Maximum recomended horsepower.

**LONB** · 03-17-2018, 07:39 AM

Manufacturers are not mandated to follow those ratings.
Creating your own LLC in my state is only $50.
Register as a boatbuilder, have a new tag made with your business name and capacities of your choice and you should be good

**Merc 2.5** · 03-17-2018, 07:59 AM

I'm absolutely lovin the aluminum rig with 2.5. That thing gotta b a blast to drive. Do you have any #s that it's putting out?

**BUZZIN' DOZEN** · 03-17-2018, 10:31 AM

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His name is Ryan, goes by RDL on here. I met him several years ago at one of Rock's "Illinois river runs". It's been so long ago I can't remember how fast, but I think 85+, a bad ass Asian carp hunter fer sure!
If I remember right, the motor was built by Diamond with the plans of eventually putting it on an STV.
It's been years since we've been able to get back together due to flooding and ultimately, Rock losing the cabin due to prolonged floods.
Hopefully, Ryan or Rock gets on here and fills in the fuzzy details.

**rock** · 03-17-2018, 01:38 PM

Ryan designed the boat himself and had Dave Hamm build it. Started with a stock 260 that was eventually sent off to Diamond and when done dynoed at something like 317. We got rained on pretty hard one year and several of us headed for the ramp 17 miles north. I had an Allison xb2002 with a 200xs on a 15 mid with modified sporty. I was driving down the center of the river in a driving rain with my hoodie drawstring pulled tight. Looked like Kenny from South Park. Out of the corner of my eye I see this glorified jon boat passing me with his girl facing backwards and him running 90ish. I couldn't hardly let a jon boat pass me but it was all I could do to drive around him. 30" ET on the limiter. My guess is he has surprised many a hot rod. I heard just recently he and his dad have a couple really good runners but they are fiberglass. Back then his dad had a badass Laser but I have no idea what they are running now.
Jeff I sold that ground to a good friend of mine and he has told me we could use the beach any time. I am currently trying to downsize but maybe next year we could organize a reunion down there. Was always a good time. BTW...I don't think we had anything down there even close to recommended horsepower.

Rock

**Motv18** · 03-19-2018, 08:28 PM

If it’s like one of my aluminum rigs it puts out about 5 rivets an hour.

Missouri hp enforces mhp rates. Friend with a 300 hammy on a toon got hit.

They bust for noise as well.

**Jamie Nichols** · 04-03-2018, 12:45 AM

I found these that look like the originals. My hull is rated for a 225, but then they changed it to 250 a few years later. http://www.fpmarine.com/Capacity-Pla...5-1500-250.htm

**Motv18** · 04-03-2018, 12:13 PM

Mines the opposite, ‘05 to ‘06 was when merc dropped the light motors that didn’t meet stars. So ended up dropping from 150 to 115 due to weight. 1.5 opti is 350lbs without oil.

Would love to to swap to a 2.4 2.5 if it ever let’s go. With a mild daily driver build.

**Jamie Nichols** · 04-04-2018, 02:33 PM

My boat builder refuses to explain the power change. I don't know why they bumped it up to 250hp from 225hp? I hear my boat runs great with a 300hp from multiple owners.

**Motv18** · 04-04-2018, 03:28 PM

If it’s old enough 250 might not have been a option, just like 300 was a rare beast even if one was made.

**71V153** · 04-04-2018, 04:57 PM

Lucky us we evidently have enough morons engaging in other infractions, for the cops to be too concerned with how much HP we're runnin.

I got MY first boat as a 8 yr old kid in Miami. It was a beat up 8' Sears alum john boat. Rated for 2 1/2 hp. Beefed up the transom and hung a 6 horse Evinrude on it.

So I reckon you could say I became a HP scofflaw at that point ...

**Jamie Nichols** · 04-04-2018, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by 71V153

Lucky us we evidently have enough morons engaging in other infractions, for the cops to be too concerned with how much HP we're runnin.

I got MY first boat as a 8 yr old kid in Miami. It was a beat up 8' Sears alum john boat. Rated for 2 1/2 hp. Beefed up the transom and hung a 6 horse Evinrude on it.

So I reckon you could say I became a HP scofflaw at that point ...

My first boat was a sears jon boat when I was 13. I added plywood to the transom and used a johnson 15hp. That thing was a blast!

**Jamie Nichols** · 04-04-2018, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Motv18

If it’s old enough 250 might not have been a option, just like 300 was a rare beast even if one was made.

My hull is a 2002. I'm pretty sure Yamaha had a 250hp 20" motor at that time?

**Karsten** · 04-06-2018, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by RSWORDS

We work on alot of state agency boats here. All of them are over powered. I was told that Virginia doesn't enforce it. But God forbid you hurt someone it will be the first thing brought up in the lawsuit.

Just for that reason I won't repower a customers boat over the plate (if it has one).

I learned this the hard way when the 1971 Evinrude 125 gave it up a few years ago. I took the boat to a shop and the owner just looked at me and told me right off he wouldn't rehang the motor as the boat wasn't rated for the 125. I explained it was the original motor and he really didn't care. He search everywhere for a max HP Rating in books and well as the net (i think hoping to find something like 85 HP max) and coldn't find anything.

It was looking like the 115 IL6 Tower I bought wasn't going to work after all as the motor needed more work than it was worth. After a month or two looking for a motor I ran across a 2012 Optimax 150 and called to ask him about it. he told me he had good news.....After crawling around inside the boat with a flash light and just the right angle he could make out Max HP 150 on the faded out tag. That was the good news and he knew about the Lake Powell Rental Boat that were being sold off....$4500.00 for motor, hydraulic steering and the rest of the boat was trash.

So thinking I am home free the shop called my insurance and they told him the boat was rated at a max HP of 125......So 2 motors into this and I am not a happy camper at this point. 2 months later, pictures of the CG Tag, more words and then a few more words and come to find out that the Insurance Agent had typed in 125 HP as Max and not the Power on the boat.....Clerical Error that only came to light after threatening to cancel some 17 policies with her.......Needless to say until that insurance issue was handled the motor was still hanging on a chain and going now where.

It was a Liability for the shop to over power it and the owner wasn't going to put himself at risk.

Some 9 months later it all worked out for the best.

Karsten

**71V153** · 04-06-2018, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Jamie Nichols

My first boat was a sears jon boat when I was 13. I added plywood to the transom and used a johnson 15hp. That thing was a blast!

Me'n my lil bro could pull each other on skis behind ours. (We weren't very big back then ...)

**Jamie Nichols** · 04-06-2018, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by 71V153

Me'n my lil bro could pull each other on skis behind ours. (We weren't very big back then ...)

I couldn't use mine without my buddy to hold the bow down. I ran that little thing everyday after school for years until the wood in the transom got soft and the motor flew off the transom. When a motor hits the water wound out they dance all over the surface LOL