1979 Master Angler 20

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by tunacious

. . . what is a good horsepower for this hull. Not looking for speed, just a nice 25+ cruise with a top end near 40.

Might want to consider raising transom to 25" due to increased weight of all the new motors. If you don't plan to carry heavy loads, the 115/130 E-Tec with a SS prop should get you around 40 or a little better, about 5 mpg, with 4-stroke noise levels but quite a bit less weight (and better ride and lower min planing speed) than a 4-stroke. The 115 will have more mid-range torque than the 130; the 130 is optimized for higher rpm and would probably give a higher cruise speed, but at lower mpg. On the other hand, if you're gonna carry 4 big divers with gear and 4+ scuba tanks, you might want to consider the 150 (actually 165 hp), which is otherwise overkill for the 20' hull. It would have a top speed in the mid-high 40's and optimum cruise around 27-28 at around 4-4.5 mpg. The Merc Optimax would probably burn a little less gas but noise level is about the same as an old carb'd 2-stroke.

[tunacious]

Thanks guys, sounds like I can get away with as small as a 100. Will probably stick with 2 stroke to keep both the weight and cost down. Not really worried about fuel economy as I''ll be using this for short bay trips. I have the Sceptre for the big trips. How is the fuel tank mounted in this model? Figure replacing the tank is a given.