Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

[southkogs]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

Not to threadjack, but I would really like to see some pics and description to make one of these. I am struggling to find the easiest thing to get my kid's friend's up on. They want to try wakeboarding, but less than half can get up!!

I'll do a thread once I get some pictures. Simple though - 1.) find some junk plywood (should be kinda' smooth), 2.) cut 4' circle (or thereabouts), 3.) paint it or coat it with somethin' ... and 4.) find someone willing to try it out

Way easy ... <<END HIJACK>>

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

My Dad used to have a 16ft boat with a 25hp motor and we would a ski/tube off it, including him weighing in at 200lbs.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

I'll do a thread once I get some pictures. Simple though - 1.) find some junk plywood (should be kinda' smooth), 2.) cut 4' circle (or thereabouts), 3.) paint it or coat it with somethin' ... and 4.) find someone willing to try it out

Way easy ... <<END HIJACK>>

One of my uncles modified his disc for the littler kids.
Tow rope attached to front of disc by running the rope through a hole, with a knot tied on each side, then he attached a handle to the tag end to make it easier to hold onto.

 

[pckeen]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

Hmmmm - I don't know why the dealer is taking that position, unless your 14 foot is only rated for 20. If that is the case, then going to a 25 horse is a safety issue, and not reccomended. If you boat is rated for a 25, then go for the extra power.

 

[ijhb]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

Hmmmm - I don't know why the dealer is taking that position, unless your 14 foot is only rated for 20. If that is the case, then going to a 25 horse is a safety issue, and not reccomended. If you boat is rated for a 25, then go for the extra power.

The Naden is the 14 ft Heavy Fisherman and is rated for 25hp Max.

I'm impressed with all of the detailed responses here. It's a great site and I didn't even mind the brief hijacking.

I'm calling the dealer in the morning and going with the 25 Yamaha. I'll let everyone know how things go.

Thanks again.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

Hmmmm - I don't know why the dealer is taking that position, unless your 14 foot is only rated for 20. If that is the case, then going to a 25 horse is a safety issue, and not reccomended. If you boat is rated for a 25, then go for the extra power.

Because he doesn't give a crap about the O/P and just really wants to sell the 20 for his own reasons

 

[lrak]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

I'm looking for a simple aluminum boat to pull my kids on a tube around a quiet lake.

I'm limited in vehicle towing capacity so a larger boat is out of the question.

Any reason for aluminum? Lots of used fiberglass options on Craigslist/Kijiji and imo fiberglass is easier to repair than aluminum.

How limited is limited? I pulled a 30hp with console, dual gas tanks, and battery classic 13' Whaler with a Corolla for many years. It pulls a small tube with a single observer great. Two passengers on the boat and two passengers in a big tube and it barely works after switching to a lower pitch prop. Kids get heavier and want to go faster pretty quickly.

 

[matt167]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

Actually, tin is much easier than Fiberglass with the exception of the fully foam cored boats like the Whalers which need basically no repair in normal conditions.. Don't need to grind and fiberglass tin boats to repair their structure... Now if you hit some rocks and slice and dice the hull, than a glass boat will be easier to repair than welding aluminum

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

I can't even tell what I learned to ski behind back in the 60's on Lake Huron. Most people would laugh. Had to have strong arms to get up.

 

[Pony]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

I think a 14ft tin boat with a 25hp will do it. Thats a pretty decent amount of power on that hull. If it were me though, I would look for a tin runabout that is closer to 16/17ft with 60/70hp. Would be much more practical.....and still light. I would think you could find something in good shape and dependable for what you would be paying for a new rig, especially now when people are trying to unload boats.

Something like this but in better shape....

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

Hmmmm - I don't know why the dealer is taking that position, unless your 14 foot is only rated for 20. If that is the case, then going to a 25 horse is a safety issue, and not reccomended. If you boat is rated for a 25, then go for the extra power.

despite the rating there is a safety issue, especially with a tiller steer. We have a 14' Lowe (alum jon) at the hunt club, and put a 25 yam on it. with one person it was scary fast and slid and responded crazy at the tiller at WOT even with a fat daddy like me in it. Since it's a boat also run by the young uns, when the 25 died we backed down to a 15. Now, we weren't doing any water sports but for safety reasons you want plenty of power for duck hunting. 15 was fine.

You can increase HP safely when you have a console.

 

[Pony]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

despite the rating there is a safety issue, especially with a tiller steer. We have a 14' Lowe (alum jon) at the hunt club, and put a 25 yam on it. with one person it was scary fast and slid and responded crazy at the tiller at WOT even with a fat daddy like me in it. Since it's a boat also run by the young uns, when the 25 died we backed down to a 15. Now, we weren't doing any water sports but for safety reasons you want plenty of power for duck hunting. 15 was fine.

You can increase HP safely when you have a console.

For comparison, here is my 14fter with 25hp....just me in the boat and I weigh about 300lbs plus all my gear which inlcudes 3 floor pieces that can be removed.

 

[Splat]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

I'm still laughing about the wooden disc, my buddies and I have used heavy duty plastic saucer sleds, they are wicked fun, slide all over, and get the boat up on plane like it's barely even there.

I always thought it was pretty hillbilly but man it works AWESOME! We get some funny looks when leaving the dock until people figure out how well it works behind my little 16'

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

I see that the Yahama 20hp ranges from 111-132lbs and the Yahama 25hp ranges from 168-181lbs. That is a lot of additional weight for only a 5hp gain. If I were doing what you want to do, I'd still look for one of the Yahama 2-strokes in the 25hp. Much better low-end torque than the 4-strokes.

 

[ijhb]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

The comments about safety with the 25hp and the weight difference between motors gave me pause.

I called Naden Boats in Temagami, Ontario. Andre, the owner of Naden Boats, took my call. I explained my situation, which boat I was looking at and what I wanted to do with it and asked for his recommendation on motors. He said that he drives his Naden with a 15hp and can get up on a plane easily with three adults in the boat. He recommends 15ph engines for most of the boats they make. The staff at Naden who own Naden boats all run them with 15s. He said go with the 20hp for tubing.

Andre was a real pleasure to speak with and actually sent me an email thanking me for my interest. Pretty amazing in this day and age to be able to speak with the owner of the company that makes the boat!

So, I'm picking up my 14ft Naden with the 20hp Yamaha - after a few hours of break-in time I'm going to try the tubing and the wooden disk...

 

[southkogs]

Re: Can I pull a tube with a 20hp on a 14ft aluminum boat?

...I'm going to try the tubing and the wooden disk...

The disk seems to plane out under 20 MPH (long before the boat does). That was one of the reasons I was interested in it ... low speed.

Very cool report on Naden. Rig up and enjoy!