You’re ready to get out on the water, but you need a motor. How do you know which one is right for your boat? There are a lot of factors that go into making this choice, so we’ve compiled everything you need to know about selecting an outboard motor into this handy guide!
How do I choose an outboard motor for my boat?
Choosing the right outboard motor is a lot like buying shoes. If you’re not sure what size to buy, or if you get it wrong, it can cause discomfort and even injury. Choosing an outboard motor is no different–you need to know exactly what kind of boat (and how much weight) you’ll be hauling around with your new power source before making this purchase.
If we were shopping for shoes together, I would ask questions like: “What type of terrain do I typically walk around on?” “How much time do I spend walking each day?” And most importantly: “How fast do I want myself and others around me moving?” These same questions apply when choosing an outboard motor for your boat–except instead of asking about the terrain, think about whether or not there will be any watersports involved; whether or not there will be other boats nearby; how fast does each type go?
How do I choose the right engine for my boat?
To help you choose the right engine for your boat, we’ve put together a guide that outlines how to determine the size of the outboard motor you need. We’ll also discuss horsepower (HP) and torque, which are important factors in determining if an engine is powerful enough for your application.
- What size should my boat have?
- How much horsepower do I need?
- Can I pick up replacement parts at any store or online retailer?
What is a marine engine? How can I install my own outboard motor? What’s the difference between an inboard and an outboard engine? What are all of these parts on my boat, and what do they do?
What is a marine engine? A marine engine is an internal combustion engine designed to run on water. It can be used for a variety of applications, including recreational boats and commercial ships.
There are many different types of marine engines, including: –Outboard motors -Inboard/shaft drive motors -Gasoline engines (4 stroke and 2 stroke)
-Diesel engines
-Fuel injection engines (direct injection and port injection)
Depending on your application, you may want to consider a gas or diesel engine. Gasoline engines are more common for recreational boats and personal watercraft, while diesel engines are often used in commercial applications due to their high fuel efficiency.
How much hp should my boat have?
How much horsepower do you need?
The short answer is: It depends on your boat and how much work it needs to do. A motor that has more horsepower will be able to perform more tasks, but it also costs more money to buy and maintain. When choosing an outboard motor for your boat, consider these factors:
- How large is my boat? The size of your vessel will determine its weight limit–the maximum amount of weight it can carry safely at sea without sinking or taking on water from rough seas. If both engines are running at full throttle during use (for example, when traveling), then each engine should have about half as much power as one full-sized engine would produce (e.g., if two 100-horsepower engines were used concurrently).
- The amount of power needed for any given task depends on factors like wind speed and wave height; therefore if possible try not only testing out different models but also different conditions before making any decisions about which model suits you best.* Is this going into salt water? Saltwater corrodes metal faster than freshwater does; therefore if possible try not only testing out different models but also different conditions before making any decisions about which model suits you best.* What kind of fishing am I doing? Different types require different types
Is horsepower or torque more important in a boat?
When you’re looking at outboard motors, you’ll see that they are often listed by horsepower (hp) and torque. This can be confusing because it’s not always obvious which one is more important to your boat. In fact, both factors are important when choosing an outboard motor for your vessel.
The most common mistake people make when buying an outboard motor is focusing too much on horsepower and not enough on torque
. A high-powered motor may seem like a good choice, but if it doesn’t have enough torque it won’t be able to get your boat moving from a dead stop or pull you through choppy water.
Torque is a measurement of how hard a motor can pull. It’s measured in foot pounds (ft/lbs), which means that one pound of force applied over a distance of one foot will produce one ft/lb. You’ll see this measurement on the side of every outboard motor, typically in two places: at idle and at full throttle.
When you’re looking at a new outboard motor, make sure you check the torque numbers. A higher number is better because it means that the motor can pull harder and faster than others with lower numbers.
Boat to motor size chart
The boat-to-motor size chart is a great resource for determining the correct outboard motor for your boat. The chart can be used with any type of boat, including sailboats and pontoon boats. It also takes into account different water conditions such as rough seas or calm waters.
The following is an example of how to use this tool: Let’s say you have a 20-foot fishing vessel that weighs around 2 tons (4,000 pounds). You plan on using this boat primarily in shallow waters where there aren’t many obstacles like rocks or other boats nearby so chances are good that you’ll only need basic steering capabilities from your motorized system (tiller steering). In addition, since most people don’t want their engines running while they’re fishing or swimming around in the water near their vessel it would probably be best suited if these motors could run off battery power instead of gasoline which would allow them more freedom during those times when someone wants peace & quiet rather than listening constantly buzzing sound coming from their engine.”
Boat motor size calculator
To determine the correct outboard motor size for your boat, use our online calculator. It’s easy! Simply fill in the information about your boat and hit “Calculate”. The results will tell you what horsepower is required for your specific application.
To determine what horsepower rating is right for your vessel, refer to this chart:
- < 1 hp = small boats less than 18 feet long (including skiffs)
- 1 – 3 hp = small boats 18 – 25 feet long (including skiffs)
- 4 – 6 hp = medium-sized boats 26 – 35 feet long (including deckboats)
- 7 – 9 hp = large boats 36 feet or longer
10 – 15 hp = utility boats 36 feet or longer 16 – 20 hp = fiberglass runabouts 21 – 30 hp = aluminum fishing boats 31 – 40 hp = bass boats 41 – 50 hp = bowriders 51+ hp = high-performance ski boats
For more information on boat horsepower, visit our page on boat engine ratings.
If you’re looking for a boat motor, check out our selection. We have trolling motors, jet drives, stern drives and more from brands like Minn Kota, Humminbird and Mercury.
outboard motor size for 12 foot boat
You have a 12-foot boat. You’re looking for the perfect outboard motor that will give you enough power, but not too much.
You’ll want to consider two things: how much horsepower (HP) you need and how many gallons of fuel per hour (GPH) the motor uses. If you want more information about horsepower and GPHs, check out our article on choosing an outboard motor size for your boat here!
The size of the boat you have will determine how much horsepower you need and how many gallons of fuel per hour (GPH) your motor uses. If you’re not sure what size outboard motor to buy, ask a professional who can help you find one that’s right for your needs.
Keep in mind that the more horsepower a motor has, the more fuel it uses. A bigger boat will use more horsepower and more gallons of fuel per hour (GPH). If you want to save money on fuel costs, look for an outboard motor that uses less HP and GPHs while still getting your boat where it needs to go.
outboard motor size for 18 foot boat
When you’re deciding on the best outboard motor for your boat, it’s important to know that there are different sizes of motors. This can be confusing because each manufacturer makes their own measurements and they may not always be the same.
What size motor do I need?
If you have a 17-foot boat, then an 18-foot long shaft will work well for you. If your boat is 20 feet in length or more, then a 21-foot long shaft would be ideal for its size.
If you have a smaller boat, say 15 or 16 feet, then there are other considerations to make. It’s important to know how much weight your boat can carry and how far it will go on a full tank of fuel before needing more.
If you want to go fishing or tubing with a small boat, then a 15-foot long shaft is ideal. If you have a larger boat and want to take it out on the water for more than just fishing, then the 21-foot long shaft is a good option.
what size motor do i need for a 17 foot boat
You should be looking for a 5.5 horsepower motor if you have a 17 foot boat.
This is the smallest outboard motor that will work well with your boat, but keep in mind that it’s not going to be enough power for larger boats or heavy loads.
If you want more speed and higher torque, then consider upgrading to either the 6.5 horsepower or 7.5 horsepower option–the difference between these two models is negligible when it comes to performance on the water (they both provide approximately 20% more torque than the 5hp version).
It’s also important to note that the 5.5hp motor is only recommended for boats that weigh less than 500 pounds, so if your boat weighs more than this amount, then you’ll need to upgrade to a larger model.
Another thing to consider is that the 5.5hp motor is only recommended for boats that weigh less than 500 pounds, so if your boat weighs more than this amount, then you’ll need to upgrade to a larger model.
If you’re looking for an outboard motor that provides plenty of power and torque, then look no further than the 5.5hp model. This is a great option if you have a small boat that weighs less than 500 pounds and needs something to get around on the water with ease.
outboard motor size for 20 foot boat
For a 20-foot boat, you will need an outboard motor that has at least 30 horsepower. This will allow you to pull the boat up to speeds of about 30 miles per hour, which is about as fast as most people want to go on the water. If your boat is larger than 20 feet and you want to go faster than this, then it’s best that you find one with more horsepower than what we recommend here.
The other thing we need to talk about when choosing a boat engine for your 20-foot vessel is torque – this refers to how much force can be applied by turning something (in this case: propeller blades) before breaking or bending something else within the engine itself (such as its crankshaft).
The best outboard motors will have a high torque rating, which means that they are capable of turning the propeller at a higher RPM without breaking or bending anything. This is especially important if you plan on using your boat in rough water conditions – such as lakes and rivers where there are rapids and other obstacles.
If you’re looking for a high-performance outboard motor that can pull your 20-foot boat to speeds over 30 miles per hour, then this is the one we recommend. It has an aluminum housing with a stainless steel head and fuel tank for extra durability, as well as stainless steel ball bearings and a bronze propeller shaft.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has given you a better understanding of how to choose an outboard motor. It’s important to remember that there are many factors that go into choosing the right boat motor size and horsepower for your boat. The most important thing is to research all of your options before making any decisions so you can find one that fits both your needs and budget!