 6 hp Johnson on an aluminum 12' Lowe boat .... I'm not a small guy and for me it was not stable enough for me to feel comfortable moving around in the boat .... based on the info you've provided, I agree with the recommendation to go with a 14'er and believe it would be wise to consider a flat bottom Jon

Jim

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

I doubt that 7.5 Eska will plane a 14' V hull, but it will plane a 14' jon boat if you are no carrying a heavy load. When I bought my 14' jon I tried the 7.5 Eska, with the 5HP gamefisher sitting in the bow, couple of trolling batteries and my son, it planed that load, probably 500#+. We were not breaking any speed records, but it planed the boat.

I would argue that a boat can safely handle seas up to about 50% of the freeboard.

50% of freeboard??? I'll fish my jonboat in 2' waves and it only 16" deep with about 12" of freeboard, anything more than that and I'm running for cover. My 18'er with about 2' of freeboard has been out in 4-5'er's without issue.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Free to me 7.5 HP Gamefisher-what size boat?

There are a lot of variables.
We're talking seas as in Waves, not swells.
Waves are breakers or at least Whitecaps.

The waves need to be measured not estimated.
The average seaman will tend to overestimate waves by a factor of two.
From the top of a two foot wave you look down two feet into the trough.
And from the trough the crest is two feet up.
It looks and feels like you are moving four feet. It is just Human perception.
Measure it with a fixed object and it is only two feet.
Ever notice that the chop never looks as bad from the shore as it does when you are in it.

Consider a boat with four feet of freeboard.
You come off the crest and plow into the trough and bury the bow in half way (2ft).
The breaking wave ahead crests 2ft above the trough and right at the top of the bow.
You are right on the verge of taking water over the bow.

A 16ft Jon boat will be just fine in 5 foot rolling ocean swells.
It is going down trying to cross a 2 ft wake right behind a 30 ft cruiser on plane.

I would not recommend an inexperienced boater going out in seas/waves that are more that 50% of the freeboard.
An experienced boater can handle more, but you need to know what you are doing and react in a timely manner.