So I'm retiring in a couple of years and want to get back into a boat. All my previous boats have been 14-18' aluminum with 50-100hp OBs. My dad had a 12' porta-bote with a 5hp motor. It worked very well for him when he was alone in the boat. When I joined him, all 250 lbs of me, not so good
I tow a 5th wheel so I need a portable. I'm not excited about an inflatable. I'm thinking of the 14' but want to able to run on plane with myself, the wife, the dog, and gear. so at most 500-600 lbs in total, well below the bote max of 807lbs.
I've seen a number of videos on youtube with 9.8hp (85lbs) on the 14' and it seems to perform very well. But a youtube video is not indicative of day to day use.
What I am looking for is advice from anyone who has ~85lbs on the transom, and how it holds up in day to day use. Are there mods required for that weight? Is 8-9.8hp too much or is it manageable?
Thanks in advance.
I tow a 5th wheel so I need a portable. I'm not excited about an inflatable. I'm thinking of the 14' but want to able to run on plane with myself, the wife, the dog, and gear. so at most 500-600 lbs in total, well below the bote max of 807lbs.
I've seen a number of videos on youtube with 9.8hp (85lbs) on the 14' and it seems to perform very well. But a youtube video is not indicative of day to day use.
What I am looking for is advice from anyone who has ~85lbs on the transom, and how it holds up in day to day use. Are there mods required for that weight? Is 8-9.8hp too much or is it manageable?
Thanks in advance.