9.9hp Too Small for a 17ft Aluminum Boat?

[Brett's_daddy]

I found a really nice 1989 Lowe boat that has had everything replaced on it, the boat has been gone through from bow to stern within the past year. It's in my price range but the only problem with it is it only has a 9.9hp outboard...how can that size of a motor even move this boat much less with two full grown and slightly overweight adults and a small child in it? It's really too bad as it sounds like a great boat but gosh wouldn't that be the equivalent of a trolling motor if three people were in it?

[Kevin22]

It was most likely set up for a 10hp motor restriction lake. I've seen 21' triton bass boats with 9.9's on them that guys have set up this way. (on some lakes you can't even have a motor over 9.9 on your boat while on the water). There also used to be 10hp tournaments years ago, where max hp allowed was 10 (9.9), could have been used for that. 

In any case, no, a 9.9 will just plow. 

[Brett's_daddy]

I doubt that it will make much difference but he does also have a 55lb thrust bow mounted minn kota trolling motor on it too.

[Dwight Hottle]

9.9 is a trolling motor size. Max speed would be 5-10 with two adults in the boat. 

[Kevin22]

FYI when talking older boats 75% of the value is the motor, 25% the boat. When talking 25+ year old boats, chances are nothing inside of it has any real value as it is 25+ years old.. You are buying a hull and a motor, unless upgrades have been done recently. For instance the 55lb bow trolling motor, if its within the last 5-10 years it has value but if its from 1989 its worth about $50. Bilge/livewell pumps from 1989? Forget about it, chances are you will be replacing those soon. Electronics from 1989? Not worth more than $20-50. Do you understand what I am saying? 

You will find out that with boats that old, most likely they were older people who used them for a few years then stuck them in storage for years and are now selling them because they can't get out anymore. Thats how it works around here at least. Now step into the late 90's and early 2000's and you will hit a group who just want to upgrade and the boats still have decent value. 

Another thing to consider when looking for older boats is the trailer. Trailer tires are good for 10 years MAX, even if they have been sitting in storage and not used. So chances are with these $2500 boats you are finding you will need to replace nearly everything inside and out if you plan to run her hard. New tires, new batteries, new electronics, new trolling motor, probably new wiring and fuse box (I wouldn't chance it on 25 year old boats), and new bilge/livewell pumps and hoses. Keep that in mind... cheap isn't always good if you have to spend another $2000 to use it. 

[Brett's_daddy]

The guy that owns this boat said his father bought it new in 89' but has passed on so he completely redid everything in the boat and on the trailer...basically everything that could be replaced or redone was within the past year including a $600 trolling motor that was new last year and has never seen the water.

[Kevin22]

What model boat is it?

[Brett's_daddy]

It's an older guy and he didn't know, just said its a 1989 Lowe 17ft.

[Kevin22]

hope he isnt asking too much for it. Adding a $600 trolling motor isn't going to make up for needing a $1500 motor. His money would have been better spent finding a cheap used "correct" motor to stick on it if he planned to sell it. 9.9 boats are not as popular as they used to be. Must be a V series if its 17'. With his $600 motor the boat is worth 2G or so, possibly 2500 if its in great condition and someone really wants it. You should be able to get $300 for the 9.9 if it runs. 

[S Hovanec]

That boat will be a slug.  I had a 14' StarCraft with a 15hp on it and it maxed out at 8mph.

[BrianSnat]

For a 17 footer you won't be winning any races.  It will probably push you around at 5- 8  MPH depending on how heavy the boat is. A 9.9 would be a bit small for a 17 footer.

1 hour ago, S Hovanec said:

That boat will be a slug.  I had a 14' StarCraft with a 15hp on it and it maxed out at 8mph.

Now that sounds as if there was  something seriously wrong with the motor or that boat was incredibly heavy.  I had a 14 ft Sea Nymph (very lightweight)  that I got up to 25 mph with a 9.9 and my current boat,  a heavyish 14 footer gets up to 18 and sometimes 19 mph when I'm alone and still does 15 mph with a partner on the boat, Even loaded down with camping gear or with my brother and and his two teenage sons I get 11 mph out of it. 

This is me on my 14 footer loaded with camping equipment doing about 15 mph with a 9.9 (Full size video here)

 

[S Hovanec]

This was the boat, but not the motor.  I kept it when I sold this boat.  Light it was not.

 

My current boat, a 17' Lund got a whopping 8mph too with the 20hp kicker.  It's considerably heavier tho.

[Kevin22]

I can idle 5mph with my 17' ranger and 115, why have a boat that can only go 5mph? Makes no sense to me what so ever! What if you want to take a family trip somewhere on a bigger lake? You are going to get swamped! What if you get caught out in bad weather? I've seen plenty of 9.9' and 15's getting rocked and rolled in the waves, swamping the boat, while I ride up on top and get home safely. Makes no sense what so ever to limit yourself to such a degree. (talking a 9.9 on a 17' boat here, not a 14' skiff). 

Also I think someone mentioned fuel economy?? I was on a 5mph lake today and I can ASSURE you my 115 idling at 4.4-4.6 uses way less gas than a 9.9 running 3/4-WOT to go the same 5mph. I can disconnect my fuel line and idle for 15 minutes at 1800rpm which will cross any 80 acre lake I know of. Idled all over the main lake today (400 acres) and the fuel gauge never moved, I doubt it used a gallon of gas.

[Junk Fisherman]

My 17' '92 Lowe goes 5.5 mi/hr with my 9.9 kicker on it.  I use that motor on the 10 HP and 25 HP restricted lakes that we have in Illinois.  Some of those lakes are great and much better than the heavily-fished tournament lakes.  

I would never consider a boat like the OP is mentioning unless I lived in an area where I was fishing a HP Lake 80%-90% of the time.