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How fast will a 16' boat w/ 40 horse go?

109K views 27 replies 23 participants last post by  sfw1960 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Looking at a 16-foot Smokercraft side console. How fast should this boat go with a 40-horse motor on it?

Thanks, Brian
 
#5 ·
jpollman said:
I had a 16 foot aluminum side console with an Evinrude 40 on it. She planed real easy and moved along pretty well. I had it out one time and she was running at 29 mph per the GPS. Not blazing speed but plenty for a fishing boat IMO.

John
I thought the fomula was just

length + hp - 3^3 = max speed

;)
 
#7 ·
A whole lot of factors go into a boats max speed with any given horse power motor.

Obvious things like, boats construction (weight), motor running well, prop correct (or chosen for speed if that is what's wanted), mounted correctly on boat, boats hull condition / configuration, vessels balance with motor / gear - its' "planability" let's say, water conditions at the time etc.

For a wild guess - 32 mph.

Let us know what the GPS says ! :)
 
#10 ·
I had a 17 foot smaker with a 40 merc/side console. I think top speed was 20 MPH and that was plenty. Any faster and you get a bath.

When I bought the boat it wouldnt go much more than 8 MPH, after the 2 rotten floors and soaked foam uder the floors and 40 lbs of stainless screws were removed, it ran like a champ.
 
#15 ·
waterfoul said:
My 17 tracker with 40 hp Mariner will do 31 mph with me and my gear in it (that's with 3 batteries and full 6 gallon fuel can). Add SFW1960 and his gear and I only get 28.5 mph!! Man he brings a lot of gear fishing! LOL!!!
Yeah , but we still usually catch fEEsH , eH Mikey???

We have a 16' Starcraft utility (FS16) W/25 MerC+ 2 Batts. and I generally get about 24-26 bepending on how many piles of tackle boxes get mounded up......
:yikes:
I think 28-29 is pretty typical for a setup as such.

R
 
#26 ·
Faster than you can row!
 
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