Why are outboards 9.9 and not 10hp?

[truebrit]

Anybody enlighten me as to why most outboards in the 10hp range are rated at 9.9 hp ,is because of some inland waterways restriction or what??

<hr width=100% size=1>Mike....... V8s are sweet music

 

[ari]

I believe that in France you have to have some kind of licence to drive any boat with an engine 10hp or above. It's either that or a boat licence (like car tax for cars) or something similar.

Therefore a 9.9hp allows you the biggest engine without needing a licence. For a small RIB or a yacht or a non planing boat this is therefore a popular choice.

The flipside of this is is apparently there are a lot of dangerously underpowered yachts and outboard powered motorboats in France as if a 9.9hp will just about do when a 15hp or 20hp would be more appropriate then the 9.9hp option is often taken to avoid the legislation. Fine until caught out in strong winds and/or currents where the 9.9hp is no longer sufficient...

Ari.

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

I was actually thinking about this the other day. Should the same kind of license regulation appear here with 10hp cut off would I need a license, I have two yanmar GM10's, about 18hp combined.

Is it possible to class one hull as an aux engine and claim to be under 10hp with a single engine running. The French rule means a diligent angler who has a 2hp aux engine on a bracket may be over 10hp with his 9.9hp main engine.

Does anyone know how the law is written for this circumstance?

<hr width=100% size=1>J

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[duncan]

I believe there used to be a tax issue in Spain/France.

They do a similar thing on motorcycles (or did).

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