Whether you are buying your first boat, or the time has come to replace your old engine, you might be asking yourself what size boat engine do you need. We’ll tell you everything you need to know to make the right choice.
What Size Boat Engine Do I Need?
Your safer bet is to check the inspection plate on your boat or the owner’s manual of your boat’s maker. You’ll find there the recommended maximum size and power to go with your boat. That’s what you should aim for.
Of course, you could go with a smaller engine, with less horsepower, and as long as you don’t choose an engine too small, your boat will run smoothly.
If you pick a small engine that doesn’t have the necessary power to comfortably move your vessel, you won’t enjoy all your boat’s potential, and you will need a new engine sooner than you might like. Pick a bigger engine than recommended, and you might end up breaking the law, causing an accident, or even having sinking problems. So, how do you decide? Have these things in mind.
How Will You Use The Boat?
It is not the same if you want a boat just to relax or go fishing as a solo sport in a quiet lake early in the morning. These activities won’t demand much of your engine, so you might not need that much power. In this case, your vessel will do great with a smaller boat engine. But if you want speed or practice water sports, like waterski, then you will the horsepower that comes with a bigger engine. This is so because you will want your boat to plane over the water while driving at high speeds. A bigger boat engine will let you maneuver easily, and at the required speed.
Fuel Efficiency
You might think that the bigger the engine, the more fuel consumption. But as always, it’s not that simple. The horsepower-to-weight ratio will influence the amount of work your boat engine will have to do, and thus how much fuel it will need to do it.
Considering that bigger engines with higher horsepower will have to work less to move a boat, the bigger the engine, the better fuel efficiency.
On the other hand, a smaller engine will have to work harder. So it will consume more fuel. Were you expecting to save some money by going with fewer horsepower? Then think again. Your boat engine will have a higher demand and consume more fuel to satisfy it. That way, the difference in money between a bigger engine and a small one will be spent on fuel in no time.
Horsepower-to-Weight Ratio
There is a correlation between weight and horsepower. Meaning the more weight the boat has —including the engine—, the more power it will need.
To explain it in simple words, the horsepower-to-weight ratio is the calculation that estimates how much horsepower you are applying to move a pound of your boat. So if you have two vessels, one with an engine that has a 200-horsepower, and the other with an engine of 300-horsepower, the one with 300-horsepower will move faster en probably for longer because it will have more force to push it.
Extra Weight
Now that we have mentioned the horsepower-to-weight ratio, it is important to mention that you have to consider the extra weight you will put in your boat. Have in mind that everything that goes in the boat has its weight, and it will have an impact on the horsepower-to-weight ratio. Things like food, drinks, equipment, and even the amount of people will make a difference. After all is not the same to spend the day alone in your boat, then take your whole family for a trip.
Specific Regulations
Now, not everything it’s about what you want to put on your boat. There are some rules to follow and the amount of horsepower might be one of them. Check the regulations of the place where you will be navigating and make sure that you haven’t overpowered your vessel.
If there aren’t regulations, you should still have in mind that there might be some dangers when overpowering your boat. For you and others.
Budget
As the last note on how to choose the right boat engine size for your boat, have in mind that the engine you pick will cost more or less depending on the power it has, but that will also affect your insurance policy. So it would be wise to check with an agent to see how it will impact your prime, so you can budget appropriately.
Ask A Professional’s Recommendation
Last but not least, if you still can’t make up your mind about what size of boat engine you need, ask a professional! You can call us at 619.904.7192 or fill out the contact form to schedule a visit. One of our professionals will help you decide on the best engine size for your boat or the boat you want to buy, matching your own needs.
