size matters

[lancews]

I am purchasing a 12 ft alum. utility. It can handle 10 hp outboard. I am new to boating and would like opinions if this is excessive. Would a 6 hp be a better fit with its lighter weight?

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: size matters

If the capacities plate says its rated for up to 10 hp, then you will be fine with that motor, If its rated for less hp, put no more than the rated hp on it.

 

[asdasc]

Re: size matters

6hp will move you along just fine. 10hp will be a lot more fun! Especially if you want to take 2-3 big guys and all their fishing gear, or want to venture out when it is windy and rough.

 

[jasper60103]

Re: size matters

Also, if you think you would ever want to upsize to 14', the 9.9hp would be better suited for it.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: size matters

I have a 12' aluminum v-hull. I run a 6hp on it. It planes and runs at about 14-15 mph with me in it. I have an electric trolling motor and battery on board, along with fuel and anchor and fishing tackle. Weight distribution is very important to get those boats to plane. If yours is a jon boat sort of deal, it might plane a little easier.

Put a second person in my boat, though, and you can forget getting on plane. It ain't happening. So, if I didn't fish solo most of the time, I'd be hunting hard for a 9.9 or an older 50s 10hp.

With a 9.9 on my boat (borrowed for testing), it runs at about 22 mph with just me and the normal load. Add a second person and it still planes, but drops down to 16-17 mph. Very nice, though, although speeds over 20mph are a little scary in a 12' tinny, in my opinion. I don't run it that fast.

 

[Rick.]

Re: size matters

What are your plans for it? If it is for pleasure and getting to and fro in a hurry the 9.9 is the ticket. If you mainly want to troll while fishing a 4hp is all you need. It really depends on what you want to use it for. I have a 15 hooked up to a 12 aluminium and it is out right scarey. If your putting it into the hands of younger children then again I would go small. My 4hp won't plane my boat even with just me and some tackle but it will run forever on a tank of gas. Rick.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: size matters

I have found 12 foot boats downright hard to plane because if you're in the back, all the weight is in the back. If you want it to plane, the 10hp is the bare minimum to me. I'd get a 10. But if you fish small lakes, the 6 would be a fine choice. A 6hp OMC is hard to beat for reliability, but then again, so is a 9.9 or older 10hp.
JBJ​

 

[CATransplant]

Re: size matters

They can be hard to plane, but careful attention to weight distribution makes an enormous amount of difference. On my boat, to get it to plane with me, the fuel, outboard, trolling motor, and battery, along with tackle box and a couple of rods I had to do this:

1. Move my swivel seat ahead of the rear bench about six inches. I built a little platform to do this, attached to the rear bench. An advantage is that I can drop my arm behind the seat and steer very nicely, while being centered in the boat.

2. Move the fuel tank up on a platform mounted along one side of the boat, just in front of the center bench seat.

3. Move the trolling motor battery to a small platform on the hull, right behind the front bench seat, then run cable made of auto jumper cables to a trolling motor socket mounted on the rear of the rear bench.

4. To make space, the big tackle box goes on a side platform between the rear and middle seat.

5. My 10 lb. mushroom anchor hangs from an AnchorMate fitting on the bow, with the winch mounted on the center seat.

6. Experiment with trim to optimize performance.

I weigh about 190, and, set up this way, the boat planes just fine, and runs at 14 mph on the GPS.

That's the limit, though. Even a kid sitting on the middle seat puts the bow down and stops the plane, at all trim settings.

The boat has a fairly flat bottom towards the stern, which helps, too.

Of course, a 9.9 would work better, but I have that 6hp that I got from my father, who no longer has any use for it, so there it is.

This year, since I never even ran the electric trolling motor once, since the outboard fires up instantly, I'm going to lose the battery and trolling motor except when I fish the Mississippi's Pool 2. I expect the boat to plane a little better without the weight of the trolling motor and battery.