What size motor do I need for a 15-Foot Aluminum boat?

buy a briggs& straton 5 hp out board, there around $800 i have one on my 14 ft john boat does a great job getting around,

besides that it wont foul the water, its a 4 cycle,

I have a 15 foot Gregor(aluminum0. It's rated for a 35 HP. I have a 28hp Johnson on it. It does very well. But you have to consider many things. Will you be towing the boat on a trailer? If so stay with a 15HP or smaller. Will you be trolling with it? Sometimes the smaller motors do better than the bigger motors. My first boat was a 12 foot Western Aluminum with a old 10HP Evinrude on it.....that was almost to fast with one person in the boat. But it was great with two. But if it were me I wouldn't go any smaller than a 15 HP and I would go up to 30 if you have it on a trailer. Keep in mind that the newer 4 stroke motors are a lot more efficient than the older 2 stroke motors. As far as cost-effective? Serious sport fisherman don't worry about that kind of stuff.

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RE:

What size motor do I need for a 15-Foot Aluminum boat?

I want to get the most cost-effective motor without being ridiculously underpowered.

16 Foot Aluminum Boat

9-15 HP

A 14 foor polymer portabote is lrated for 9hp. An aluminum boat is heavier and and has more drag in the water. I love my 4 stroke Suzuki.

When in Canada Ileased a 16 foot Lund with a 9 hp motor and there were three of us.

Granted we did not have to deal with much current but even on idle speed we were moving a tad to fast to troll for walleye. At 3/4 throttle it zipped in the lake quite nicely.

Best bet is go to a local marina and ask their advice for yorur area. The current you will encountering is also a factor. 25 hp may be a little large for a 15 footer.

A motor as small as 5 hp will push a 15' aluminum boat even while carrying 3 adults at decent speed. I have a 5 hp on my 10' Jon boat that works very well. I have a 15 hp on a14' Jon boat that works much better. Anything below 5 hp would likely be too small on a 15' flat bottom or V hull. It doesn't take much to get these lightweight boats up on plane.

15 Foot Boat

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read the rating plate. or provide make, model and year of the vessel. and are we talking an outboard, or sterndrive or inboard? as this is a fiberglass vessel, you need to ensure the transom (rear of the vessel) is strong enough still. fiberglass boats also use wood, which rots and weakens with moisture and time. even the best cared for fiberglass vessel eventually succumbs. if the transom has weakened, it cant hold as much as it used to be able to hold. too much power will result in a motor breaking free. motor/drive are the big expense on any new vessel. a 60 hp outboard runs close to $7,000 installed (if you want a warranty, you dont install it yourself). a brand new aluminum hull, which will last practically forever, in the size you currently have is only a few grand. plus motor. new hull will have all new electronics, carpeting/upholstery, last 30+ years, and has a warranty to cover the 1st few years.

Safe ta' say that a 15hp would be the max.There's a lot to be considered when increasin' hp ie., widest point of beam (hull), length of hull, transom condition etc.. Problem with the larger engine, they can cause boat to have improper planing. We've got a 14 Semi-V Jon and even though I'm runnin' over rated ie., 20hp (U.S. Coast Guard Standards), she's quick, planing is great and runs safely what with my addition of a hydrofoil to outboard. http://www.boatingsolutions.com/Doel-Fin-Hydrofoil...

Link below will give ya' an idea as to proper hp in conjuction with size of boat. Might add that your boat should have a weight capacity as well as hp ratings plate on it (usually on the transom, if not then you'll have ta' do some lookin' elsewhere)..

http://www.smalloutboards.com/choose.htm

Am, sure that I'll get considerable disagreement on hp for the size of your boat, but I have no problem with the 20 on the Jon and run with a 6 gallon tank ;)...

I have a Lund 14' aluminum with a 20hp Honda, but i have a trailer. If you will be hand bombing your motor, you might want to stick with a 9.9hp or so. You should have a plate on your boat with engine size recommendations. I believe mine is good up to 35hp. But i get around nicely with my 20hp.

if the boat was manufactured in the US then it should have a capacity plate on the starboard side of the transom that will list max. hp for the boat. you can use this as a guide in choosing your outboard motor. if the capacity plate is missing, please come back with more info on the manufacturer, model and type of boat and we can advise you further. as example we have a 15' center console hobie power skiff, it was rated up to 75hp but works well with 25hp to 60hp outboards. hope this helps