is the motor too big??

[dwk]

i am looking at buying a 16ft motor boat that has a 200hp engine on the back? is this too big for the size of the boat? please help me out
thanks [image]http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Boats-marine/Motorboats/photos/a-85275234/p-34540272.htm[/image]

 

[duncan]

whilst at first glance it sounds on the large side it rather depends on what it's designed to do, and what you want to do with it.

in the US it's common to have large OBs on small skiffs - generically called Bass Boats - than are designed to run fast in sheltered waters (and not so calm on some large lakes at times). these will top 70mph so are definitely in the 'performance craft' category.

150 on a 17 is about as large as I have seen for more gereral use - but this still has 'hairy ride' written all over it.

 

[Nautorius]

This is a flat hulled ski/wakeboard boat. On a normal sportsboat I would say Yes, But on this you will be OK if you take care. I remember Mastercraft putting 175hp and then 200hp on the back of theirs but they were longer by a few feet. She will definitely get you out of the water quick!

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I am sure she is OK, but to be safe check the boat rating plate (around the stern moulding somewhere), or contact manufacturer. The two water sacks will help with balancing her out, she might be a bit lively if you empty them though. By the way, your linkdoes not work so I tracked the advert doen to HERE are details

 

[ArthurWood]

That thing will almost fly, I should think. We had a 165hp I/O on a 19ft boat and we could get close to 50mph out of it - on flat water on a lake BTW. Be very careful!

 

[jfm]

Not too big if you drive it carefully. You dont have to develop 200hp the whole time, you can go steady with the throttle! It will be vERY fast at full speed so you need to be VERY careful with it, that's all. Looks a nice rig.

It's obviously a lake/waterski/wakeboard boat. If you plan on using it at sea then it's not the most suitable (sorry to state the obvious!)

 

[Nick_H]

I'd be a bit careful. It looks like the guy uses ballast tanks to increase the wake size, so he may have overpowered it on the basis that he'll always run it heavy. 200 hp on a small ski boat with a shaft would be no problem, but thats a lot of power for an outboard at that size, and I think the boat could be skittish without the ballast tanks full. On the other hand, with them full i'd also want to see if it porpoises.

 

[benjenbav]

I'm sorry jfm, but that sounds just like the guy in the music shop where I financed the acquisition of a new keyboard amp for benjenbav jr on Saturday: "It's easier to turn the sound down on a big amp than turn it up on a small one"

Yeah, right. But by Saturday evening we had it turned up to 11 - "Just to see what it sounds like" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jfm]

Quite bjb I was just chivvying dwk along to buy it. He has got a sensible hat on while making the purchase. Once he gets out in it I fully expect him to go to "number 11"/70mph and have the white knuckle ride of his life! Especially as petrol in land of the long white cloud is 1/2 the UK price

 

[dwk]

thanks for the comments, yeah i definately wont be full throtle it. i intend on using for prodominately wakeboarding, but also hope to get it out in the sea for some fishing as well. so maybe it is not really ideal?? do you think that the engine may be "overpowered " (as someone mentioned) too much? it has been used with the ballasts full and for wakeboarding all the time so should i be worried about the condition of the motor??
i have narrowed my purchasing down to 2 boats, the other one is this one which looks like a nice boat but obviously doesnt have to wakeboarding hull or power really needed??
please see link for a pic
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Boats-marine/Motorboats/photos/a-85679553/p-32781206.htm

 

[Nautorius]

DWK,

Wakeboarding boats and Sea boats are a completely different breed. A purpose built Wakeboard/ski boat will struggle at sea as it has low freeboard and a hull designed to flatten waves. This means big waves come over the bow!

If you want a Sea boat that you can wakeboard behind then the wakeboarding will not be as good (depending at what level you are) but it will be safer at sea. It is a matter of compromise. I also would not open her up on the sea with a 200hp on the back....one wrong wave and you will submarine like a jetski and probably not pop up!

Cheers

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Cheers

 

[Nick_H]

Don't buy a dedicated ski boat if you want to use it on the sea. They have very flat hulls to make them plane easily, but in any kind of waves they would just slam constantly.

 

[enterprise]

Used to have a picton 166 royale(16ft 6) with mariner 200hp.

Excellelent is all I can add, very very fast, economical (not using half the available power most of the time) & great at towing anything (pulled 7 skiers no probs).

Just watch the weight on the transom & of course it invalidates your insurance if the manufacturers recomended HP is exceeded... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I once opened her full throtlle, chickened out when the speedo hit 50mph & she was still pulling, this was at sea & didn't fancy being airborne without a parachute. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jfm]

Hi DWK
I'd be very careful of the second boat. If it's in good condition and the price is right then fine, but that engine is NOT a 1984 as stated in the ad, those decals are 1974-5 model year. Quite a big difference, huh? (Get the serial number if you want a precise age). That's the old merc straight-4 which is a chopped down version of the classic merc straight 6. Nice motor, but getting old now and heavy on fuel. That engine has the old style power trim cylinders too; they were changed in early 1980s. FWIW, the throttle lever box is newer, it is about 1980 or newer but that's neither here nor there. So you might be taking on a motor that could need some maintenance, and the parts are vERY expensive. And the trailer isn't WOF'd - this might cost you NZ$1,000 in new brakes and wheel bearings? And, the whole thing is a bit under powered!

So, be careful, that's all

Also I'd agree the other comments that a ski hull isn't going to be great on the sea. Depends where on the sea i guess. If it's nice sheltered Malborough Sounds then maybe fine. Where are you based?

Good luck

 

[dwk]

am based in auckland, yeah as mentioned i would only take out for a fish if got really bored and felt like doing so. so am really after something that will put out a good wake as our wakeboarding level was getting quite good. does the 2nd boat look like it would not put out a good wake if got bigger engine?
is it easy to change the engines on boats ( like how much does it cost do get done) cause i am looking at buying the 200hp boat but maybe trading for a 140hp motor?
does the 1st boat (200hp) look like a good set up, what questions should i be asking the owner as its too far away to go and view. any help would be great.
thanks again

 

[dwk]

sorry about the questions but also wondering the following.
does anybody have a opinion on what they think the value of the following boat would be, without including the extras (wakeboard, ski, sacks, tower)?
maybe a stupid question but is the weight of the engine too heavy in regards to putting to much strain on the back of the boat and could cause cracks?
ha can anyone help me decide between the two boats? im really struggling to decide!!
by the way i emailed the guy about the first boat and mentioned the only thing with the engine is that occasionally the starter does not engage in the ring first time but always second time? what does this mean?
and finally what does a v6 mean?? more petrol etc??
sorry about the questions and the ones that may sound stupid, hopefully you can help
thanks

 

[jfm]

Wow, lots questions! Here's a quick go, in the same order:

1. I have no idea if either boat would make a good wake. I'm not a wake shape expert! Anyone else?
2. Changing motors can be complex. They are bolted on, so the old one will leave holes and the new one might need new holes/bolts in different locations, then you have to fill up the old holes. Then all the control cables might need swapping too. And the steering might not fit, though probably it will. Then the instrument harness tends to come witht he engine so that might need swapping, with lots of holes in the dash (make sure the new motor is Yamaha to reduce the chaces of this) It needs a small crane abviosuly. I'd think potentially 2 days labour at a boat shop. I dont know NZ labour rates. Anyway, why bother. Just keep the 200hp
3. The 1st boat looks great for wakeboarding but will only be okat sea if there are no big waves. Ok on a nice day in Auckland harbour becuase there are lots of sheltered places.
4. Most people on this forum are UK so we have no good idea of NZ prices. The second boat with the Merc engine would be <£2000 in UK and the 200hp one might be £3500. Very approximate. It's 2.7 NZD= £1 but that's irrelevant, they are different market places
5. An engine that is too heavy can crack/break the boat especially if driven on a bumpy road, but I doubt you'd have that problem on either boat. It's very rare. Anyway, the boats are several years old so if the motors were too heavy you would see the cracks when you inspect them
6. The starter motor on the 200hp sounds like a simple fix but hard to tell. There could be a tooth broken off the flywheel gear which would be a few hundred dollars to fix. Or the bendix mechanism could be busted which means a new starter motor is needed. Not a big deal imho
7. V6 means 6 cylinders arranged in two banks of 3, in a V shape. A 200hp motor will drink fuel if run fast whether it is V6 or some other configuration. It's not the V6-ness per se that drinks the fuel, it's the 200hp!

Good luck. Im dropping off this thread cos i have to catch a plane tomorrow. To auckland

 

[Nick_H]

I'll pick up the wake question then. Logic says that dedicated ski boats are designed to make flat wakes, 'cos of course they were originally for slalom skiers who want to minimise the wake not maximise it, therefore would make crap wakeboard boats. However they are also designed to make clean wakes, which is equally important to both skiers and wakeboarders (by this I mean little or no white water where the top of the wake overtakes the bottom of it). Therefore the best solution seems to be a dedicated ski boat for the clean wake, but weighed down with a tonne or so of ballast to beef up the size of the wake. They also generally come with very powerful engines to push the extra weight quickly onto the plane.

So IMO, if you want it mostly for serious wakeboarding go for the ski boat, especially as the guy has already stuck a tower and ballast tanks on it. Hope this helps.

 

[dwk]

thanks, i am negotiating with the first boat as we speak.
he wants $8000 NZ without the tower, stereo, wakeboard, etc's . the second boat wants $6500 but has all the accessories.
yeah sounds like a mission changing the engines over so might just have to end up leaving it as is. but i guess like you say why not leave a 200hp on there, as long as it doesnt look ridiculous and weigh the back down too much.
thanks for comments, anymore help would be much appreciated!
thanks