Horsepower over the years

[bgreene]

So when I was a kid.....a 100 hp outboard was considered large.
I believe Evinrude used the same block for their V4 85 -125hp .

A run about with 35 mph top end was fast.

Now here we are with so many outboard options, and a 55 mph top end on large CC’s is considered kind of slow.

Interesting where we’ll be 20 + years from now.

As for the V’s .....I’ve commented with silliness about rigging, but I do believe the V21’s
should have continued a 225 max.

[Destroyer]

So when I was a kid.....a 100 hp outboard was considered large.
I believe Evinrude used the same block for their V4 85 -125hp .

A run about with 35 mph top end was fast.

Now here we are with so many outboard options, and a 55 mph top end on large CC’s is considered kind of slow.

Interesting where we’ll be 20 + years from now.

As for the V’s .....I’ve commented with silliness about rigging, but I do believe the V21’s should have continued a 225 max.

Good points about the HP increases over the years. I remember my neighbor had twin 35 HP Evinrude Larks mounted on his boat and everyone at the launch ramp marveled at all the extra HP he had.

Completely agree on the V21's. But as you and I both know, the way they joined the set back where you hang the engine to the transom let something to be desired and probably was the reason they limited V21's to 200HP. Since both of us have taken steps to remedy that flaw it seems logical that we could mount 225's. Alas, enter the insurance boogy-man that says they will only insure to the specified 200 hp limit. :head:

[phatdaddy]

My dad had a gas station in town, we sold CarterCraft wooden skiffs without motors, you had to go down to Western Auto and buy your own motor, and mount it yourself. No big deal, you just tightened two clamps. We had a 15 ft with a 35 Evinrude with electric start.

I thought i was the coolest kid on the river

Later i got a 13 whaler and put a 50 Evinrude on it. Probably the reason i have back issues today

Now, i find myself being built more for comfort than for speed

[spareparts]

Scout is building a 53 center console, hull #1 went to Yamaha, had 5 425hp motors on it. Hull #2 went to Mercury, had 6 400hp motors on it. The next three hulls went to the middle east, all with 6/400 mercs. Twin 250's are common place, trips are getting more popular, quads and more are only for the big boys +40ft

[THEFERMANATOR]

I still think anything more than 3 outboards is just silly, and should bite the bullet and go with a pair of surface drives with diesels.

[SkunkBoat]

agree. 37 ft bow riders are silly too.

All about the roll up. 4 motors and 24 speakers.....motor to speaker ratio gets you laid I guess....

[bgreene]

My dad bought a 9.5hp Evinrude in 1972 because the row boat rental places we used didn't allow bigger.

We used it on wooden 16' boats, then when we used it on aluminum hulls we thought it was fast. Still have that outboard.

The 7 Marine 626hp now the biggest, but figure in less than 10 years a 1,000 hp outboard likely.

[cfelton]

You all are talking some crazy horsepower there! My Dad and I started with a 16 ft. juniper flat bottom boat with a 3hp Evinrude. I could paddle as fast as it ran. Got us to the fishing hole every time and used about a gallon of gas a year. Somebody gave me a 18hp Mercury, got it running and I thought it would fly. I have a 16ft Carolina plywood boat with a 25 Evinrude that will scoot along pretty good, can't wear a ball cap wide open! A friend of mine had a 18 ft fiberglass boat with a nasty built Mercury OB that ran 96 top end, Scared the crap out of me! I've watched the drag boat shows , that looks fun!

[spareparts]

You all are talking some crazy horsepower there! My Dad and I started with a 16 ft. juniper flat bottom boat with a 3hp Evinrude. I could paddle as fast as it ran. Got us to the fishing hole every time and used about a gallon of gas a year. Somebody gave me a 18hp Mercury, got it running and I thought it would fly. I have a 16ft Carolina plywood boat with a 25 Evinrude that will scoot along pretty good, can't wear a ball cap wide open! A friend of mine had a 18 ft fiberglass boat with a nasty built Mercury OB that ran 96 top end, Scared the crap out of me! I've watched the drag boat shows , that looks fun!

Friend of mine is the current Top Fuel Hydro points champ(Mike Robbins, Nitro Nuts Racing), he held the mph record till the last race when it was beat, I think its 268 mph. he still holds the ET record 3.8 seconds 875 feet. I've driven to 99 mph, rode shotgun to 106. Been 86 across the harbor(1.5 chop). Its addictive.

[bgreene]

My uncle had a 12’ alum with 6 hp that felt fast.
My RIB with 9.5 feels quick with just me on it.

[THEFERMANATOR]

We started out borrowing a friends 14 foot flat bottom jon and put a 4.5hp johnson on the back. It took us hours to get back to our spots sometimes, but we still enjoyed every minute of it.

[Destroyer]

My first boat was a 12' Alum semi v with a 4 1/2 hp Johnson on it. Not the fastest thing in the world but it got us to the fishing spots and back home every time without a whimper.

[bgreene]

4.5 hp ? Geez guys.... a 6 hp would have been the answer ! :)

[mawshj]

I stared with /12 foot canoe and a 1.5 hP Johnson lots of fun with that!

[Destroyer]

I stared with /12 foot canoe and a 1.5 hP Johnson lots of fun with that!

LOL That's funny because I have a 17' Grumman Alum canoe with a 1 1/2 HP Craftsman (air cooled) engine on it that I use in the river near me all the time. Absolutely agree with you that it's a lot of fun :clap:

[Destroyer]

4.5 hp ? Geez guys.... a 6 hp would have been the answer ! :)

Agreed, but we were afraid of getting pulled over by the marine police for speeding.

[bgreene]

Is enjoyable running a slow boat barely on plane on calm lake or bay.....
Noticing the surroundings and such ...

Like Giorgio’s videos running their skiff....which of course I’ve suggested they switch to 40 hp or more and send more videos. No.......go with a 60hp :)