Hi all - so I am new to owning a boat. I just got a 1975 Lund 16' jon boat with a 20 HP Mercury from my wife for my birthday - awesome gift! I took it out one time a couple months ago and cruised around with my buddy and dog. It cruised at a pretty good clip, a hat-backwards kind of speed.
Then, my wife wanted some storage in it. So the father-in-law (experienced boat owner) and I used some treated 2x4 and 3/4" plywood and built a deck in the front. Added a couple pedestal seats to the boat as well. Now, it's about 50 extra pounds all together, and that's being generous. I've taken it out twice with the new set up and the speed just isn't there. The disparity from what it was to now doesn't make sense for an additional 40-50 pounds, at least to me and a lot of other guys I've talked to.
It's at full throttle, motor is running great, sounding great, starting right up and never quit s. But it doesn't want to plane and just pushes water at the front, slogging along. It's embarrassing, really. A few times when first starting and opening up the throttle it planes and seems okay, then just goes back to pushing & slogging.
I changed the gas, added some additives and made everything is running correctly. Could it really be the weight making that huge of a difference? I had my 220 pound buddy and my 85 pound dog with all their gear in the front of the boat before and it zipped right along. But my 160 pound dad & my dog sitting in the middle and it still doesn't get up to speed or plane.
Please help!
Then, my wife wanted some storage in it. So the father-in-law (experienced boat owner) and I used some treated 2x4 and 3/4" plywood and built a deck in the front. Added a couple pedestal seats to the boat as well. Now, it's about 50 extra pounds all together, and that's being generous. I've taken it out twice with the new set up and the speed just isn't there. The disparity from what it was to now doesn't make sense for an additional 40-50 pounds, at least to me and a lot of other guys I've talked to.
It's at full throttle, motor is running great, sounding great, starting right up and never quit s. But it doesn't want to plane and just pushes water at the front, slogging along. It's embarrassing, really. A few times when first starting and opening up the throttle it planes and seems okay, then just goes back to pushing & slogging.
I changed the gas, added some additives and made everything is running correctly. Could it really be the weight making that huge of a difference? I had my 220 pound buddy and my 85 pound dog with all their gear in the front of the boat before and it zipped right along. But my 160 pound dad & my dog sitting in the middle and it still doesn't get up to speed or plane.
Please help!
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