Worth getting a bigger motor?

Last year I picked up a 13' aluminum rib inflatable with a 20hp honda that has turned out to be a great boat for me and my three young boys to explore the Chesapeake Bay. With a couple adults or myself and my three young boys it easily gets up on plane and it cruises around 20kts, which is plenty fast for a 13' boat. Unfortunately, once you add a little more weight it struggles to get up on plane (max payload on the boat is 1200lbs). I tried dropping the pitch on the prop and that helped a bit but still feels a bit underpowered. Do you think a 3 cylinder 30hp motor would be night and day compared with the 2 cylinder 20hp honda and it would no longer be sensitive to weight getting up on plane? I would probably be adding 50 or 60lbs in weight. That honda I believe weighs about 110lbs and most 30hp motors are ~170lbs (manual start and no trim). The pic I attached is my model boat but has a 30hp yamaha 2 stroke, which I'm sure would be an awesome motor for it, but I'm not sure I want to go back to a two stroke. This thing looks like an all aluminum TDB with the tubes deflated and removed. My other issue is that I keep on getting outfished by a six year old, but I don't think anyone can help me there:). [/url]View attachment page_content_image_0109.jpeg[/url][/url]View attachment IMG_20211023_172843049_HDR.jpg[/url][/url][/url][/url]
 
Don?t have any help for you on the motor or fishing but that is a nice rockfish. Good job getting your kids out.
 
A guy I hunted with years ago had a Yamaha 3 cylinder oil injection 30hp 2 strokes on a 16' Carolina skiff. He hated the hull (rough wet ride) but absolutely loved that motor.
I think you will see a big difference in torque and speed going from a 20 to a 30. Think of it this way: You're almost doubling the HP and cylinders.
What is your hull rated for? I'm amazed its rated for 1200 pounds!
 
Yah, these inflatables are rated really high for weight. You basically have an aluminum v-hull boat that would probably work just fine without those air tubes. I always thought they were all throway dinghies that only lasted 10 years but I'm beginning to like the concept. I think most of the cheaper pvc ones don't last long... sounds like the expensive hypalon tubes last a while longer if properly maintained. My boat seems to be very unique where it is a pvc tube, but has a rubber innertube that is basically a huge rubber bike tire tube. I had to patch one pinhole a few months ago where I think it was rubbing on a rough spot on the aluminum hull. The rubber is really easy to patch with a little rubber cement and a rubber patch. The boat was made by a guy in new zealand and purchased by a local family that used to sail around the world on their catamaran. Wish it was a couple feet longer, but I bought it for what the outboard is worth. Has nice high sides for the kids and you could fill it with water and it wouldnt sink.[/url]
 
The 30 hp three cylinders have much more torque and power than two cylinders of comparable size. The Yamaha 30's weigh in at 135 pounds.

But they are darn near impossible to find. If you did find one buy it for me! I sort of collect them lol
 
There was just an early 90s 30hp for sale locally for around $1K and I hesitated... nows it gone. I have a smaller 6hp yamaha 2 stroke that is a great motor. Just wasn't sure I wanted to go back to the noise and the smoke. Being too easy on these kids I guess. A nice groundswell and that 2 stroke smell builds character. [/url]
 
Kris Winiarski said:
There was just an early 90s 30hp for sale locally for around $1K and I hesitated... nows it gone. I have a smaller 6hp yamaha 2 stroke that is a great motor. Just wasn't sure I wanted to go back to the noise and the smoke. Being too easy on these kids I guess. A nice groundswell and that 2 stroke smell builds character. [/url]


Oh man! That was a steal. Yes the smoke and the noise can be bothersome. But it also helps keep the green heads and black flies away too!
 
Think about a four blade prop with a lower pitch than the original. You?ll lose a bit of top end, but it?ll get out of the hole way better
 
Ditto what everyone said. The 30hp will be more than enough. However, with that being said, don't discount a 25hp 2 stroke 2 cyl either. Some of them are incredibly light. I just picked up a 25hp late 90's Merc 2 stroke, mint. It tips the scales at 112 lbs. I run it on a 13' Duck Invader. First trip out this season it flew with myself, a buddy, and a full hunting loadout.

The problem with the Hondas is they are heavy. I am guessing it's probably a 4 stroke, which makes it REALLY heavy.


jode hillman said:
Kris Winiarski said:
There was just an early 90s 30hp for sale locally for around $1K and I hesitated... nows it gone. I have a smaller 6hp yamaha 2 stroke that is a great motor. Just wasn't sure I wanted to go back to the noise and the smoke. Being too easy on these kids I guess. A nice groundswell and that 2 stroke smell builds character. [/url]

Oh man! That was a steal. Yes the smoke and the noise can be bothersome. But it also helps keep the green heads and black flies away too!

You SJ boys love your 3 cyl Yami-Hammers!
 
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