Quote:
Originally Posted by luisp305
I have a 1970 20' with a 250 Yamaha Saltwater Series. Boat sits low in the stern, but when on plane it rides really well. What I am afraid is that I can't put two people in the back with 2' seas because I can take in water. I am thinking of repowering to a 130 E-Tec because of the weight. I would like to know if that motor is too small for the boat or if it will be ok and better my ride. Also, does anyone have a 130 that can tell me how fast I will go? Am I making the right choice in going to a lighter motor? This is my first seacraft and I need your professional help. Thanks.
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Boat is definitely stern heavy as indicated by the angle the swim platform makes with the water. I'm guessing your min planing speed is in the low 20's when it should be in the low teens! Although you may think it rides well, I guarantee you it will ride much better with a lighter motor! The 20' SeaCraft VDH is much more efficient than a typical deep-V hull, so they don't need as much power as most modern boats. They were designed in the mid-60's when the biggest outboards didn't weigh more than 300 lbs! The original load capacity decal on my boat says it's rated for 170 hp, so you might also have problems getting insurance coverage on it with that big motor.
The V-4 E-Tec is an excellent choice for use with a bracket because of the good power/weight ratio, and was my first choice when I repowered, but they were not yet in production when I needed a motor so I went with the V-6, which is definitely overkill for the 20. Even the 115 (which has MORE mid-range torque than the 130!) would give you at least mid-30's WOT speed and would use even less gas. I'd figure high 30's to low 40's for the 130 depending on load. BRP's 2008 brochure shows that the "150" is actually 165 hp at the prop, and it'll easily push the boat to high 40's WOT.
Here's a shot of how a properly balanced SeaCraft sits in the water with a high flotation bracket. Note that the swim platform is about parallel with the water! (My Seafari does have a bit more weight forward than the CC, but I also had a couple of big coolers in the cockpit and a full fuel tank in this shot!)