Horsepower question 1968 SS Deep V 16'

Ive been searching here but have not been able to find a definitive answer.
I have a 68 SS Deep V 16' with the original Evinrude 55HP outboard. Im looking at a mid 70's Johnson 85HP outboard and want to mount it on the SS.
Can the 16' SS handle 85 HP without causing problems?
My transom is in good shape and I have seen others with 70-90HP out there but I am concerned about any possible issues...
Thanks in advance.

Re: Horspower question 1968 SS Deep V 16'

Re: Horspower question 1968 SS Deep V 16'

Is the boat missing the metal tag the states the maximum HP rating???....I don't know what changes there are between a 1971 Starcraft Supersport and a 1968 Starcraft Supersport ...
my 1971 Starcraft Supersport is rated for up to 85HP...all I've ever had on this boat is a 1971 60Hp Johnson...would love to upgrade to a 85HP Johnson...

Re: Horspower question 1968 SS Deep V 16'

Re: Horspower question 1968 SS Deep V 16'

It's more of a weigth issue than amount of hp. If there's a big difference in weight then your center of balance (cb) is gonna be whacked and the boat won't handle right. If it's minor within 50lbs I wouldn't expect any problems. I was running a 400lb V6 Merc on my 18's FS and it sat the stern down about 2" further in the water. It was rated for a 4 cylinder 115 and the difference was about 100lbs. I didn't have any problems because I was running about 175hp and just powered it through. Your hp change is not that significant so if the weight difference is significant then you might want to stick with what you have. My 16' Jetcraft is rated for 70hp but I have a 60 on it. The extra 10hp isn't enough to justify a prop change so it wouldn't make any difference. Do you see what I'm saying? Sort of like chasing golden eggs.

As a side note, with the big Merc on my 18 I was running a 21p prop and the boat idled at about 5 mph. All I'm saying is that if you were able to troll with the smaller motor you might not be able to with the bigger one. It could end up costing you a couple of grand more for a trolling motor or a kicker.

Re: Horspower question 1968 SS Deep V 16'

Re: Horspower question 1968 SS Deep V 16'

Your SS will handle that 85 just fine. It should be rated for 85 or 90.