Hp Question 16Ft Boat

[St. Augustine]

Question for you all. I am looking at a 2012 tracker v16 laker, which is a 16ft v bottom aluminum boat. For the record, I am not looking to break any water speed records, I just want the boat to go on plane and get where it needs to go but not lightning fast. The boat is rated up to a 40hp motor. The package I have picked out right now comes with 9.9 HP 4 stroke electric start evinrude. Mostly it will be me and one other person but at times it will be 2 adults and two kids. I can't really afford to go bigger on the motor right now. The rep from tracker said this motor won't break speed records but it will do the job.

Thoughts?

[fadetoblack21]

I run a 2002 Tracker Pro Angler V16 with a 50hp 4 stroke. The boat I own is a couple hundred pounds heavier unloaded than what you are looking at (my boat is somewhere around 1000lbs with motor to the 650 listed for the boat your looking at). I run about 30 mph on plane and struggle to get on plane with 2 people in the boat. Actually, with 2 people in the boat I had to have my passenger move to the front of the boat to get on plane in a reasonable amount of time. I ended up installing one of those hydrofoil fins on my motor and it planes like a dream now.

Now saying all of that, I really have to wonder how long it will take to get that boat on plane with a 9.9hp motor.

[Sfritr]

First, welcome to the site.

With that setup you may not even get on plane with only a 9.9 and a load of gear and passengers. Always go big or go home when it comes to motors in my opinion. You will never hear a fisherman say "I have too much power"

I am sure others will chime in on this topic but I think most would agree that you will need more HP to accomodate a full load. Have you consisered a used boat? You may be able to get a similar setup with more HP for the same price.

Here are some great articles about boat and motors that may help your decision

http://www.bassresou...com/bass-boats/

[CFFF 1.5]

You will be lucky to get that boat on plane with a 9.9. I wouldn't go any less than a 30hp. If you can't afford the bigger motor, why not get a couple year old boat with a motor that still has the factory warranty.

[Nice_Bass]

I would be a bit worried about getting on plane with that.

[St. Augustine]

What exactly does on plane me then? If I don't get on plane what does that do? Meaning the bow of the boat is still up high, the stern low?

[St. Augustine]

Ok, I looked at finances, and I think I can swing a 15HP four stroke, would that be suffecient?

[freebie]

you are going to need at least 25hp to accomplish what you are asking about.with 2 guys and light gear you might get on plane with a 15 hp. forget that with 2 adults and 2 kids. I think that if you are stretching to afford the bare minimum hp then maybe you should look at the used market. there are tons of boats out there for not alot of coin.

[Diablos]

The boat in my sig is a 16ft Princecraft with a Merc 30hp. The boat and motor weigh in around 850lbs and over 1100 with me and gear.

My boat gets up on plane slow and tops out around 19-21mph.

I couldn't imagine a 9.9.

My buddy has PolarKraft Outfitter with a Power Pole and $2K Humminbird and decided to put a 9.9 ETEC. If he could he would easily trade in the Power Pole and expensive fishfinder for a bigger motor after one season of fishing.

[Hi Salenity]

I have a 14' with a old 18h on it. It will plane out with my Wife and 2 kids and will run 23mph on GPS.

[Bluebasser86]

I don't think you'll get on plane with that motor. I had a 14ft flatbottom johnboat with a 15hp johnson tiller motor that wouldn't get on plane unless it was empty. I have a 16ft Lowe semi V with a 60hp (max hp rating is 60) that will do about 32 loaded with me and a friend and all our gear (usually way too much of it). You will never hear yourself say "I wish I'd bought a smaller motor". I would upgrade to at least a 20hp to make sure you can get on plane, otherwise you're going to be crawling along and wasting gas because you motor is working so much harder when it can't get on plane.

[Hi Salenity]

I have a 14' with a old 18h on it. It will plane out with my Wife and 2 kids and will run 23mph on GPS.

BTW max HP on my boat is 25 and I am looking for a 25 to put on it.

[St. Augustine]

My guess is that for 90% of the time, it will be me and one other person. The other times, my wife and two kids plus me. I started this off by saying I am not looking to break any speed records. Most of the inland lakes here in MI are not all that big.

My las boat was a 12 ft Jon boat with a trolling motor and oars! My question still remains though, what does "on plane" mean, and with the 15hp 4 stroke, can I at least get around the lake? One friend told me the 15 with just me will fly, with two guys it will take a while to get on plane, but it will do it. Another guy, with money to burn and a $40,000 bass boat that is a driveway ornament says I need at least a 25.

If I get the 15, give me a scenario of how it would work in your opinion. Thanks.

[fadetoblack21]

My guess is that for 90% of the time, it will be me and one other person. The other times, my wife and two kids plus me. I started this off by saying I am not looking to break any speed records. Most of the inland lakes here in MI are not all that big.

My las boat was a 12 ft Jon boat with a trolling motor and oars! My question still remains though, what does "on plane" mean, and with the 15hp 4 stroke, can I at least get around the lake? One friend told me the 15 with just me will fly, with two guys it will take a while to get on plane, but it will do it. Another guy, with money to burn and a $40,000 bass boat that is a driveway ornament says I need at least a 25.

If I get the 15, give me a scenario of how it would work in your opinion. Thanks.

A boat on plane means the boat is riding on top of the water instead of plowing through the water. A boat on plane will move with less resistance and burn much less gas.

With your scenario of 2 people minimum I would guess that even the 15hp will not be enough to get you on plane, and if it does it will take a very long time. I tend to agree with what freebie said about the used market. You may have better choices if you look into the used market.

[NBR]

My take on this is always go with themaximum rated HP.

[Bluebasser86]

I would guess that it's going to take at least a 20 to get you on plane with anything other than you in the boat. My 60hp on my 16' semi V has to work when it's loaded down with lots of gear and one of my 300+ pound friendsl. I guess one of the things that would really help here is the size of the bodies of water you're going to be using it on. If it's only going to be on small lakes that you aren't running far on then you'd be fine with the little motor. If you're going to be going to bigger bodies of water you'll want a bigger motor. The gas you save by getting a motor large enough to get your motor on plane will make up for the difference in orginal cost, maybe really quickly with the way gas prices are going.

[MichBassMan]

With this boat if you have less than a 25 or 30hp you will not get up on plane. Meaning your bow will always be "plowing" water. You'll have a slow,bumpy,wet ride. Additionally a smaller HP will be working very hard and burning gas like crazy. A 15 or under would be ok for trolling. You'll be disapointed with an underpowered boat.

[St. Augustine]

Ok I took all of your advice. Just purchased a 1997 bass tracker 165 fully rigged out, trolling motor, fish finder, the works with a trailer and a 40 HP motor all for 4995. !!!!!!!!!

Thoughts?

[Bluebasser86]

As long as it's a good strong running motor and the hull has no problems it should be a good boat it sounds like.

[freebie]

sounds like you made a much wiser choice. that boat wont break speed record with a 40 but it will plane and move along pretty well. I'm sure you probably saved a bunch of money as well. now you can save up for a big boat while you learn how to run that one. plus if you do find some bottom or rocks it won't hurt as much as it does in a new boat.

[St. Augustine]

Saving money was certainly part of it. The v16 outfit properly would have benn over 11,000. This 1997 was just under 5,000, plus the wife was real happy with it.

I think I made a wise choice. I didn't want something so big that I was intimidated by its size. Being my first boat outside a 12ft rowboat with oars and a trolling motor that ran about 1/2 mph I thought it wise to get some experience first too.

It's big enough to go fishing on and that's what I wanted. It will fit the kids and wife too when needed.

Thoughts on launching and pulling the boat out, I am all ears.

[Way2slow]

With the motors you are looking at, picture yourself in a river barge. That's about the speed you will have and what the boat will look like going through the water.

If you want to get it on plane without having to labor hard and having the passenger move to the front of the boat, look at 60hp motor and don't over prop it

[St. Augustine]

way2slow, are you talking about the inital question here? i just bought a 16ft bass tracker with a 40hp, that cant be like a barge?

[Way2slow]

If I understand the poster, he's asking about a 9.9 or 15 on the boat, not a 40. Even with a 40, I would think the boat fully loaded and two people would be difficult to get on plane unless you proped it down to where you would have to watch your rpm at WOT with a lite load.

[Deadeye-1]

St Augustine,

You'll be fine with your new Tracker boat with the 40. I'd say you made the better choice. The dealer will tell you whatever you want to hear to make the sale, at least some will. With the 1997 Tracker you get to learn running a boat, fishing from a boat, and IF you want to spend the money later for a bigger one.

Congrads on your new toy, now go get some fish!!