Re: Should I put a Evinrude etec 40hp on my boat?
No problem. The good news is that, they rate hp differently (at the propshaft rather than the driveshaft) on modern motors than they did on old vintage motors. As a result, old motors are a little less powerful than their modern cousins. A vintage 30 hp, is more like a modern 25 hp in terms of true power, so an etec 25 hp would be roughly equivalent to a vintage 30-35 hp. Either way, a nice etec 25 hp should move you along nicely. If you can live without the power trim/tilt you could use some of the lbs you save to possibly get a bit more hp for the same weight. Of course, keeping your boat as light and well balanced, finding the best engine height, along proper trim and tilt will help you get the most out of your set up. Shoot, there are guys in my neck of the woods that get +25 mph using little 9.9 hp motors on Gheenoes and little flats skiffs just by keeping everything super light. Keep us posted on your decision.