repower boat

[Carrington]

Hi there all,
I have a 13 ft 2013 Boston Whaler 130 super sport that is going to have to be repowered. Should I go up to a 50hp and if so can I do this myself?

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. What is the boat rated for? If it is rated for 50 then I would go near the top end of the rating. You don’t have to use all the power you have but if you do need more power, it is nice to have it.

 

[rsn48]

This is a vid of the 2012 model and in it the sales guy says a max of 40 hp.

 

[Comodave]

If, in fact, it is only rated for 40 hp, then I would absolutely not go over the 40 hp.

 

[PMF1984]

Should be a decal on board showing maximum capacities (and yes it is 40hp)

 

[Carrington]

Thank you all so much. My mechanic had suggested the 50 as it will not get on plane with two adults and one medium sized cooler. Just wondering and thanks again!

 

[Comodave]

Ask your insurance company if they will insure it with a 50. I suspect they would decline if it is rated for 40 hp. Some states have laws about overpowering a boat.

 

[Woodland Hills]

If it won’t get up on plane with the maximum hp and only two adults aboard, I’d be looking at the prop pitch or motor problems. How are you trimmed? Do you have a whale tail or doel-fin on the lower unit?

 

[Comodave]

I agree that there seems to be something wrong with the setup. 40 hp should plane a 13’ boat with 2 people aboard. I had a 15’ Triumph that had a 35 hp on it and it would plane easily with 2 people on it and it had a T top. It was not fast but it would plane. Check trim of the engine, prop size and maybe add a trim plate.

 

[Carrington]

I would have to drop insurance on it. It does have a dol-fin and there is an engine problem. The cable box was full of water and I was told it is leaking oil from the lower part of the engine. Purchased it in March after taking it to a local mechanic and was told all looked good. I guess welcome to a boat ?

 

[Comodave]

Sorry to hear that you got stuck. Sometimes you do everything right and it still goes badly. Another thing with Whalers is that if there is a leak into the foam filled hull the foam can absorb water and the hull gets heavy. Really no easy way to get the water out once it is in. Maybe weigh the hull and see if it has gotten heavier than it should be.

 

[Recb]

Thank you all so much. My mechanic had suggested the 50 as it will not get on plane with two adults and one medium sized cooler. Just wondering and thanks again!

I expect she will,plane just fine with a 40hp, two adults and a cooler. I have an Edgewater 135, so the same size, which was powered with a 40hp 4 stroke for 12 years and now has a 40 HP evinrude etec. With either engine the boat would plane with 4 adults and cooler. The Etec is able to plane larger loads/easier than the old 4 stroke.

I had to put a fin on the 4 stroke but the Etec does not need it.

If your boat will not plane with only 2 adults and a cooler, assuming all within the specified load capacity, then is the engine propped correctly, is the engine operating normally or is the boat waterlogged?

 

[Nomad Willy]

Boat’s too small.
Probably assumes an extremely high angle of attack on the hump.
I had a big 16’ Crestliner open OB w a 40 e-tech and went about 30mph w 6-7 adults aboard. Longer bottom and most likely more beam for greater surface area. Bigger prop and lower gear ratio too.
In the old days we’d plane two adults and frequently more w 10hp. Light plywood boats w greater planing surface area.

 

[Carrington]

Thank you all so much!

 

[Flatswing]

Haven't run the new 13' BW but all the old ones were rated for 40HP and that was plenty. Should easily plane with 2 adults. Back in the day, flat out 1 person, very little boat in the water. As teens we went out in the roughest days to get airborne off the big waves on Lake Huron, great boats - safe & tough but I would not overpower one.

 

[Woodland Hills]

Not to disparage your boating skills, but are you trimming the motor correctly? If you have power trim, are you starting with full down trim until on plane and then trimming up for the fastest speed without porpoising? If you have fixed trim is it in the middle of the range or at the bow up position?