Modest boats and anemic motors

[The Baron]

Both my kids (10 and 12) enjoy fishing so I'm looking around for our first bass boat.  As we all know, big outboard motors come at big prices so I'm considering a nice boat and a smaller motor.  Mostly because we're on a tight budget, but also I don't plan to run too far - no more than maybe 5 miles at speed.  We will be fishing the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario on selected weather days, but I'd choose my launch ramp to minimize on water travel and would rather put the money into a conformable boat and decent trolling motor/electronics than blow my budget on a huge motor.

 

So, my question is how little is "too" little?  I'm looking at the Ranger 178 aluminum series and they give the option of a 20hp Mercury which makes the package quite affordable.  How fast would a 20 likely push that boat with 3 people?  And, in the opinion of experienced boaters would buying that boat with the smallest motor available be something I'd regret vs. spending $3k more for a Merc 50? 

[Randy Price]

I bought a smaller motor with my boat and regret it.  IMO (if you can afford it) buy as big a motor as your boat will handle.  In the long run you will not regret it like I did.

[Tennessee Boy]

I think a lot like you do.  I get more enjoyment from a comfortable boat vs a fast boat.  Also, a good trolling motor and electronics will catch more fish than a big outboard.  I have a Ranger RT188 with a 90HP Merc.  Almost a third of the cost of the boat was for an upgraded TM and high end electronics.   The boat tops out at 40MPH but I spend very little time running at that speed.  I love being on the water and enjoy the extra time it takes to make a long run at 30-35MPH.   

 

All of that said,  20HP on a 178 is too small.  I'm guessing your top speed will be in the low 20s at best.  Getting the boat on plane with 3 people with 20HP will be painfully slow.  You will spend a lot of time running at wide open throttle which will shorten the life of the motor.   The small motor will also make resale a challenge.  I think spending an extra $3K for a 50HP is money well spent or look for a used boat.

[browne762]

I have a Lowe 1546 with a 25HP Merc tiller. With 2 people, 6ish gallons of fuel, 2 batteries, two Humminbirds, bow mounted trolling motor, 10-12 rods and a few tackle boxes/bag I get a max speed of about 23 MPH.

 

Getting on plane takes a bit and I have to be at WOT to even get on plane. Without the person up front it takes even longer due to weight distribution. Once I am on plane, I can back it off and generally run around at 10-15 MPH which is totally fine by me.

 

I was originally thinking about a 9.9HP or 15HP to save some money thinking the same thing, spend the money on other things. Boy am I happy I didn't do that! I would have been pretty disappointed with the performance. I cant even imagine how long it would take to get on plane with a 9.9 or if it would even be possible. 

 

All in all I am very happy with my boat even though I spent more then I was really wanting to after the TM and electronics. Had I gone with the smaller motor, I would probably be looking for a new one right now.

[Scott F]

If you buy the smaller motor, you’ll spend a lot of time wishing you’d bought the bigger one. Then, you’ll spend even more when you finally replace the smaller motor. Just cry once. 

[Russ E]

Fishing any larger body of water, I would not even consider a 20 horse on that boat.

first time you try to get on plane, you will regret it.

if bad weather rolls in while you are a couple miles from shore, it could be disastrous. it is not enough motor to get you out of trouble.

If you were fishing small no wake lakes it would be fine.

 

Here in eastern Kansas and western missouri the wind can whip up pretty quickly.

this summer I watched 2 guys in a tracker 175 with a 25 horse try to navigate 3 to 4 foot white caps on one of our local reservoirs. It looked like they were going to capsize a couple times. There was not a whole lot I could do to help, without capsizing both of our boats.

I passed them and watched from the marina. Wondering if I was going to be involved in a rescue attempt. 

They were both white as a ghost when they reached the Marina cove. I talked to them  while they were loading the boat. Both of them said the water was calm when we launched. the boat owner told me he was in the market for a larger motor and possibly a bigger boat.

 

[Dirtyeggroll]

20 HP is too small except for no wake lakes or lakes <3-400 acres. I believe you will regret the 20 HP motor.

 

You can get a whole lot of boat used. Just got to put in a little time and effort in making sure it checks out and be willing to pass at the slightest of red flags.

[PourMyOwn]

One more thing to consider: I have a 15' Alumacraft v hull for small ponds-it handles waves much better with the 25hp than it did when I tried my buddies' 9.9. Stability is a big deal in the waters you mentioned.

[813basstard]

Been said here before:

Never met someone who said “I wish I had less power”.

 

Fully loaded, you will be lucky to hit 20mph. 
Buy the bigger motor.

[WRB]

St Lawrence River and Lake Ontario isn't a place for a flat bottom aluminum boat period.

Tom

[Scott F]

39 minutes ago, WRB said:

St Lawrence River and Lake Ontario isn't a place for a flat bottom aluminum boat period.

Tom

A generalization like that is incorrect. I fished the St. Lawrence for many years out of a flat bottom jon boat and was never in any danger from rough water. There is a lot of water in the river that is sheltered from the current, ocean going ships and wind. The Thousand Islands area provided my father and I many many days of excellent fishing out of a small boat. I do agree that Lake Ontario, is not an area we’d have used that same boat.

[WRB]

You know the area better then me.....only fished the Thousand Islands area about 6 times and I wouldn't take 2 kids 10 & 12 out in a Jon boat or mod V low gunnel bass boat on the St Lawrence River or Lake Ontario.

IMO 16.5' to 17.5' V bottom like Alumacraft or Lund w/40-60 hp is safer and in the same price range.

Tom

[NHBull]

Just to echo others on this post.

If going small with kids, it would be a something like an Impact or equivalent.  Even the most experienced boater has been caught in quick Fronts rolling through 

[slonezp]

19 hours ago, Russ E said:

Fishing any larger body of water, I would not even consider a 20 horse on that boat.

first time you try to get on plane, you will regret it.

if bad weather rolls in while you are a couple miles from shore, it could be disastrous. it is not enough motor to get you out of trouble.

If you were fishing small no wake lakes it would be fine.

 

Here in eastern Kansas and western missouri the wind can whip up pretty quickly.

this summer I watched 2 guys in a tracker 175 with a 25 horse try to navigate 3 to 4 foot white caps on one of our local reservoirs. It looked like they were going to capsize a couple times. There was not a whole lot I could do to help, without capsizing both of our boats.

I passed them and watched from the marina. Wondering if I was going to be involved in a rescue attempt. 

They were both white as a ghost when they reached the Marina cove. I talked to them  while they were loading the boat. Both of them said the water was calm when we launched. the boat owner told me he was in the market for a larger motor and possibly a bigger boat.

 

 

[The Baron]

Thanks for all of the great input.  I figured a 20hp would be a bad idea, it's just so tempting to look at a nicely equipped new boat but hard to swallow the price of outboard motors.  One thing I hadn't fully considered is that while we may pick our days and not be in a hurry to go out, the weather can change and the urgency to get off the water could be very different.  I'll likely be forced to buy used, in order to get "enough" boat.  Good thing is I've always driven a 4x4 truck and always will, so a "real" bass boat is very much an option.

[WRB]

I have a 2005 Triton TR175 17'.5' bass boat w/115 Optimax down sizing from 19' Skeeter tournament rigged bass boat. Ranger/Nitro also makes a nice 17.5' to 18' bass boat, both are often available from anglers wanting to upgrade. Used bass boat like Ranger and Triton like mine run $15,000, new over $25,000 and safe for your boating needs. As stated earlier both Lund and Alumacraft make safe V hull boats that easily can accommodate a bow trolling motor. If part of your boating outings include a shore lunch then aluminum boats are a good choice.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Tom

PS, Triton Pro 17, Nitro Z6 and Ranger Z117 are 17' glass bass boats.

 

[slonezp]

Since you're from Canada, why not look at Lund or Princecraft. Both brands should be readily available and both make a quality boat.

[GreenPig]

I have 3 boats and all have the maximum recommended hp. Learned that lesson long ago. Nothing wrong with buying a used boat. There are many boats out there a few years old with very few hours. A friend bought a two year old boat last month and the seller told him it only needed 2 more hours for the engine to be broke in.

[Swamp Yankee]

Like others here, I think water like that calls for a V bottom boat with lots of freeboard. 

[S Hovanec]

You will regret a 20hp on a 17' boat.  I had a 16' Sea Nymph with a 20 and it topped out at 15mph and struggled to get on plane.  I had no choice in the motor though because I was fishing many 20hp limited lakes at the time.

 

Most people equate speed with big motors. It's  not always about speed.  Sometimes you need the power of a big motor to control the boat, to get you out of a situation that a smaller motor cannot do.  

[S Hovanec]

And when I got my 17' Lund, I had a 20hp kicker hung on it cause I thought I could still fish my limited lakes.  It got a whopping 8mph.