# What size motor for John Boat on river



## luv2drum (Apr 2, 2010)

I have a 14' alumacraft john boat (will fit in back of a pickup) What size motor would I need to get around say on the Hooch or Etowah rivers?


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## Rich M (Apr 2, 2010)

Check the rating on the boat - I'd probably look at a 10 hp motor.  

The boat itself makes a difference if it has low sides and such.  

If it is a 14x32, a 10 might be too much.  I had a 14x32 and we had about 2 inches of freeboard with 2 guys, gear, and a 15 on it - not for any kind of waves.


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## luv2drum (Apr 2, 2010)

Rich M said:


> Check the rating on the boat - I'd probably look at a 10 hp motor.
> 
> The boat itself makes a difference if it has low sides and such.
> 
> If it is a 14x32, a 10 might be too much.  I had a 14x32 and we had about 2 inches of freeboard with 2 guys, gear, and a 15 on it - not for any kind of waves.



Yep it has low sides, too much motor is my main concern.  I don't want the bow pointing straight up in the air.  I have raised the front way up with a big trolling motor when I was by myself with no weight in the front. I have seen some 3.5 hp and 5 hp motors, will those be enough to put around the river with?


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## wilber85 (Apr 2, 2010)

Dont know about the Hooch or Etowah but on some rivers there is restrictions.  I know the Ogeechee has a 9.9 hp limit near Statesboro.  Might want to check into that first.

The 3 and 5 hp motors will definitely get you where you need to go.  A 9.9 in some boats will take you a little faster than is comfortable in some boats.


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## little rascal (Apr 2, 2010)

*Motors,*

a 9.9 h.p. 2 stroke would be perfect, a 4 stroke 9.9 would be too heavy and cost more. If it is a 14'/36" bottom it was probably rated for a 14 h.p., a 15 h.p. 2 stroke would work. If it is a 14'/32" bottom stay with a 9.9 h.p or less. If it is a 14'/40"  or bigger bottom, 15 h.p. and up to whatever the name plate says.


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## jkkj (Apr 2, 2010)

i had a 1442 alumacraft with a johnson 30.. it all depends on the boat...


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## ArmyTaco (Apr 3, 2010)

Go with the 9.9. Put a battery up front or around until you get it right. Once you get used to the river and add fishing gear, friends, cooler, battery, etc that 9.9 will be nice. 2 strokes are lighter but 4 strokes are awesome. Had one on my 1436 and it was an awesome troublefree motor. Just gas and go and I only needed a 3 gallon tank. Could go all day and night on that 3 gallons.


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## shadow2 (Apr 3, 2010)

i use a 9.9 mostly on my john boat.. that should work well for you..


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## luv2drum (Apr 3, 2010)

Thanks for all the feedback.  Sounds like I'll be ok, as long as I stay under 10hp.  Mine is a narrow, shallow model.


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## weagle (Apr 3, 2010)

I have run all sorts of small outboards in the hooch and settled on the briggs & stratton 5hp air cooled motor.  It's plenty strong for the river and will push a jon boat just fine.   The B&S  might be a little heavy for your boat, but there are other small 2 and 4 stroke air cooled engines that would work fine.  I'll never go back to a water cooled engine in the river.  You end up plowing sand/mud too often which gets into the cooling system screwing up the impellers and overheating the motor.

The B&S is noisy and vibrates a lot, but it just plows along with almost zero maintenance.  There are times when the river is down I'm plowing more mud than water and the Briggs just pushes right through.

Weagle


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