Help with picking a new motor and other basic info

I am getting ready for my second season with my new tin. The motor that came with the boat is a 2004 mercury 4-stroke 9.9 long shaft and will not get me up on plane. Part of the issue is that the motor sits too far down into the water. I am planning to buy a new 4-stroke and although I am not looking to win any speed contests, I want to be able to get up on plane. I am looking at a 20 hp. I want something light enough that I can move it on and off the boat on occasion (120lbs ish max). I also know that a short shaft will fit the boat much better. Anyone with experience with this size boat/motor that can let me know if a 20hp will get me on plane and any idea of top speed?

USCG plate is missing as well.
The boat is an 86 Valco. 16' long and the floor is about 48" at the widest point.

Also does anyone have an estimate to what this boat weighs? Sorry for the poor pictues, the boat is currently under about 6 feet of snow.

put a plate on the stern and raise the motor !

Great pic! New Motor should get you on plane.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

my 14' hull is shaped differently than yours at the bow but I have a 2001 15hp 2 stroke mercury and if I recall it did 20+ with 2 guys a scissor boat blind decoys and gear. If it was me I wouldn't get the four stroke 20hp but its all preference. I prefer the ease of maintenance of the older 2 strokes, no oil changes and a bit quicker out of the whole. Also the 2 strokes are alot lighter. If that 20hp has hydraulic trim it might be very heavy and limit some of your performance advances.

grummanguy said:

my 14' hull is shaped differently than yours at the bow but I have a 2001 15hp 2 stroke mercury and if I recall it did 20+ with 2 guys a scissor boat blind decoys and gear. If it was me I wouldn't get the four stroke 20hp but its all preference. I prefer the ease of maintenance of the older 2 strokes, no oil changes and a bit quicker out of the whole. Also the 2 strokes are alot lighter. If that 20hp has hydraulic trim it might be very heavy and limit some of your performance advances.

Click to expand...

.

Thanks for the advice, older two strokes are not an option for me as some of the lakes nearby don't allow them. Mercury 20 horse weighs the same as their 15 horse. 121 lbs


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Before you plunk down a couple of K on a new OB I'd raise that old 9.9 5" and see what she's got, you may be surprised. Check out some youtube video's of that engine and see what she can do.

Not trying to talk you out of a new 20, more power is always a good thing, just that you may be fine with what you have.

Crazyboat said:

Before you plunk down a couple of K on a new OB I'd raise that old 9.9 5" and see what she's got, you may be surprised. Check out some youtube video's of that engine and see what she can do.

Not trying to talk you out of a new 20, more power is always a good thing, just that you may be fine with what you have.

Click to expand...

Any suggestions for a low-cost way to raise the motor. I'm hesitant to spend a few hundred dollars on a jack plate versus just getting the correct size motor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Brider said:

Crazyboat said:

Before you plunk down a couple of K on a new OB I'd raise that old 9.9 5" and see what she's got, you may be surprised. Check out some youtube video's of that engine and see what she can do.

Not trying to talk you out of a new 20, more power is always a good thing, just that you may be fine with what you have.

Click to expand...

Any suggestions for a low-cost way to raise the motor. I'm hesitant to spend a few hundred dollars on a jack plate versus just getting the correct size motor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

There's at least one good thread here, just spoke on it recently, try a search, if I can locate it I'll post the link.

Here's what I did as a kid, had a 15 Johnson long shaft (extra 5"), so with the help of dad we put plywood on both sides of the transom and filled in the space between with other pieces of plywood. Through bolted it in several spots and dropped the engine back on her. As I remember the mount spot was a little too thick for the clamps so we took a chisel and removed about an 1/8 inch and she slipped right on, then we bolted the engine to the transom as well.

I used to pull skiers (1 at a time and 120 lbs) with that rig. Had a friend with a 9,9 Merc mid 70's model that could almost keep up with me in top speed, those engines are fast. My Johnson had more grunt as he could get a skier up.

If you do what I did it won't take an hour or so and some scrap plywood. If it works seal the wood with something (Look it up) there are better things then what I did, I took some old oil based paint and slapped that chit everywhere, never had a problem with rot, but like I said, there are better ideas on that. (I was a kid)

I was thinking about a 4 stroke 25hp the other day and I thought the specs said it was 50 lbs more than my 2 stroke. Here's some specs on various Valcos:

https://boatspecs.iboats.com/Valco_Boats/bp/33br2065s0

Hey, found the link, read this thread for some ideas.

https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=42378&hilit=plywood&start=15

water bouy said:

I was thinking about a 4 stroke 25hp the other day and I thought the specs said it was 50 lbs more than my 2 stroke. Here's some specs on various Valcos:

https://boatspecs.iboats.com/Valco_Boats/bp/33br2065s0

Click to expand...

Thanks that list helps!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

More better specs:

https://www.nadaguides.com/Boats/2002/Valco-Westcoaster