Jon Boat recommendations

[Oldoneeye]

I have an early to mid-90's Mercury 40 hp tiller, 2 stroke, 4 cyl, weight is about 177 lbs per specifications I dug up on internet. It is a short-shaft motor - needs a 15" - 16" transom. I need a boat to hang it on. Very difficult to find - most short transom boats are rated at a max of 25hp. However, I assume that is for the 25 four strokes, some which weigh more than my 40 two stroke.
Legal issues aside (insurance, etc.), would I be good putting the motor on a 1548 or 1648, even though rated for only 25 hp? We use to run 50 hps on 15 foot alluminum boats in the 70's. The motor is very powerful for a 40, runs very smoothly but likes gas. I like it, don't want to let it go, very little hours, just did a carb rebuild. Any other suggestions?

 

[water bouy]

No idea what kind of boat you need but a Mercury boat dealer probably would.

 

[turbotodd]

war eagle makes a 548 and a 648 that are rated for 40hp. I've had both and still have the 548 (short transom 40hp rating-though I run a little 25 on it).

I "think" Edge, Havoc, Ambush and some others can also have a 40hp rating with a short transom.

You're probably going to be looking for an all-welded boat to have that 40hp rating. Riveted's are probably going to be 25-35hp. Also might depend on the type of steering. Sometimes a tiller steered boat will have a lower HP rating than a console steer.

I can't give you any idea if it'd work on boats that are rated for 25hp, but I know for certain that a lot of 1548, 1553, 1550, and similar sized boats out here are powered by up to 70hp outboards-that I know of. That's all I know of them. Ran a customer's boat last year, powered by a Tiller steer 50hp yamaha...same hull as mine (1548 war eagle)....that thing was NOT fun to have to steer/control. Not fun at all. Took a lot of the "fun" out of boating, IMO. And it wasn't really that fast either; at least not as fast as I would've thought it would be. Coworker ran the exact same hull with a 4 stroke 50 on it for a while, all 235 pounds of it plus his 335 lbs sitting on the seat next to it. It was silky smooth and silent as could be but entirely too stern heavy.

 

[eshaw]

If you're looking at new check out the Alweld boats. They're about as customizable as you can get without going to a full on custom boat builder.

 

[archery68]

Look at some Blazer boats. Very pleased with mine. They make many different sizes and for short shaft or long shaft motors. Very nice people to deal with.


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