Suggestions for a boat?

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by randlemanboater

My buddy who got the free 14 McKee went out the other day for the first time in it using his 20hp Suzuki tiller, said he got 20 mph gps with he and his son in the boat...they are a good 500#s.

Last year I missed out on a 13' Whaler. Woman"s son lost interest in it after some thieves ripped the engine (and half of the transom) off it. It sat in her yard for almost 10 years. I got the electric winch off it and she offered me the boat and rusted trailer it was sitting on for free.. I didn't need another project, but now I'm thinking that hindsight really is 20-20. <sigh>

[THEFERMANATOR]

Having the same engine, I would say stick with a 14-15 aluminum skiff. My 81 35HP JOHNSON is the same engine as a later 30HP, and it is about at teh limit of my 16 foot wide body TRACKER. I top out at 23-24 MPH with just me or 3 people on board with my new 4 blade prop. My old 3 blade prop fell WAY off when I added people, but topped out at the same speed with the 4 as I did with my 3 with just me. And speaking from experience, avoid the TRACKER/GRIZZLY welded hulls. Every one I have seen has broken welds, and mine is no exception to that. I'm having to fix welds about every 3rd or 4th trip out in it. Years back I had this same engine on a 14 foot SUNDANCE SKIFF, and it felt rather underpowered IMHO. But I replaced it with a 25HP SUZUKI 2 stroke, and it was powered just right. These engines work best on LIGHT hulls because they make quite a bit of top end power, but not much down low.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by THEFERMANATOR

Having the same engine, I would say stick with a 14-15 aluminum skiff. My 81 35HP JOHNSON is the same engine as a later 30HP, and it is about at teh limit of my 16 foot wide body TRACKER. I top out at 23-24 MPH with just me or 3 people on board with my new 4 blade prop. My old 3 blade prop fell WAY off when I added people, but topped out at the same speed with the 4 as I did with my 3 with just me. And speaking from experience, avoid the TRACKER/GRIZZLY welded hulls. Every one I have seen has broken welds, and mine is no exception to that. I'm having to fix welds about every 3rd or 4th trip out in it. Years back I had this same engine on a 14 foot SUNDANCE SKIFF, and it felt rather underpowered IMHO. But I replaced it with a 25HP SUZUKI 2 stroke, and it was powered just right. These engines work best on LIGHT hulls because they make quite a bit of top end power, but not much down low.

Good to know Ferm... thanks