Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

[496 Cubic Inches]

I have a mid '90s Evinrude 8hp,that I'm trying to find a boat for.

I'm looking at 12-14' aluminums like Lunds,Alumacrafts,etc.

Will an 8hp get a boat of this size on plane?

 

[AGENT 37]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

Trimmed and properly loaded, yes. I've been running an 8 hp Mariner on a 14 foot Valco v-hull boat and it will get up to 19 MPH with just me. Two people it will go about 15 MPH.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

I have a 12ft, 36" wide johnboat that is really well built. I also just got a 14' 32" bottom johnboat. Both are aluminum of similar gauge. I have run 9.8hp merc and a 7.5hp merc from the 70's on it. And a 7.5 evinrude '55 model, various johnson 10's and 18's, and 1 15hp. I don't like the 12ft. boat. The 7.5 hp evin. and merc. both will plane it out but don't run worth a flip as far as speed and take all day to plane it. Spreading out weight helps, but still, very slow. I'll bet the 14ft. boat goes 5mph faster with the 7.5hp motors complared to the same motors with the 12ft. boat. The 9.8 merc will take only a few seconds to plane but goes plenty fast on the 12footer. When I get in the 12ft. boat, the bow goes way down, when I get in the back by myself, the stern is weighted down badly. It's a pain. The 14 ft. planes easily and goes nice and fast, planes fast, and is VERY nice all -around with any of my 7.5hp outboards. And I don't have to worry about spreading out the weight. It will fly with one person in the boat with my 9.8 and 10hp motors. In case you can't tell, I won't own another 12 ft. boat. If the one I own now wasn't in such darned good shape, I'd sell it, and still may. My suggestion---14 ft all the way. It is much better for whatever reason except if you don't own a trailer. Here's a pic of my 6yr old running my 7.5 evinrude on the 14ft. boat. I weigh about 210lbs. and with me and him it runs a nice speed, but will hardly plane on a 12 footer.
Just my opinion,
JBJ

 

[steelespike]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

Go for a nice big 14 not all loaded up with floors etc,should plane easily and carry a load better/faster.And feel like the Queen Mary compared to the smaller boat.

 

[hitace]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

I have a 12ft, 36" wide johnboat that is really well built. I also just got a 14' 32" bottom johnboat. Both are aluminum of similar gauge. I have run 9.8hp merc and a 7.5hp merc from the 70's on it. And a 7.5 evinrude '55 model, various johnson 10's and 18's, and 1 15hp. I don't like the 12ft. boat. The 7.5 hp evin. and merc. both will plane it out but don't run worth a flip as far as speed and take all day to plane it. Spreading out weight helps, but still, very slow. I'll bet the 14ft. boat goes 5mph faster with the 7.5hp motors complared to the same motors with the 12ft. boat. The 9.8 merc will take only a few seconds to plane but goes plenty fast on the 12footer. When I get in the 12ft. boat, the bow goes way down, when I get in the back by myself, the stern is weighted down badly. It's a pain. The 14 ft. planes easily and goes nice and fast, planes fast, and is VERY nice all -around with any of my 7.5hp outboards. And I don't have to worry about spreading out the weight. It will fly with one person in the boat with my 9.8 and 10hp motors. In case you can't tell, I won't own another 12 ft. boat. If the one I own now wasn't in such darned good shape, I'd sell it, and still may. My suggestion---14 ft all the way. It is much better for whatever reason except if you don't own a trailer. Here's a pic of my 6yr old running my 7.5 evinrude on the 14ft. boat. I weigh about 210lbs. and with me and him it runs a nice speed, but will hardly plane on a 12 footer.
Just my opinion,
JBJ

do you think a 12 foot semi V would have the same problems?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

There are 12 footers I would call small and some I would call big.
A big 12 might do ok but a 14 has the advantage of a bigger foot print and
center of gravity farther forward.(Again a big 14).I have a friend with with a small 14 you would swear it is a 12 even on the trailer where boats usually appear bigger.Jon boats usually get up on the water easier and are fairly stable at rest than a semi V.But handling and ride suffer.
We had a 12ft steel flat bottom (not a Jon)with a 5 Gale with a tiller extension.With me (180lbs) on the middle seat it popped on plane.

 

[496 Cubic Inches]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

If I'm able to get a 14'er,the starts are all going to have to align. I have a 20' welded aluminum that I usually fish out of. I'm looking at the smaller boats,so I can take it with us on vacation. My wife usually tows the 20'er while I tow the fifth wheel. It works well until we venture more than a couple hundred miles from home. Then the added cost of fuel starts to put a damper on things.

With a small aluminum,I'll be able to throw it on a rack above the cab of the truck. I don't think much more than a 12 to maybe 13' will work well in this application.

I can't have too much of the boat hanging back into the bed,and don't want the bow any further over the windsheild than neccesary.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

You might want to consider a 10" inflatable instead of a jon.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

We've got a little 14 footer with a mid seventies 7.5 merc. It's got a small aluminum console rivetted to the side of the boat just forward of the middle seat. Wide open with me sitting there it runs probably 15 mph. Certainly no problem getting on plane.

 

[pecheux]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

If I'm able to get a 14'er,the starts are all going to have to align. I have a 20' welded aluminum that I usually fish out of. I'm looking at the smaller boats,so I can take it with us on vacation. My wife usually tows the 20'er while I tow the fifth wheel. It works well until we venture more than a couple hundred miles from home. Then the added cost of fuel starts to put a damper on things.

With a small aluminum,I'll be able to throw it on a rack above the cab of the truck. I don't think much more than a 12 to maybe 13' will work well in this application.

I can't have too much of the boat hanging back into the bed,and don't want the bow any further over the windsheild than neccesary.

I had a similar application and used a 10 feet Jon boat that I could load on top of my vehicule by myself. Wont plane as easy as a longer model ... so I had a 9 hp on mine and it ran real good (and fast) with 2 passengers. ( I did not write 'safe" ... LOL)

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Will an 8hp plane a 12' aluminum?

I had a 12' Lowe Lake John (higher sides and wider than most johns) and my little 7.5 Merc would run that critter all over the place with whatever I had in it.

Mark