5hp Briggs and Stratton - 16ft boat

Question: Would a 5hp Briggs and Stratton outboard be enough power to sufficiently move a 16ft fisher marine alum boat? Not looking to go fast.

Re: 5hp Briggs and Stratton - 16ft boat

Not saying for sure, but I doubt it. I suspect that would struggle to even get on plane.

Re: 5hp Briggs and Stratton - 16ft boat

It would move it but not very fast. We I was a lad our fishing boat was a 14 or 15' wooden Peterborough and a 3 1/2 horsepower Elgin (Sears) outboard. It got us around and we were happy with it for three or four years. Things were done at a much slower pace than today I sometimes think when I am running up the lake in my 20' Nitro with its 175 outboard that I may be passing good spots that I would have fished back in the 1950's when I was just putting along. Maybe progress isn't all it is cracked up to be.

Re: 5hp Briggs and Stratton - 16ft boat

It would definitely be faster than rowing.

Re: 5hp Briggs and Stratton - 16ft boat

When I was a kid we used to rent 16' aluminum boats with 3 1/2 HP motors. Didn't like it. It took an hour to get from one end of the lake to the other.

Then, one year we decided to take Grandpa's 10 hp. Then we got to the other end too quick and the little lake became boring.

All depends on where you are, what you're doing and where you want to go.

Re: 5hp Briggs and Stratton - 16ft boat

I ran a B&S on a 14' aluminum for 4 years. It will never get on plane, but so what. I later put on a 6hp Nissan 4stroke and guess what? It was not any faster than the B&S. 5hp is 5hp. Of course the Nissan was quieter and smoother at twice the price.

If you don't mind putting along then it will get the job done. Just one word of info.... don't expect to troll behind it. They don't like to idle along like that. After 4 years of use and then sitting uncovered behind the garage for a year I pulled it out to sell it. The buyer came over and I stood her up, attatched the fuel line, pumped it up, and pulled the cord twice. Started right up. Tough little motors, but a bit crude.

Re: 5hp Briggs and Stratton - 16ft boat

Shrike said:

It would definitely be faster than rowing.

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I wouldn't put my money on it

Re: 5hp Briggs and Stratton - 16ft boat

I am with the others, it will move it but its gonna take awhile to get anywhere.

If you fish close to the launch and don't deal with much current it should do alright.

Maybe keep looking and see if you can find an old 10 horse Johnson/Evinrude, I ran a 63 9.9 for a couple years on a 14'er and it did really well.


Don't let age scare you, the older motors are bullet proof and all parts are still available, I owul dhonestly rather have an older engine, they built them right back then.