[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=333134#p333134 said:
New River Rat » Today, 07:06[/url]"]I ran a 25 Johnson on a 1437 Grumman for years. No problems here. As for the HP ratings, that is the hull manufacturers covering their collective arses. If you go over the limit that is stated, they feel "they told you so", so no lawsuits, please.
I think that pretty much sums it up. Also, they factor in the weight of the engine, as well as its torque on the transom to come up with these ratings.
In some cases, having too much HP for the boat may keep a thief from stealing it, or, if they do, they might bring it back! I know that was the case with that little 12 ft boat we had with the 15 on it. My girlfriend had it tied up behind the restaurant, and one morning she went down there, to see the boat about calf-deep in water, with mud and blood everywhere. Looked like a murder scene. She reported it to the sheriff's office, just as a matter of procedure. No need to lock up that criminal, they got their instant karma when they stole the boat, apparently!
My guess is that some drunk stole the boat to go for a joyride, and 1 of 3 things happened.
1. They hit one of those oyster beds out on the flats, and got pitched out and sliced up.
2. They hit the throttle and it got squirrelly and they got pitched out and sliced up on an oyster bed.
3. They dropped their beer, or their crack rock, while running underway, and let go of the tiller handle for just a second, and it locked to the corner and pitched them out, and once again, they got introduced to an oyster bed.
In any case, I call that instant karma, and fitting punishment. Just too bad the prop didn't grind them into crab bait. Nothing worse than a POS thief. Anyhow, they got it handed to them so badly, they returned the stolen property, and hopefully learned a lesson about being a thief, but probably only until their next alcohol or drug binder.