Outboard Advice

[duckslayer79]

I am currently having an 1850, all welded 1/8", smooth bottom, center console boat with hunt deck built by WCCustom boats in Tyler, TX. Most people run surface drive mud motors on these rigs, but I plan on running an outboard. I know there are going to be some learning curves to using/driving this boat, especially with the completely smooth bottom. The boat is a commercial hull and not rated for a specific horsepower. I have a '79 Johnson 70HP that I plan to run on the boat. Motor runs exceptionally well. My goal is not to be a speed demon, but to be able to carry a load of 2-4 person with 6-8 dozen decoys, dog, and gear at a decent speed. Unloaded I would like to see speeds between 40-50mph. Am I being unrealistic with this setup? Would I be better off upgrading to a newer model motor of lesser or equivilant horsepower to acheive my goal? I am not dead set on using the 70 by any means but if it will do the job, then great. The builder has told me that the hull can handle more HP than 70 but I don't want to overkill if I don't have to.

Thanks

 

[steelespike]

Re: Outboard Advice

Is this a flat bottom like a Jon boat or a slight V ? I think the flat bottom without a keel could slide fairly easily in a moderate to hard turn and could trip.I had a runabout with a very shallow V bottom with a full length keel probably a 1 1/4".If I did a little to tight of a turn at speed it would start to slide if pushed too hard it would slide out of control and cavitate till it stopped and some water would splash over the stern.Stern was decked so I just got a wet butt.Point is if no keel it could handle strangely.
What is the dry weight of the boat?And what set up and loaded?I would say about 40 light 35 loaded.

 

[JB]

Re: Outboard Advice

Try her with the 70. That is a great outboard. Then wonder if you want something else.

 

[duckslayer79]

Re: Outboard Advice

It is a completely flat (smooth) bottom with an airboat rake and tapered chine. They say the tapered chine will help with sliding a little but I am still expecting it to slide a lot. I will not be able to drive like Richard Petty .

The hull will weigh 650-800 lbs. Not a lot inside the boat. Center console, two batteries, trolling motor, 9 gallon plastic fuel tank, misc boating accessories.

Load will be on average 2 men 200 lbs ea, 1 dog 80 lbs, few dozen decoys 50 lbs, and gear 100 lbs. Total 650 lbs.

I've attached pics of a similar boat....

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Outboard Advice

I run a 50 on a flat bottom Carolina Skiff 19' and it does fine; your 70 will the plenty of power and old 70's are great. be sure to have power tilt for the shallow water, and a SS prop.

However, my boat slides dangerously, and then grabs (trips--good way to put it) so be careful,and learn your boat with no one in it, and don't let others drive! it behaves differently depending on load, turn direction, etc.

We rigged ours with a center console scrounged from an old boat, set off to the side. That way you have a wider aisle on one side (good for lumber, brush, even a canoe) and the control cables. etc. are against the other side and not in the way. It sits a little tilted at rest, but so what.

PS we use ours duck hunting, as a work boat, and year round recreation in tidal marshes and flats, as well as ocean inlets and bays. It's fiberglasss but light and high-floating; same strategy as yours. it will skim along in water too shallow to run off a plane, and you can learn how to let the shallow water lift you up on a plane. We don't use jack plates.

I also run a 70 on a shallow V Key West "bay boat" 17' and it does great.

 

[nwcove]

Re: Outboard Advice

Try her with the 70. That is a great outboard. Then wonder if you want something else.

ditto ( and those look like well built boats.....very nice)