What size HP outboard can I have?

[Tony Albanese]

Hey everyone,

 

I purchased an older 1952 Alumacraft off Craigslist a few months ago.. Got a good deal. Made a small casting deck on the front with a bow mounted trolling motor. Now I'm in search of an outboard. The boat is 14' long and the beam is 48" (if that matters). What's the max HP engine I could use? My old boat I sold had a sticker on it but this one has nothing. I'm looking at nothing large than 15HP engine. Is this too large?

[Redlinerobert]

15 hp should be fine.  A quick search shows others with the same. 

[Way2slow]

I have a 1436 Lowe I use in some of the smaller rivers and lakes.  In the rivers I run a 9.9 because the smaller LU does not hit those underwater trees, limbs and obstacles as bad.  The rest of the time I run a 25hp Merc.  I think on a 1448, a 25 two stroke would be a nice size engine

However, I'm sure it's probably not rated for that much hp so you have to see what your state laws are on over powering a hull.  Some states get down right ugly about having a boat with more hp than it's rated for.  Even on my 1436, a 9.9 seems mighty slow when you are on open water with two people in the boat.

 

If it has the coast guard data plate with the max hp rating on it, I would not go any smaller than what it has on it..

 

 

[slonezp]

I have a 50 year old 14ft Lund which is rated for 12hp

[fishnkamp]

Going by slonezp's boat rating is probably the best idea. Those boats probably did not have the design and floatation a more modern boat would have.

Also remember those were 2 strokes back then not 4 strokes, so I doubt it would weigh as much as a modern 4 stroke would.

I would probably look at a 9.9 2 stroke

[Tony Albanese]

Seems like my safest bet is a 9.9.. was hoping I could pull off a 15

[Way2slow]

You should be fairly safe going with a 15 two stroke on a 1448.  Also, if it's an early model, before the early 80's a 15 is actually only about a 12 with todays ratings.  Those early Johnson 15's were just a 9.9 with a bigger intake and carburetor on them anyway.

 

I haven't looked much at the weight of the new four strokes, I think they run in the 130 pound range, but if there is one less than 100 pounds, you could probably use a four stroke if buying a new motor.  Before I put a 130 pound motor on the back, I would add a transom brace and make sure the plywood is still good.  There are several different types of transom braces you can buy for jon's.  With a transom brace and the plywood is strong, you could probably use a 130 pound, 15 four stroke.

This all based on my personal experience and since there not a lot of info on that early of a boat, you would have to evaluate what you have for yourself.  If it's that thin beer can aluminum, then you would have to be careful what you put on it.  If it's good, heavy gauge aluminum, those things were built like tanks back then.

[Tony Albanese]

Here' s some pics of the boat.. This was before my deck and what not, but you can see what I'm working with. Sorry they're sideways

[Way2slow]

I don't see where you would have a problem running a 15 two stroke.  It looks pretty well braced at the transom so it would probably run a 25 two stroke or a 15 four stroke they would probably make the bow rise up a bunch when starting off when in it by yourself without figuring out a way to move some weight forward. 

Good luck using that casting deck make sure you keep a flotation device on.  I had in mind a jon when you first described it.

Just now, Way2slow said:

 

 

[Tony Albanese]

53 minutes ago, Way2slow said:

I don't see where you would have a problem running a 15 two stroke.  It looks pretty well braced at the transom so it would probably run a 25 two stroke or a 15 four stroke they would probably make the bow rise up a bunch when starting off when in it by yourself without figuring out a way to move some weight forward. 

Good luck using that casting deck make sure you keep a flotation device on.  I had in mind a jon when you first described it.

 

 

Cool thanks for the tips! The Bow actually pretty heavy now that I've added a bow mount trolling motor and the decking which is made from 1/2 sheet of marine plywood. 

[WRB]

How do you know it's Alumacraft boat? There should be a plate on the transum with serial numbers and HP rating. I owned a 14' Alumacraft and 14' Lund and that boat doesn't look like any Alumacraft I am familiar with. Your boat has a modified transum and it's duck tail shape,  should be rounded and the chine or sides to bottom are rounded, yours are square.

Anyway you should be rated for 20hp if it's 14' Alumacraft boat.

Tom

[Tony Albanese]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

How do you know it's Alumacraft boat? There should be a plate on the transum with serial numbers and HP rating. I owned a 14' Alumacraft and 14' Lund and that boat doesn't look like any Alumacraft I am familiar with. Your boat has a modified transum and it's duck tail shape,  should be rounded and the chine or sides to bottom are rounded, yours are square.

Anyway you should be rated for 20hp if it's 14' Alumacraft boat.

Tom

 

Tom,

 

Thanks for pointing all that out. The only way I know is because that's what the title says. Could the title be wrong? Perhaps. The people I bought it from said they bought it from someone without a title and then they had to go through the process of getting the title. So I could definitely see why it may not really be an Alumacraft.