What kind of motor do I need?

Hey everyone, I am new to the forum and new to boating. I have finally decided that I want a boat and I am leaning toward a alumacraft 1542. I plan on putting a side console in the boat when I get it. What I was wondering is what kind of motor will I need? I have been searching on craigslist and I am clueless on what is needed. How much hp should I get? Any other thing I need to look for that the motor has? Trying to find a good deal on one most likely under 1200. Your input is greatly appreciated. Thanks Jake

Check the boats rating and get as close as you can afford mine is rated at 25 but I went 15 hp not because of money but because of weight. I have a bad back and needed something I could handle. As far as what to look for I would suggest hear or see it run has the bottom end been done, does it have a new impeller, carb rebuit etc. Most of all If it is clean more than likely it was taken care of. If it looks to clean to be true pull off the plug wires etc to see if they are dirty underneath most people that try to clean something to make it look nicer hardly ever clean under the point or plug caps etc.

I had a Grumman 1542 at one time and had a 30-hp Evinrude on it even though it was rated only for 25-hp. It pushed the boat down the lake just fine. Now I have a G3 1544 with a Yamaha 25-hp and it also works great. As for adding a side console at a later date, you may (or may not) want to rethink that. I fish by myself most of the time and even with only one person in the boat you'd be surprised how much space your fishing gear can take up. Throw in a cooler, dry box (I do a lot of winter fishing so I carry a lot of extra clothes), tackle boxes, rods, and other things and what looks like a lot of space fills up pretty fast. As with my last boat, I opted for a tiller handle and am glad I did.

jhuff2010 said:

Hey everyone, I am new to the forum and new to boating. I have finally decided that I want a boat and I am leaning toward a alumacraft 1542. I plan on putting a side console in the boat when I get it. What I was wondering is what kind of motor will I need? I have been searching on craigslist and I am clueless on what is needed. How much hp should I get? Any other thing I need to look for that the motor has? Trying to find a good deal on one most likely under 1200. Your input is greatly appreciated. Thanks Jake

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If you are planning to add side console, might as well buy one with it already installed. A side console should have a higher max hp rating than a tiller. Make sure it has a 20" transom and get a reliable motor as close to max hp as you can afford. I prefer 2 strokes, myself.

Looking at the alumicraft website it does not look like either of those options are available in that model. If you are serious about side-console, consider one of the wider models. You won't be disapointed with a 48" wide floor.