HELP ! ~~Need Advice on Repower !

[clamman]

Need Advice on Repower !
I recently obtained a 1993 Lowe 1752 aluminum Jon boat with a side console...no motor. The boat has a 20" transom, 21" sides, no floor, just a real bare-bones utility type boat...It is rated for a 50hp , 1165 total pounds which includes 6 people or 750 pounds.

I am in the market to add some power to it. Need advice and opinions on 2 stroke or 4 stroke..... looking in the 25hp - 30hp range... I'm not a go fast guy and will mostly be using the boat for crabbing and fishing.

I have a line on a 99 Yamaha 2 stroke 25hp (25ELRX) and also a 2003 30hp Merc with power T&T ...

I am a BIG man ( 275 pounds) and have concern about sitting so close to the back of the boat with such a heavy motor of 225 pounds ( Merc 30hp 4 stroke + plus full gas tank (6 gal - 45 pounds?) and a battery of 25-30 pounds... that's a total of about 600 pounds !! I have a fear that it is going to weigh that back end down pretty deep !

In your opinion, do you think I have a legitimate concern or just being overly cautious? About how low in the water do you think the back end will sit? .

Thanks in advance for your help and any advice ...

Vic

 

[baseball_guy_99]

You could always move the tank and batteries forward in the boat...


I don't think you will run into any problems. I have a 1448 Jon with gas tank, 2 batteries, 25hp, and me (235lbs) in the back and i don't sit too low.

 

[RivRunR]

I've got a 2000 Lowe 1752 Roughneck with a 60 Suzuki 4 stroke on it...I think it weighs 230?
Plus 2 six gallon tanks (90 lbs?)
Plus a battery (50?)
Plus me @ 240 lbs

and although it rides a bit low in the back, it's not scary low.

FWIW I run about 34 mph on the GPS fully loaded (lots of tackle, 2 more batteries up front, etc)...which isn't that fast....so you might want to think about a bigger motor since my 4 stroke 60 seems to weigh in about the same as the lower hp ones you're looking at?

 

[clamman]

Baseball Guy - I think I am liking the 25hp 2 stroke idea they seem to weigh in about 105-110 poundsNever owned a 4 stroke, although I have been boating for over 40 years, all I ever knew was 2 strokes.

35 years ago I owned a 17' mod V Polarcraft....bought it used with a 40hp manual start evenrude ( it was a commercial motor.) Well it was such a bear to start, it took all the fun out of it... so I found a 3 year old used Johnson 15hp tiller...weighed about 75 pounds... Now I know that sounds like a total underpower for a 17' boat, but that little stinker would "Git Er Done" !! Blew my baseball cap off more than once !! Sold the boat and motor 21 years later for more than I paid for it !! Best darn motor I ever owned!!

I also own a 20' Grady White with a 2002 150Yamaha 2 stroke use for Saltwater Fishing the Delaware Bay and inshore Atlantic Ocean.
But I always wanted to get another tin boat with a small motor and get back into running a crabbing trotline , and was lucky enough to find the Lowe 1752 with a side console and trailer....got a pretty good deal at only $900 for the rig.

RivR Run - I understand what you are saying about the weight to horsepower ratio, but honestly I would never run that fast with where or what I intend to use it .

Question.... some 25hp are 2 cylinder , some are 3 cylinder...is there that much difference between them? Any opinion on the advantages/disadvantages of either one?

Thanks for your input, comments, and opinions. I really appreciate everyones help !