9.9 not exciting enough 😂

[Crose92]

Ive got this 14ft aluminum boat i think its an older starcraft. No plate on it but ive got a 9.9hp mariner 4 stroke short shaft on it and its pretty slow with 2 people in it. Wondering how much bigger yall going past 9.9? Like for it to go twice as fast

 

[airshot]

What is the max HP rating on the hull ? Years back my 14' Starcraft had a 35 hp rating on it. A 25 up did very well, but if you want to fly, go for the max rated hp.

 

[Stand Up]

Welcome to tinboats.net
Probably 25 HP would do. You're right. a 9.9 is just too small.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

25 in a heartbeat.

 

[Crose92]

Im not sure the rating plate is missing. Its 14ft long and im assuming starcraft because of the star logo in the corner supports. It came with a 1968 johnson 9.5 not sure if that is a sign of the age. Was trying to do some digging on which
Model im thinking either seafarer, sea scamp or superstar. Someone has modified the seats in it to just wooden planks so hard to tell

 

[airshot]

Was the foam flotation removed ?

 

[Crose92]

Where was the foam floatation supposed to be

 

[FuzzyGrub]

Our 1967 Starcraft Mariner can take upto 40HP, but given the short shaft transom, I'd guess that the max on yours is 25HP.

 

[airshot]

Where was the foam floatation supposed to be

Usually under the seats, you mentioned the seats were just boards, so is their flotation ?

 

[OldSailor85]

14' Sea Nymph, Heavy duty, deep transom. 9.9 2-stroke

2 guys and gear, just under 15 mph
3 guys and gear, just under 10 mph

Still, way better than rowing.

 

[Crose92]

Usually under the seats, you mentioned the seats were just boards, so is their flotation ?

no flotation

 

[TriBull]

Im not sure the rating plate is missing. Its 14ft long and im assuming starcraft because of the star logo in the corner supports. It came with a 1968 johnson 9.5 not sure if that is a sign of the age. Was trying to do some digging on which
Model im thinking either seafarer, sea scamp or superstar. Someone has modified the seats in it to just wooden planks so hard to tell

The older StarCrafts had wood seats with metal panels underneath that contained flotation blocks. My old StarCraft Seafarer had all the panels, but they were corroded and the flotation blocks were deteriorated. I replaced it all with fabricated aluminum panels and new flotation blocks. I was very happy with the result. Kept the boat very light! It’s only 12ft but has plenty of speed with a 9.9 Yamaha.

 

[Buster]

My 1966 14' Lund is rated for 25 and has had both a 1955 Johnson 25 and a late 90s Merc 25 on it over the years. I currently run a 9.8 Tohatsu.
Some observations:
1) with one person in the boat I would call it unsafe with 25hp. It's hyper-sensitive to steering, the weight imbalance makes skipping over waves heart stopping, and backtrolling into waves requires either a splash well, a bilge pump, or lots of bailing.
2) with a guy in the bow it's much more manageable although still touchy in a chop once you get up on plane. The boat is narrower than newer 14 footers and it shows. Backtrolling in a chop is still a water park ride.
that's my particular boat. I wouldn't put a 25 on it again although it was a thrill ride when I was younger. A smart boater would manage it fine but an inexperienced one might struggle. I learned to manage it without incident but now that I'm much older and a little wiser I know how lucky I was not to have a problem, which is one reason I stuck with a 9.8 when repowering it.

 

[airshot]

Before doing anything, I would get some flotation back in the boat ! As far as a motor goes....how much weight do you plan on carrying ? As you have read, staying light can make the boat squirrely, but adding an extra passenger and gear stabilizes the ride. I you are your only passenger then mabey a 15-20 hp might be enough. If you want a real go fast boat, consider adding a steering console before jumping up to a 30-35 hp motor. Steering wheel does help to make a squirrel boat more stabil, but....experience makes a hugh difference...unless you have a lot of experience a high hp motor on a light tinney with tiller steering is only asking for trouble !!

 

[FuzzyGrub]

FWIW: On our '67, there was not any foam under the bench seats. Only under the plywood floor.

 

[Crazyboat]

I'm sure it will hold a 25 without any issue. Some will be rated for 35 and up to 40 as mentioned above. If you ride light a 25 will most likely do the trick. What is the weight of the boat? Does it feel beefy enough to handle 35/40 HP?

 

[ChuckB]

Ive got this 14ft aluminum boat i think its an older starcraft. No plate on it but ive got a 9.9hp mariner 4 stroke short shaft on it and its pretty slow with 2 people in it. Wondering how much bigger yall going past 9.9? Like for it to go twice as fast

You can look for similiar sized newer boats. The Lund 1400 Fury has a max HP of 30. If that boat has no wooden floor then its probably 25hp like the Lund WC14.

 

[Crose92]

What kind of foam are we talking about here just like 1” hard foam sheets cut up or something? Its usually atleast 1 person in with me. Boats probably 150-200 lbs. the 9.9 doesn’t seem to bother it at all far from squirrely. I may try and do some tuning to the 9.9 just to see if im getting full rpm. Havent trimmed the motor up any either

 

[airshot]

Not gonna get much from the 9.9 on a 14' ....Moving up to a 15 will make a noticeable difference until you get an extra passenger or two, then back to where you are now. If your looking for performance with a passenger or even two, go with a 25 hp on a tiller steering type. If you add a side console then Mabry a 30 or 35 hp depending on what your hull is rated. Is your 9.9 motor a model where a simple carb change can make it a 15 hp?

 

[flatheadsteve]

If it were mine and I wanted speed/performance I'd be looking for a 25 2 stroke or a 20hp 4 stroke. Might have to move a little weight up front when by yourself for optimal ride but with passengers or loaded with gear it would plane out and get you at minimum upper 20mph.