Hewes Craft Sportsman... Motor Weight

[KRTGrumpy]

Hi, looking to upgrade my boat from a 15’ Smokercraft Tracer to a Hewes Craft Sportsman, likely in the 16’ due to garage space limitations. The boat is rated for a 90hp and would likely have an 8 or a 9.9 hp kicker. Would that be too much weight on the stern and be balanced okay?

I saw one (16’) springer fishing this year on the Big C with 4 guys in it with both motors mentioned above on the back and it looked okay but wanted to see if anybody had some thoughts or comments. Also, would 75hp on this boat be enough or max it out at 90hp?

Thanks,

[cubsfan]

Originally Posted by KRTGrumpy

Hi, looking to upgrade my boat from a 15’ Smokercraft Tracer to a Hewes Craft Sportsman, likely in the 16’ due to garage space limitations. The boat is rated for a 90hp and would likely have an 8 or a 9.9 hp kicker. Would that be too much weight on the stern and be balanced okay?

I saw one (16’) springer fishing this year on the Big C with 4 guys in it with both motors mentioned above on the back and it looked okay but wanted to see if anybody had some thoughts or comments. Also, would 75hp on this boat be enough or max it out at 90hp?

Thanks,

Depends on the motor, most new motors are somewhat light. I am sure you are okay. I used to have a little 16' polar kraft and it was smaller than a Hewes. I had an old 20 that was the size of a 50, and a kicker too. No problems at all. That said, my new boat has a big motor well and a 140 I think that sounds fine. A 75 would be plenty. My 20 Boulton was being sold with an 80 on it, too small, I upgraded. My Boulton is a lot heavier than your Hewes though. Good luck

[fishotom]

Originally Posted by KRTGrumpy

Hi, looking to upgrade my boat from a 15’ Smokercraft Tracer to a Hewes Craft Sportsman, likely in the 16’ due to garage space limitations. The boat is rated for a 90hp and would likely have an 8 or a 9.9 hp kicker. Would that be too much weight on the stern and be balanced okay?

I saw one (16’) springer fishing this year on the Big C with 4 guys in it with both motors mentioned above on the back and it looked okay but wanted to see if anybody had some thoughts or comments. Also, would 75hp on this boat be enough or max it out at 90hp?

Thanks,

My boat is a 2004 Hewes Craft Sportsman 16, with a 75 and a 8 horse Honda hanging on the back. It sits in the water just fine, does not seem to be stern heavy at all. With only me in it on a flat lake it will do 35 mph by GPS, trimmed up to optimum. With me and 2 big guys it loses about 3 mph. The 90 Honda is the same motor, weighs exactly the same, just different valve timing or something to get the extra 15 horse, so if you are looking at Honda there is no weight difference between the two, or at least that is the way is was before you could get those two motors fuel injected. I hear the new Honda 90 fuel injected is a very sweet motor, if you have the bucks. Just PM me if you want any more info.

Tom

[KRTGrumpy]

Great, thanks for the info. It is the newer Honda motors as that's what Clemen's does here in portland. I've always had a Merc so it would be new to me all across the board.

Thanks again for the info.

PM sent.