Upgrading from a 40hp to a 50hp? Value to me?

[retreat123]

I am new to the world of outboard motors. My question is: Is there a good rule of thumb or a table to show me what the value of upgrading from a 40 hp to a 50 hp to a 60 hp etc.? I know the larger the motor the faster - but how much faster? Does it justify the extra $$$$ is my question? If I assume all other factors, boat, weather, max weight, etc. stay constant what will my increase in boat speed be per horse power be? Thank in advance

 

[roscoe]

Re: Upgrading from a 40hp to a 50hp? Value to me?

Lots and lots of variables here.<br />Like the size and weight of the boat.<br />Hull design.<br />Maximum rpm the engine is now reaching at wide open throttle (WOT).<br />Diameter and pitch of current prop vs. new motor and prop.<br />If the move puts you into larger diameter props, it would have more impact on holeshot.<br /><br />Going from a 40 to a 60 on a large pontoon or displacement hull, would do very little.<br /><br />The same with a 17' bowrider.<br /><br />But the same upgrade on a 16' 500# fishing boat could be significant.<br /><br />What kind of boat are you dealing with?

 

[retreat123]

Re: Upgrading from a 40hp to a 50hp? Value to me?

Roscoe, I'm still shopping. Probably 17', semi-v, Al, with some of the options. Therein lies the question of upgrade? Some dealers offer an upgrade from a 40 to 50 hp for about $1500+-. Is there value in the upgrade for me in real performance? 5 miles an hour down the lake may not be that big a deal for someone who is out there to relax anyway!<br />Thanks<br />Jim

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Upgrading from a 40hp to a 50hp? Value to me?

The horsepower upgrade will be significant only if your present motor was badly matched in the first place....or your passengers/gear has increased in weight and you need the umph to keep up the speed.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Upgrading from a 40hp to a 50hp? Value to me?

Jim,<br /><br />It's not really a matter of top speed. It's a matter of how well the boat gets to that speed. Is it enough to plane it off well out of the hole? Will it cruise well(At lower RPM's) at a comfortable speed? Will you be taking several people out with you or pulling a tube occsionally? All these things must be taken into account when determining if you need more HP. In my opinion, the best thing to do is go for the most HP you can afford and the boat will handle, or at least 75%-80% of the Maximum rated HP for the boat. $1500 seems a little high to upgrade from a 40HP to a 50HP. I'd shop around a bit more if possible. You can never have too much HP and regret it, but you sure can have too little and be unhappy with it for a long time....

 

[bossee]

Re: Upgrading from a 40hp to a 50hp? Value to me?

Hi,<br />Is it an upgrade from 40 to 50 hp 4-stroke or 2-stroke?<br />With some 4-strokes You have to take weight into consideration.<br />Example: <br />Yamaha F40 - 182 lb (83 kg)<br />Yamaha F50 - 233 lb (106 kg)<br /><br />If economy permit You may as well select a Yamaha F60 in this example as it is just a few pounds/kg<br />heavier - 244 lb (111 kg). You get much more comfortable ride with less RPM needed to maintain plane speed and less noise with a larger hp outboard and get up on plane quicker with many persons onboard.<br /><br />If it is 2-stroke 40 or 50 hp the weight difference is usually not that much, again Yamaha:<br />40 hp 2-stroke - 189 lb (86 kg)<br />50 hp 2-stroke - 189 lb (86 kg)<br />But Yamaha 60 hp 2-stroke is heavier: 228 lb (104 kg) and if economy permit select a F60 4-stroke instead then since it is basically same weight (and performance is about the same).<br /><br />Just do same type of comparison for the outboard that is offered with your boat, but Yamaha outboards is usually fine and reliable. Other outboards like Mercury, Honda, Suzuki, Johnson etc is also good of course.<br /><br />Personally I would select a 50 hp instead of 40 hp outboard. But if the boat is rated for a 60 hp, preferably a 4-stroke, I would select that for reasons I wrote above.<br /><br />Good luck!

 

[alcan]

Re: Upgrading from a 40hp to a 50hp? Value to me?

Here is another point to concider. Resale. Do you plan to keep this boat for life? This rig may have enough power for you and me, but what happens if for some reason we need to unload this baby. It has been my expirence that more horse power sells faster and gets more return dollars.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Upgrading from a 40hp to a 50hp? Value to me?

Good Advice, Bo and Alcan.

 

[retreat123]

Re: Upgrading from a 40hp to a 50hp? Value to me?

To all that were kind enough to reply, thanks. I appreciate your feedback and certainly you all made valid points. I had not really considered the point of not how fast you can go but how fast you get to that top speed. Sort of makes me remember the good old days of the muscle cars, etc. but thats another good debate for another time and place. Thanks again for your input, as with life nothing is really simple is it.<br /><br />Jim