Best motor for new Boston Whaler 13 skiff

[ksanders]

I have just purchased a 1984 Boston Whaler 13 sport, with the intention of using it as a skiff for my boat.

Does anybody here have any hands on experience with this boat, and if so what motor do you think is best for the skiff???

As a FYI, it came with a tired evenrude 30HP 2 stroke engine.

The skiff is set up with remote sterering, and the motor I choose will have electric start, remote steering, and electric tilt/trim.

Aso FYI I I am using this as an upgrade to the ZOdiac Yl340 that I currenty have as a skiff.

Thanks!!!

 

[bcam]

We put an E-Tec 115 on our 17' whaler and couldn't be happier. They make a 25 that would be nice.

 

[Insequent]

No experience with Boston Whalers. Very happy with the Honda 40 on my current RIB, remote steering etc. I would also have been happy with a Yamaha based on past experience with them.

But I would look closely at whatever brand has good local dealer support, just in case you need it one day.

 

[IRENE]

13 Whalers

I had one with a 40 Yamaha that was quick, yet it was not overpowered. You can turn a child loose in it and they would likely NOT get in trouble. I had an earlier one with a 25 Evinrude...it was adequate for just me aboard.

I don't have recent experience with particular motor brands, sorry.

Good Luck

 

[FF]

"As a FYI, it came with a tired evenrude 30HP 2 stroke engine."

Have it rebuilt , and add electric start if its not used often.

 

[twistedtree]

I've got a Yamaha 40 on our 15' RIB and love it. We lived on 13' and 16' whalers when I was a kid, and 40hp was the magic HP for a 13'.

 

[caltexflanc]

Our 2005 130 Sport, a heavier boat, has a same-year 40hp 2 stroke Merc that has been a fantastic engine, very heavily used and abused year around. I don't believe it is produced anymore.

Go join the continuouswave.com forum for classic whalers and there will be a lot of info on your vintage boat and power options. Newer engines, especially with electric start, trim and tilt (which mine has, wonderful features)tend to be heavier than those the boat originally came with in '84.

continuous Wave: Whaler (Boston Whaler)

 

[psneeld]

Kevin...

Be cautious with 4 strokes as those boats are weight conscious. So don't go by power rating entirely..

When the boat is in the water, empty and the motor tilted up...especially with a littlecwater sloshing atound in them.....they like the smaller Carolina skiffs seem happier turned turtle. If you ever tow it, definitely motor at least most of the way down.

I don't know if Boston Whaler has any info out or would be interested in answering that question...but might be worth a shot to see if the manufacturer has an opinion on it.

If you do go 4 stroke, keep the stability issue in mind with the motor up and how much closer to the water the engine cutout is because of weight.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Yamaha 3 cyl 40 2 stroke (used of course) would be my choice.

Lots of Yamaha dealers in AK too.

 

[Gdavid]

If you do go 4 stroke, keep the stability issue in mind with the motor up and how much closer to the water the engine cutout is because of weight.

These new motors are really heavy the weight really needs to be considered when repowering an older boat that were designed for much lighter motors. I noticed a neighbor's new 25hp evinrude on the back of a skiff as I was walking by the other day and it was huge, long shaft/power tilt & trim/electric start. If not for the HP rating sticker I would have guessed it was 50 hp. I got curious about the weight and just looked it up, it is 187 pounds. No wonder they wanted power tilt. I can't find the full specs for a mercury but it's lightest version is 157 and I have to imagine it is another 30 pounds by the time you add power everything. Tohatsu, Honda and Yamaha weight (with power everything) are all about 180 pounds as well. There doesn't seem to be any way round hanging a lot of weight off the back of your dinghy with a modern engine of this size.

I agree with FF to rebuild the existing engine unless it is a corroded mess. It is a simple and reliable engine that any mechanic should be able to work on and get parts for. If you really want to go new and fancy, make sure you get something well supported in your areas of travel.

 

[cardude01]

Yeah my old 15 HP Johnson weighs about 75 lbs and it's all I can handle trying to mount it on the dingy while in the water.

 

[Brooksie]

My Whaler 13 always did well with 2 cycle 25HP, I never saw the need for more and they weren't built for more weight on the transom as mentioned above. That said, I never used it as a tender b/c they tow badly and are so heavy they want to come through your transom when you stop or back down if towing. Make sure you crane and its fitments are up to the weight b/c they are heavy.

 

[psneeld]

It's not just dingies...I have salvaged dozens of boats where the scuppers were below the waterline.

When the owner was asked about the motors, they responded, it was still below the hp and total boat rating.....yes......but.....the builder never envisioned that much weight hanging on the transom.

If everything is normal...you get away with it...most of the time...the minute something else is thrown into the equation, bad things happen a lot more frequently.

 

[smitty477]

Boston whaler specs.....

The 13 foot Hull

Dimensions & History

DIMENSIONS (from 1998 Catalogue listings) Length......................13 feet 4 inches (13 feet 3-1/2 inches c.1960) Beam........................5 feet 5 inches (5 feet 3-inches c.1960) Length/Beam Ratio...........2.5:1 Draft.......................6 inches (with engine tilted clear of water) Weight......................320 pounds Standard to 410 pounds SS Limited Original hulls c.1959 weighed approximately 250 to 275 pounds Maximum horsepower..........40 HP (20-HP on early tiller steering models) Minimum Horsepower.......... 9 HP Capacity....................6 Persons Swamped Capacity............1,600 pounds

 

[ksanders]

well...

I did some weight research. The older 2 stroke 40 hp models that have been highly recommended weighed in at 187-190 lbs with electric start.

A new 4 stroke 40 with electric start will weigh between 200 and 230 lbs for the same comparable engine.

The engine that is on the boat now is a 30 hp evinrude which appeared to weigh 120 lbs.

If I want to keep the weight at no more than the original 40 hp models I'd have to drop to 30 HP.

If I want to keep the weight to what it is now I would have to drop to a 20 HP.

Here's the challenge. This is a tender, not a sport boat. I bought it to take the dogs, and the wife to shore, and putt around. I don't pull skiers. I dont pull tubers. I don't go out in rough water, I do putt around bays.

The skiff that I currently run is a Zodiac YL340 with a 30 hp honda. It goes fast but I never run it fast. Well sometimes I do, just because I think that I'm idling it too much and want to give it the gas more for its own good than mine.

Thanks for the input, I'm going to think allot about this, and the weight I want to carry, vs what I really do with the boat.

 

[Ski in NC]

If you can get a Yamaha two stroke three cyl 30 or 40, that would be my preferred motor. Light, compact and super reliable. Might be able to get the Enduro in Ca, those are the versions of the same motor sold in countries where two strokes are still allowed.

If you go four stroke, on my dock is a skiff with a new Merc/Tohatsu 30hp three cyl four stroke. It is a very social engine, runs nice and smooth, etc. Not sure of weight. The skiff is 15', so it is less weight sensitive.

Engine weight on that hull is primary concern. More important than hp. It does not like a heavy engine.

 

[ksanders]

Engine weight on that hull is primary concern. More important than hp. It does not like a heavy engine.

mine as well. It sits nicely in the water with the 120 lb of engine it has now.

 

[tpbrady]

Kevin,

I would look at a 20 HP Tohatsu or Honda. It hits the target weight of 120lbs and has all the features you are looking for. The Whaler is almost a flat bottom boat so should plane easily with a good distribution of weight. I wouldn't think you would need more HP than that. On my 10 foot AB RIB, I have an older Honda 20 that is too much engine for the boat. It will hit 27 mph at WOT with me and the dog on board but is not too stable that speed. I am looking at downsizing to a 9/15 and getting rid of the console due to all the space it consumes.

Tom

 

[Nomad Willy]

FEATURES ...

Like 4 stroke, power tilt and on small engines electric start are seen as things one must have .. because the're there and available. A bit like anchors. Few seem to consider the consider the cost of excess weight. Or consider weight at all. Two big people in Alaska that I know were fishing in a 17 or 18' aluminum OB boat and had a fish on. They both stepped aft to tend the fish and the boat swamped .. quickly so I hear. Was very close to a very rocky shore and they made it fine. The boat was quickly retrieved later that day.

The whole nature of OB boats revolves around a light engine. The engine is more aft of the boat than fwd. And most OB boats are light .. (Boston Whaler excluded) so a heavy engine makes them unballanced. The helm is aft because the ride fwd on plane is intollerable and many to most put their fuel aft too.

However an old 35hp OMC w manual start weighed 130lbs as I recall and as a young buck I could stRt them easily. But now? And when you order electric start you need to include the weight of the battery also to compare.

I'd still go for the Yamaha 40 3cyl 2stroke re this thread. But I'd never put 40hp on a 13' boat myself. So if you (the OP) doesn't need the extra 15hp, and almost certianly you don't go w the advice above and get an 18 to 25hp 2 stroke. Manual start if you don't need electric. Then you might like the BW 13.

 

[psneeld]

Kevin...forgot to mention...


I noticed on my 4 stroke...and other 4 strokes...


especially the smaller engines....maybe the top heaviness to them is the balance of the engine where the tilt pivot is.


my 8hp seems to sit well when in the down position..but seems to sit vey high when tilted up.


I will have to check the dimensions someday....just something to eyeball when you decide.

 

[caltexflanc]

My Whaler 13 always did well with 2 cycle 25HP, I never saw the need for more and they weren't built for more weight on the transom as mentioned above. That said, I never used it as a tender b/c they tow badly and are so heavy they want to come through your transom when you stop or back down if towing. Make sure you crane and its fitments are up to the weight b/c they are heavy.

That's interesting, my 2005 130 Sport tows like a dream, and we've towed it some pretty sporty conditions. We just tilted it down a tad so only the skeg was in the water. Tow them back aways, on about the back of the second wave of your wake, and they won't get near your transom. Pull the thing in tight to the platform/transom when engaging in close quarters manuevers, keeping in mind your boat is now another 15 feet long; and you want to go real slow and rig correctly so it doesn't go askew especially in reverse. We got a lot of practice doing all that as we liked to use the Whaler from our eventual home slip, which was full length dock starboard side, same side the davit dispensed the dinghy on. So for frequent short jogs to Cape Lookout, we just towed the thing to and fro.

 

[Bradenvlp]

I chose a Suzuki 20 this year based on good reviews, their EFI in small outboards and, largely, because it was the lightest OB in it's size and I'm on the edge of my davit rated capacity. Happen to have the brochure here on my desk - they make a 25 electric at 140 lbs that might fit your boat nicely. 30 electric is 158. I was really pleased with the motor so far but only have 1 summer in.

 

[HiDHo]

Check these out.

 

[High Wire]

I had a 13' Sport and put a 3 cylinder Yamaha F40 on it. Too much weight in the stern. The boat porpoised badly with one person on board no matter what the OB trim. A 2 cyl 4 stroke 20 or 25 hp is plenty.

 

[GFC]

Kevin, we have two 13' Whalers,. The one here in WA is a 2010 that has a 40hp 4 stroke Merc with elect start, tilt/trim, and pushes the boat along at a nice easy 22mph cruise speed with two in it and two 6-gallon fuel tanks.


The one in AZ is a 1981 with a 40hp 2-stroke Evinrude with elect start and tilt/trim. It runs at about the same speed similarly loaded.


The newer one rides a lot better due to the hull design and heavier weight but the older one actually feels more like you're driving a sporty boat.

 

[GFC]

Kevin, BTW, if you do buy Whaler PM me and I'll some send you some great Whaler links.

 

[wrwahl]

Had a Boston 13, 35 hsp. Evinrude 1983. The best and ONLY Good deal I have ever made on a boat. Mine had lots of wood, beautiful, hope your does. Pretty heavy tender, but if she looks good, what the hell! Don't need to be runn'n around with no ugly girls.

 

[caltexflanc]

Kevin, BTW, if you do buy Whaler PM me and I'll some send you some great Whaler links.

I do have a Whaler and would be interested in same, if you have something beyond what I already posted. T.I.A!

As a few posts have shown, like GFC's, what year the boat hails from has a lot to do with it, generalizations are irrelevant info.

 

[ksanders]

Kevin, BTW, if you do buy Whaler PM me and I'll some send you some great Whaler links.

It's sitting on its trailer in my yard right now, so please send the links.

I launched it, tried it out on two different occasions, and left it tied up at the dock in front of my home, so I could look at how it sits in the water.

With the 30HP 2 stroke that is not running perfect it planes quickly and runs around very well. I also like the attitude of the boat with the 30hp engine (120 lbs)

I am leaning very heavily towards a 20 HP engine, based on weight as a priority over HP

 

[smitty477]

"I am leaning very heavily towards a 20 HP engine, based on weight as a priority over HP"
Based upon your clearly thought out goals that sounds like a fantastic choice to me.