12' Deep v

I'll be acquiring a 12' deep v aluminum boat as my first boat here in a month or so. Already looking at mods I can make to it, however while I will be getting a trailer with the boat I won't have an outboard. The smallest I want to go is 9.9hp, but I'm curious to what you guys think the best size outboard would be for this little boat?

kalninm said:

I'm curious to what you guys think the best size outboard would be for this little boat?

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The highest it's rated for.

To be honest not a clue what brand it is or anything like that, not a clue what it is rated for

It seems like the capacity of older tin boats are all over the chart.
Depends on the manufacturer. Recent years must comply with the USCG standards.
this tag was on a pre-1960 Crestliner. 3hp max.

and :WELCOME: to the TinPalooza

I've got a 12' Alomarine Semi-V that's rated for 15hp max hp ,however some folks think this is more like guidelines than rules :LOL2
Since you haven't picked it up yet, I'd give the seller a call and ask them to send you the info from the tag on the transom, prior to purchasing a motor.
:WELCOME: aboard.

Ok well I'm actually buying it off a buddy who just upgraded to a 16' trihull. I texted him and this is what I've found out. He replaced the transom and there is no longer a maximum capacities tag. What I did find out though is it is a lowe line boat. Did a little searching but haven't been able to find out anything about them.

Aside from the recommendations, there's a weight factor: battery, gas tank, motor weight, and your body weight. Think teeter-totter: the more weight/speed in back, the higher the bow wants to lift. (Gas weighs about 7 lbs/gal, water weighs about 8 lbs/gal. Varies a bit with gas.)

Someday I'll go through the story of me, a 13ft tin, an auction Evinrude 18hp, and my first time out with the combo. (Hint: it was NOT pretty.) When the bow comes up so far you can't see, and folks on shore think of an exclamation point racing on the other side of the lake, you need to make some changes.

The 9.8 might be the perfect engine for that hull. With due respect for a whole bunch of folks, speed does not equal joy.

Then there's chop, and wind, and ...other stuff.

Don't invest before you can test.

Be safe, have fun.

Kismet, thanks for that, and trust me I understand the power to boat size to weight ratio issues. I'm, just trying to find out the ideal motor for it. I'm not trying to blast off to the moon but the faster I can get from point A to B SAFELY the better IMO.

I run a 3hp on my 12v with a 58" beam and it coasts along nicely. Not even kidding I get close planing with just me in the boat not loaded up. I would love a 9.9 for it because I'd fly around the lakes, but it is what it is. I think even a 5hp would be more than perfect for my boat.

A 9.9 will scoot it along nicely. Look up you tube vedios. Theres a guy that runs different engines on the same boat so you can compare somewhat.
If you find a 9.9 Johnson or a rudd.
I here tell you can change the exhaust and carb and make it a 15hp. Should you want more power.
The power head is the same other wise.
I'd assume that would be the older models. I don't no.

Edited to say I just read. To shim the reed cage as well to get the 15 hp. .

My 12' Sears tin has the round chines at the garboard (where topsides meets running bottom) and she's tippy if you stray off the centerline. But then my buddy has a Duranautic 12' hull, with taller sides and square chines and she's soooooo much more stable, it is like a different boat - night and day!

We both just put seat bases on the existing cross-seats, where the passenger can move their base from mid to bow seat. For flooring, I put just an 18" width, 3/8" thick ... just enough width to safely navigate Fire & aft on a flat floor section without tripping on rivets & gussets et al.

His wears a Merc 15hp and it flies! I just bought a 8hp Johnson for mine to replace a Sears 7.5hp. Sure he pulls away from me, but personally, I would not put anything higher than a 9.9hp if the round-chined, light tippy hulls ..

Am 8 hp would push it along nicely , a 9.9 which you prefer will make it fly.

Tell me are the engines your talking about 2 stroke or 4, big weight difference

2 stroke.

Like others, I think a 2-stroke 9.9hp would be pisser on that rig!

Actually gas is about 6#/gallon
Diesel is around 7#/gallon
Water is around 8#/gallon
For planning purposes............

Kismet said:

Someday I'll go through the story of me, a 13ft tin, an auction Evinrude 18hp, and my first time out with the combo. (Hint: it was NOT pretty.) When the bow comes up so far you can't see, and folks on shore think of an exclamation point racing on the other side of the lake, you need to make some changes.

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I sure would love to hear that story too, as a 1960's OMC 18 is my dream engine at this time. :mrgreen:

I think the majority of semi-v 12 footers are rated around 10hp so a 9.9 would be a very safe choice. I would guess that a deep v might even handle a 15 or 18 since I would think greater displacement takes more power to move. Hopefully some deep v owners will chime in here...

My 12' Deep-V Klamath runs 21 MPH with 300# in the boat, 18 MPH with 410#. I run a late model Merc 9.9 two stroke and because I mainly troll I did not want to go bigger. I have had the same boat in the past with a 15 two stroke and it would run right along at 29 MPH but would load-up and smoke too much while trolling at 1.2-1.7 MPH over long periods of time.

One thing that I found out with different engines especially of two strokes that were made late of the last century, Merc's are faster than Rude's but can be harder to start.

Get a 9.9 HP Tohatsu! they are easy to make 15 HP if you get the right year!