Marine Forum

Correct Speed for 80hp Merc on 16 Foot Bowrider?

Anonymous user

01 April 2009 00:34:58

Joined: Unknown | Posts: Unknown

I'm sure there is a wide range, but I'm not even sure what that is. I have a 1969 Mercury 800 in good shape, with good compression in all cylinders. Carbs are clean and rebuilt, and distributer is timed carefully, and I think I have distributor linkage to spec. I do not know the pitch of my prop.

The boat is a 16 foot, 1974 Glasspar Bowrider. This hull is a bit heftier than other bowriders of similar vintage, with deeper sides. But the hull form is like a Boston Whaler... like a tri-hull, with narrow side sponsons (amas? hulls?), and slender main center hull form.

The thing is, I can only get a maximum of about 27 MPH out of this, on calm water, with me, my wife and daughter (all average sized peeps). This I know from my GPS, so it is very accurate. The boat planes at about 17 MPH, I think, or thereabouts, so I've assumed my trim is OK. But when I read other references on the internet, I see people claiming over 30 MPH from 50 HP outboards, on similar boats. Or if they have larger outboards, I see claims of 40, 50 and more, MPH.

So do I have a problem? Should I be going over everything on the boat and motor, to get some speed I'm missing? Thanks for your feedback... Rich.

Re: Correct Speed for 80hp Merc on 16 Foot Bowrider?

Anonymous user

17 December 2009 03:06:14

Joined: Unknown | Posts: Unknown

I think thats all you can expect for the speed out of that motor i would make sure you have a 17 pitch 4 blade prop it i suggest a com prop you can get them from cabelas you will get more speed and a super hole shot with this 17 pitch prop thats what i did you will be amazed