btbowhunter
Recruit
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2011
- Messages
- 4
OK, right off, I'm betting this question will seem bizarre to some. I have a 1988 17' Glasstream Hydrabass. Bought it pretty fair a few years back with a Mariner Inline 6 115 HP. The boat tops out around 46-48 on my GPS with a light load. Thats with a 24P stainless prop that came on the boat. The motor runs fine now that I've rebuilt carbs, lower unit and a few other little things. My unusual question is that we do a trip to Canada every year where the lake is 24 miles long and runs can be fairly long to our favorite fishing spots so I'm thinking of downsizing in motor HP to burn a bit less of that 1.50+ per liter gas we have to buy up there. We've had a few trips where the gas bill was substantial including the one we just returned from. (weather was great and fishing was very good)
The boat is 700 pounds dry and can handle up to a 150 HP per the specs here. It'd usually be loaded with two adults, a full load of fishing gear, fuel, and enough drinks and sandwiches for the day. Hopefully we'd need full livewells. I'm trying to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of dowwnsizing the HP without going too far so that the boat would be tough to get on plane. A top end of 30-35 would be fine.
I'm thinking a 90 might still be enough motor for my use and should create a 20% better fuel bill.
Thoughts?
The boat is 700 pounds dry and can handle up to a 150 HP per the specs here. It'd usually be loaded with two adults, a full load of fishing gear, fuel, and enough drinks and sandwiches for the day. Hopefully we'd need full livewells. I'm trying to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of dowwnsizing the HP without going too far so that the boat would be tough to get on plane. A top end of 30-35 would be fine.
I'm thinking a 90 might still be enough motor for my use and should create a 20% better fuel bill.
Thoughts?