posted 06-29-2008 05:14 PM ET (US)        

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I am considering a 130 Sport but the situation here on some Pennsylvania state lakes (which I would use)is a limitation of 20 HP. The spec on the 130 says 25 HP minimum. I have an opportunity to get a 130 with a 15 HP engine. However, I am concerned about whether or not the boat will plane properly? I would appreciate input on this matter before I proceed. Thanks.

patrickv (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
e-mail: varpenns@yahoo.com

posted 06-29-2008 11:35 PM ET (US)            

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This answer does not address your real question, but let me throw it out there as a bit of a less than completely serious reply:

I would get a SPORT 130, then re-power it with a new E-TEC 25-HP. The E-TEC cowling is rather small. Take the decals off and have some new ones made that say "E-TEC 20." Unless you happen to run across an outboard motor expert, no one would ever know. The motor is quite compact in size.

You could try this same approach with another motor, but some of the four-stroke motors have larger cowlings, and they might not look right when re-badged as a "20-HP" motor.

posted 06-30-2008 07:25 AM ET (US)            

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How about an 110 Sport, or an older classic 13" instead, with a 15hp two stroke for your situation?

My prior 110 Tender (lighter than the 110 Sport) did not plane with a 9.9hp four stroke.

posted 06-30-2008 09:20 AM ET (US)            

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patrickv,
Welcome aboard.

Please ignore the guy that suggests you break the law. And forgive the guy who complains about law enforcement doing their job.

I think you may just be out of luck. The minimum horsepower ratings that Whaler publishes are just that. Minimum. It would take forever to search, but very often there are complaints/concerns from people powering with the minimum horsepower and having less than satisfactory performance. Especially planing concerns.

Maybe the older style 13 with a 20 tiller would do the trick.

Best of luck to you in your search.

posted 06-30-2008 09:39 AM ET (US)            

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jimh,
Should they require speedometers or Gps's then?
Max Horsepower laws are usually there to protect shoreline erosion from wakes. My boat at say 15 miles an hour throws a huge wake but I'd bet my boat with a 20 HP motor throws little or no wake.

The easiest way to enforce the law is with horsepower restrictions. Or just make the whole lake "Slow no wake".
Plus how will you enforce speed limits on a lake other than "Slow no wake"?

posted 06-30-2008 08:52 PM ET (US)            

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The "minimum" hp ratings are suggestions. Whether a boat will plane with a given engine depends on a lot of things, like load, bottom condition, and prop. I would prop the 20 with a very small pitch prop and I'll bet it will make it.

Lots of old brochures show 18's towings skiers, incidentally, with boats no smaller than 13 feet.

posted 07-01-2008 05:18 PM ET (US)            

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The original post said 15 hp.

[It still says that; nothing has been changed--jimh]

posted 07-01-2008 09:07 PM ET (US)            

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This problem boils down to: should I buy and equip my boat so that if is legal on one or two lakes that I might use it on in preference to setting it up in a way that is more common and more useful? The only way to find the answer is to know what is most important: using the boat on one or two lakes which have a horsepower limit, or using the boat everywhere else.

If you equip the boat with a puny motor that won't put the boat on plane, your boat will not be very attractive to others, and, if you wanted to sell it at some point, you would probably experience a loss in value. You will also have to suffer with a boat that can't get on plane, even when you wished it could.

If the one or two lakes with the horsepower limit are the Holy Grail of your boating use, then, by all means, rig the boat with a motor that fits the mandate of those lakes. If the lakes are just one or two of many places where you might use your boat, give careful consideration to a decision to use a small motor in lieu of one that will run the boat as it was intended (i.e., on plane).

posted 07-01-2008 09:48 PM ET (US)            

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Nothing has changed but no one with actual experience has answered patrickv's original question about the performance of the specific boat he is interested in which has a 15 Hp motor.

We are off topic discussing how to break the law or how to prop a 20 Hp motor.

And that is all I have to say about that.

posted 07-05-2008 07:47 PM ET (US)            

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patrickv,
Did you see this one?

http:/ / cgi. ebay. com/ ebaymotors/ 1968-13-Ft-Boston-Whaler-with-20-hp -Honda_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ63725QQihZ003QQitemZ130236306203QQrdZ1 QQsspagenameZWDVW

Can't be too far from you.

posted 07-07-2008 04:34 PM ET (US)            

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Horsepower limits are stupid. I could get a little boat and scream around like an idiot with it.

If you want to limit speed, limit speed.

My guess is that tree-huggers are actually trying to do the next best thing they can to actually outlawing boating on the lake. By putting HP limits on the lake, it is likely that some (probably large) proportion of boaters who would otherwise visit the lake stay off it.

posted 07-09-2008 11:45 AM ET (US)            

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fishgutz,
On one lake where I primarily boat there is a speed limit of 35mph. You can have as big a boat and motor as you want, you just can't go over 35mph.
They enforce it very easily. County Sheriffs use a speed gun and will ticket you.
It's a very busy and popular lake on weekends.

Gep

posted 07-09-2008 12:09 PM ET (US)            

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Gep,
So the speed limit is 35 when the sheriff is there. Otherwise you could run a 150 HP bass boat anyway you want. A horsepower limit would control the speeds when the sheriff is gone. Plus it doesn't cost the taxpayers any money for patrols. Hmm. I'm a genius.

PS I think if a lake has a limit of 20 HP, few if any will ever approach 35 MPH. I doubt many could hit 20 MPH.

Another vote from andygere for a classic 13 with a 20.