Re: Motor Swap
Well, Josh! The 15 foot Bayliner is relatively narrow in the stern. While with a little proper reinforcing the transom will take the extra weight and extra horsepower, once you come off plane, you will usually take on water into the splashwell. Because the stern will sit so low in the water, while at rest, the splashwell drain hole may actually be under the waterline and wakes from other boats will most certainly splash over the transom.
While my motto is : Too much horsepower is never enough, unless you really want to take the chance of not getting caught AND you only want to use the boat as a occasional go-fast boat, then don't do it. That hull is an entry level boat with engineering for only about 60 Horsepower. Slap on a 135 without reinforcing the whole hull and I guarantee: You will do 60 or more, but you will start popping rivets and shaking it apart. You need to be willing to run it for an hour and then take it home and glue it for eight hours.---That's if it stays together for an hour and you get to take it home.
My recommendation? Rebuild the engine. A complete mechanical rebuild will cost way less than 500 on that 2 cylinder and you can do all the work except the overboring yourself. You can even port it to squeak out a few more HP.
Don't want to do the work yourself? Find a reasonably priced running Chrysler or Force 50,55, 60 on ebay near your location, bid on it, pick it up and put it on your boat. Unless your Force is newer than 92, a Chrysler will bolt right in its place and use the same controls. Go over to the Chrysler Crew and see what is available in the classifieds.
The boat is yours, the engines are yours, the decision is yours. Choose wisely!
