Under Powered?

[MercMe]

Hello I have a 14ft fiberglass that weighs about 450lbs (I am told) with a 45hp mercury. At full full throttle I am not even sure if the boat even hits 25 mph seem under powered but I am not sure I am really new to boating what do you guys think?

 

[5150abf]

Re: Under Powered?

i have an aluminum boat that is built, casting deck, 2 livewells ect ect, that probably goes about 800ish with a 50 and get @30mph gps so it sounds like yours should be going faster.

Do you have a speedo or gps because speed on water is very hard to judge so if you think you are going 25 it is probably less than that.

The first thing to do would be to make sure your engine is running right, check spark, compession and clean your carbs if you haven't with in the last year or 2.

Next is to determine if your hull is waterlogged, lugging around a couple hundred pounds of wet foam will slow you down to also if your prop is torn up or the incorrect size that will kill speed.

I would not say 45 is under power but certainly towards the bottom what you could run an seems to me it should run faster than it is, as I said th first thing I woudl do is to make sure the engine is running correctly and go from there.

 

[Philster]

Re: Under Powered?

My flat-bottom 17-foot Alumacraft with 40 HP 4-stroke hits 25.

To get better results from your post: Punctuate, please. Also, is this a V-bottom boat? More details about engine age, boat age, everything.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Under Powered?

Need to know if it is open, bowrider or runabout. How old or new is it? Did you check your speed with GPS or speedo? What engine (year)?

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Under Powered?



The first four photos are of an older 14 foot hull probably designed for a 35 or 40 HP engine. It had a 15 inch high transom.

Before modifications it was powered with an 85 and only ran 35 MPH. With many modifications it is now powered with a 125 and tops out at 60 MPH.

The last photo is of a 15 foot slightly newer hull with a 20 inch transom that is rated for 90 HP.

So, you see: A lot of factors go into how much power is enough and what the hull is rated to carry. As stated above, with no reference points, speed on the water is difficult to determine. You may actually be going faster than the 25 you claim but again, it depends upon the hull style and weight you are carrying. many of these smaller hulls will simply not go fast no matter how much horsepower you hang on the back.

Do not rely on a pitot tube speedometer either: They are notoriously inaccurate. The Merc weighs around 120 pounds and unless your hull is an open fishing boat style with tiller steering, I seriously doubt that total weight is 450. add an extra 200 pounds to the estimate and you may be close.

 

[MercMe]

Re: Under Powered?

Philster, I Fail to see what punctuation has to do with results. Also I wrote that at 3am when I could not sleep cut a guys some slack. Yea it is V-bottom, the motor is a 1962 murc pull start The boat is a 1966 runabout. The body of the boat is in excellent shape. It is a closed bow with a little two tone horn on it. Its red dose not have the factory seats, steering wheel, or control box. Someone put ugly brown indoor out carpet on the deck I plan to replace. I hate the cover that came with it because it attaches to the trailer not the boat. O ya I also put a little bobbing head dog on the dash I think that's all the details I have hope it was enough.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Under Powered?

I'd guess you're not hitting top end, or all cylinders, or your prop is wrong. Are you running on a level plane, not dragging or plowing?

If the dog's head bobbles left to right, move your prop pitch up 2 points. If right to left, increase your prop diameter 1/2".

 

[Philster]

Re: Under Powered?

At full full throttle I am not even sure if the boat even hits 25 mph seem under powered but I am not sure I am really new to boating what do you guys think?

Welcome!

You should know that, to get the best answers, forming questions in the best way helps. Now, you might argue whether that is fair, right or just, but it doesn't matter. The simple reality is that some folks here get snookered if they can't piece together coherent sentences.

So, I could ignore this reality of iboats, and hang you out to dry, or help and tell you how things work around here.

Do not confuse this advice with me being rude. Sort of like telling someone that to get respect you should go to an interview with a suit on. Does the best candidate always wear a suit? Doesn't matter.

Overload these folks with info and well-formatted thoughts, and you'll be a happier boater.

 

[mr 88]

Re: Under Powered?

Since the HP ratings changed after your classic motor was built I think your speed is okay. Today's 35-40hp are close to what your 45hp puts out,that has a bearing when someone replies they are getting so much speed from there 50hp or whatever. As noted a compression test would be helpful.If that comes out okay then you need to hook up a tach and see what rpms you are hitting @WOT with your normal load on board.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Under Powered?

Well, Mercme: Yours is not the worst puntuation I have seen. However, people who do not take the time to double check their post do tend to aggravate me. It is not that difficult: The computer has built-in punctuation and grammar checking. When I use a word I am not certain about spelling or meaning---I google it. That way, I am sure that the readers understand me. And although some might consider it a bit anal, I do double check my replies a couple of times, sometimes editing a couple of times too. For me, it is a matter of how I will appear to others on the forum. They only know me through my posts.

"You only get one chance to make a good first impression."

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Under Powered?

yep no need to get ruffled.... when I come across a post that is difficult to read I don't read it.... thus I don't answer it..... yours was marginal but I did read it.....
just stop and read what you typed before posting... you will often see several simple things you can change to make it easier for us to help.
the details we need are performance oriented.... you know very well that we don't need colors, carpet, and bobbing head dog... If you are unsure, ASK.... what we need to know is what prop you are running, pitch and diameter, what rpm are you hitting top speed. how are you measuring speed. Stuff like that.

Many people who are unfamiliar with boats expect them to operate and perform similar to a car... Your speed sounds very respectable for the boat and motor... if you DOUBLE horse power you can expect another 15 mph

just as a not so relevant example, the boat pictures under my post tops out around 45 mph. It has twin v-8 engines totaling 520 hp It burns through 100 gallons of gas in about two hours at top speed..... It weighs about 9000 lbs.... My truck also weighs about the same but with one engine it can easily drag itself and the boat at twice the speed with half the horsepower....... point is that moving through water takes a LOT more power than crossing land.

 

[MercMe]

Re: Under Powered?

I'd guess you're not hitting top end, or all cylinders, or your prop is wrong. Are you running on a level plane, not dragging or plowing?

If the dog's head bobbles left to right, move your prop pitch up 2 points. If right to left, increase your prop diameter 1/2".

I will apologize to an extent. I was having a bad day, however that is a personal pet peeve of mine this is not an English and grammar forum. It is a boating forum. What I posted was not hard to read or poorly thought-out, lots of other people commented with no problem. What I took offence to was the holier than thou attitude that was conveyed in the message. That I took as Hey dummy people aren't going to help you b/c you had some run on sentences. Now I may have misinterpreted the entente if so I am sorry. But as I stated other people did not have a problem with my question and simply responded with out the need to comment on my grammar in a late night post. In fact one person even got the humor in my 2nd post. Thanks for that btw Home cookin. So I will end By saying this I mean do disrespect but the way I type my posts offends you please feel free to skip right over them. I may be new to boating but I am not new to forums. If your intent was to help then thank you but I hope you see where I am coming from now. Also I don't about anyone else but I am yet to see a computer that has has built-in punctuation spell check yes and some times it will fix dont to don't but I have never seen one that will put in a period at the end of a sentence. Last I am going to go ahead and put this out there I am dyslexic. Part of this disease makes the brain see what it wants to see when reading (part of where the hole backwards thing comes in) So it doesn't matter how many times I reread something my brain may make me think I was correct all along. But I always look back over what I typed at least twice but I still may miss mistakes. So try to remember maybe what your ready isn't from someone who is lazy or dumb maybe they cant help it. That's why stuff like that makes me so mad. I am done now I didn't intend to tell everyone this but I felt I need to.

 

[57crestliner]

Re: Under Powered?

Be easy, you'll find your way. Just don't forget to check that head bob.:facepalm: Really tho, speed, rpm and prop all will help. I have a 50's 18 footer that gps's @ 30 with a 40 Merc. Tin and around 450#

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Under Powered?

nobody called you lazy or dumb.... nobody said hey dummy anything.... Fact is that better punctuation WILL get you more help..... not just here but all throughout your life. Those of us with that face difficulties face more challenges than others... it's a fact that we can't change..... we all have our shortcomings... you are not alone.... If I had a dollar for every time I heard "he's really smart but he doesn't apply himself" as a kid (A.D.D.) I'd have a LOT of dollars!.... If you read a reply with a chip on your shoulder looking for an insult you can find one about anywhere.... You were NOT being picked on..... I along with others have put quite a bit of info on here for your benefit....

Soooooooooooo wanna keep fussing about with this "feelings" stuff or get on with the BOAT talk?
Have we helped you with your problem or do you still have questions.
ps I don't punctuate all THAT great but I use a lot of ............ to separate my thoughts ..... so far nobody has yelled at me for it......... fwiw

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Under Powered?

Is veery Good GRANMA most impore tant ?

So this is where all those frustrated English teachers wind up ?

Rich

 

[southkogs]

Re: Under Powered?

Is veery Good GRANMA most impore tant ?

Actually, it can be very important. Clarity sometimes effects the answer one receives, and by extension the help that one gets. (no offense intended to anyone - I'm just surprised at some of the reactions)

MercMe: Used to have a '58 closed bow 14' runabout with a '58 Evinrude 35 on her. Flat out, with a following sea, tail wind and a school of minnows breaking trail she'd run about 22mph. It would pull a skier, but ya' had to work at it. From the sounds of things, you're running right about where you should be by your description of the boat. She's probably plated for a 50hp max (as a guess). Some adjustments to the motor might get you a few more MPH, but I can't see a hull like that one designed to run more than about 30MPH on the top end.

Bobble headed dog might be weighing you down, unless it's one of the big headed Chihuahuas

 

[MercMe]

Re: Under Powered?

I as I said I was having a bad day and I said I was sorry. I took as being more rude then helpful. And admitted that may have been a misinterpretation. I honestly wish I cold remove the hole thread and start over. I am done, I wont say another thing about anything other than my boat or someone else boat. So please do them same for me I got lectured enough about my grammar in school (although I guess you could argue I didn't get lectured enough if it still sucks).

On a different note thank you southkogs that was just the kind of info I was looking for.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Under Powered?

The grammar discussion portion of this thread ends now. Thanks.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Under Powered?

Hello I have a 14ft fiberglass that weighs about 450lbs (I am told) with a 45hp mercury. At full full throttle I am not even sure if the boat even hits 25 mph seem under powered but I am not sure I am really new to boating what do you guys think?

Seems like a resonable speed, but you could always beg, borrow or buy a GPS and check it out on the water, as speed on the water is difficult to judge with the wind and the sound of the motor. The motor set-up and trim could effect top speed a good bit. Also, if it's an older or slightly out of tune motor, then it may not be making a full 45HP. Good Luck1