Outboard HP requirement?

[matt167]

I'm building a lengthened, widened, and 'cosmetically and structurally altered' version of the Lewis boat works Chugger. The flat bow is going away for a more traditional type bow found on a jon boat. It is also going to have a laminated transom with knees and stringers. 16' long, 60" beam

I nearly pulled the trigger on a nice 2000 Nissan 4 stroke 15hp control model OB, but was reluctant because I don't think it would be enough and it sold anyway.
What is the minimum hp to get something like that up on plane? I was thinking a 15hp could but might not be enough. What about a 25hp 2 stroke?

http://www.angelfire.com/ego/lewisboatworks/html/Chugdes_a.htm

 

[matt167]

I'm currently eyeballing a 1987 Mercury Mariner 25hp.

 

[jbcurt00]

Looks like a heavy built boat

a 25hp tiller might perform ok (good? great?) on a 16ft X 5ft aluminum jon boat, on a modified version of the plan you linked, hard to say accurately.....

just drop a website address (w/out the http) in the body of your posts, dont have to use the URL link add button.

The link you loaded also loaded a link to a pitch site for Angelfire web hosting, and made it hard to click the Chugger link from my Android. Kept fat fingering thw Angelfire hosting link.

like this:
www.iboats.com

I editted your post and dropped your link into the body of your poat.

unfortunately, the forum software wouldnt let me delete your link w out adding back a new 1

its a cliche thats known and in the pipeline for a fix...

 

[matt167]

thanks, I thought it was a bit weird but I couldn't get paste to work so I thought link dropping was locked out

I'm actually going for remote steering/ controls. I don't like tiller steering especially for such a boat. And, I have calculated that approx 10 sheets of plywood should build the majority of the boat. If I use 1/2" for all. So 400 lbs at the heaviest, dry hull. I'm probably going to use a mix of 3/8's and 1/4" for a lot of it though,so not nearly that

Is a 1987 Mariner basically just a Mercury? The guy has a '89 Merc 25hp as well and the engine looks identical

 

[matt167]

Well, I've decided that a NEW outboard is what it will get but no bigger than 25hp. The boat is getting built with ACX/ UL rated SYP 3/8" as that is what I have available plus it will be. Rot resistance is greater with SYP than in doug fir, for a 10ish # per full sheet more than doug fir, so being I calculated 7 sheets, that's only a 70# difference.

Now the question. Tohatsu/ Mercury 20hp at ~100lbs ( remote, electric start, short shaft ) or a Yamaha FB25 at 143lbs ( remote, electric start, short shaft ). Is 5hp really that much of a deal? Yamaha has the troll control but I'm not sure I need that. I will fish off the boat but not primarily a fishing boat

 

[82rude]

The Yamaha 25 is a fantastic motor.The reviews ive seen rave about it.

 

[matt167]

That's what I've seen as well, but a lot of them are from 2017 when it first came out since it was the first EFI 25hp and is lighter than the rest.

The Tohatsu 20hp models come in at 100lbs and get rave reviews for being the lightest and they have EFI for current models.

The Yamaha F20 is a detuned F25 and weighs the same as an F25 because of that.

I think my local dealer does Tohatsu, Honda and Yamaha. But Central Marine can ship out an F25 remote for like $3,600 via Ebay and I get Ebay bucks back. But a Tohatsu 20 would come in below that I'm pretty sure. Iboats lists a fully loaded 2018 F25 with PTT for like $4,100 but I more or less need the lightest model with only electric start added