[Bushwacker]

Interesting numbers! Not too much different from what I got with my old "115" (at the powerhead) 1975 Evinrude. I'm guessing it was around 90-100 hp at the prop. Top speed was about 32-33, cruised at about 23-24 @ 4500 at 8-9 gph w/13 3/4 x 15 SST prop. Would be interesting to see fuel flow numbers on the Opti; my E-tec burns about half the fuel the old motor did! The 1972 brochure shows the Seafari running with an 85 Johnson! I remember being quoted a top speed difference of about 3 mph going from a 115 to a 135, and same mechanic said a 115 would outlive about 5 135's! I chose the more durable motor and ran it for 31 years with no major problems.

I wonder if one reason that folks are running so much more power these days, especially on the rebuilds, is that they're making the boats so much heavier by using plywood instead of balsa core in the decks, etc. Looked at Skip and Carla's 21 today, and under what's left of the front deck, there is a stiffening grid of 1/2 round fiberglass tubes, about 2" in diameter and maybe 1/16" wall thickness, very stiff but lightweight . . . Moesly really did build his boats like airplanes! The pictures Island Trader posted of his 21 shows floor supports between top of stringers and deck that have large lightening holes cut out of them, just like the stringers in wings of an airplane. He really understood the performance penalty caused by excess weight!