need help with choosing outboard for mckee craft boat

[jvkenney2002]

I recently bought a 14 ft mckee craft (model year 1973). I plan to use the boat for duck hunting and fishing. At most the boat will have to carry a couple people a dog and all my hunting gear. And my question is how small of a motor can i get away with and still get on plane with all that gear. I was thinking about an 18hp tohatsu 4 stroke. But i dont know if its big enough or not. If any of you could help me I would really appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: need help with choosing outboard for mckee craft boat

if you are just crossing the creek, it will do, but going up the river, i think, 40hp.

 

[jvkenney2002]

Re: need help with choosing outboard for mckee craft boat

thanks. I live on the chesapeake bay and probably wouldn't be going out any more than five miles. I dont need anything super fast just something that will get me there in a timely fashion and be able to do the job i need it to do.

 

[Benny1963]

Re: need help with choosing outboard for mckee craft boat

i have a 17ft mckee classic 1978 ,
i would put the max allowed , on your plate the mckee are very well made boats ,and will handle the max rateing ,they are slow and hard to plane with to little a motor ,i run a 150 on mine but only because my smaller motor blew .
had 115 johnson , my boat is rated for 140 hp , i had a 50 horse johnson on it for a while it would plane and ran 18 mph .but was way to small
knoe i have the opposite prob ,but am currently looking for and older 140 looper good luck post a pick of your boat there arent a lot of old mckees
left i restored mine last year new top coat and new gel seal .
have had it for 20 years and it still the safest boat ive owned it takes
the 150 like it belongs there ,its quite fast 52 gps with smart tabs .
but the gas milage is horrible
take it easy BENNYB

 

[DK Sailor]

Re: need help with choosing outboard for mckee craft boat

id put a 40-50 horse and is makee a copy of whaler

 

[jvkenney2002]

Re: need help with choosing outboard for mckee craft boat

thanks for the replies guys, i found a brand new 1999 johnson durajet, that has yet to be used that i will probably purchase. I will try to get a picture of the boat up, its a work in progress right now, i just found a 6 inch crack on one of the side keels on the bottum of the boat, and im currently trying to drain water from the foam. but i think all will turn out okay and hopefully the boat will serve me well.