15 hp motor push a 14' boat up stream?

[j_rod]

Question from the brother-in-law. I know next to nothing about boats, but I know I'll get an answer here. Will a 15 hp motor push 14' boat up stream?

Thanks!

[bagwan]

Easily. Just have to watch for debris, rocks etc. if its shallow. Props are fragile as are shear pins.

[j_rod]

Great, thanks. Forum comes through again. I'll let him know.

[buckbrushoutdoors]

The words stream and props gives me goose bumps.

[j_rod]

Ya, I can understand that. What do guys normally do when they need to travel up-stream?

After-thought: maybe stream doesn't convey the right image. River would be more appropriate.

[dodgeboy1979]

shouldn't have a problem, i always set my motor so its not locked in the lower position just in case you hit something it will pop up maybe eliminating some damage.

[Safety D]

props have no business on skinny water

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by j_rod

Ya, I can understand that. What do guys normally do when they need to travel up-stream?

After-thought: maybe stream doesn't convey the right image. River would be more appropriate.

River boats are usually jet boats so you don't have to worry about prop.

They do make guards for propellers as well but that only provides limited protection.

If you do take the boat out on a river make sure to be very careful and best to only go if you really know the river and where the sand bars are.

[Kokanee9]

Your brother in law would know better than anyone on here as to how it performs on a lake. Taking that knowledge and experience, combined with the current of whatever river you are talking about he should not have to ask somebody else. If the boat is underpowered, that could be a good way to slowly float downstream, using just minimal power to maneuver the boat to selected fishing areas.

[FishingFrenzy]

Not sure what type of 15hp motor you have but here's my take, based on my 9.9 1981 Johnson.

I would NOT risk it. If your motor is older than 1994 I believe, the gears are an obsolete part and are difficult to find. The gearcase can be rebuilt, but to the tune of 700 bucks, using parts from newer motors. This is info I got from a reputable marine mechanic.

The other thing is, people keep mentioning sheer pins? Im not sure which motors use shear pins but my 9.9 uses a spline system, where if you hit a rock and your prop doesn't break, it will grind the splines right off your propshaft. A new propshaft for my motor is 250 bucks...plus a PITA to replace.


Just food for thought, not saying it can't be done but be aware of what it will cost should something get broken.

At the very least, get a "Mac's River Runner Skeg Guard"...it should prevent some damage.

The other thing I've heard some guys do, is take an old pitchfork and use hose clamps to attach it to the leg of their motor, with the tines hanging down a few inches below the bottom of the prop. Then just leave your motor unlocked and the leg should pop up.

Watch out where your legs are, the motor flying up could hurt....

Good Luck!

[Wild&Free]

What river?

I wouldn't want a 15hp to go upstream in the Peace.

[oilngas]

Each time I take my 14' er down the Bow I collect enuff $ from who ever is in the boat to buy a new prop, cause i will need one when we get thru.

[j_rod]

He hasn't bought the motor yet, he was just wondering if it could be done before he purchased anything. This is all good feedback. Thanks guys.

[Marsha]

I do the NSR all the time in a 12 tinny +9.8 hp and my inflatable with a 7.5hp

The things to do are

1 Remove any tilt lock and make the engine tilts EASY !!

2 Raise the motor mount of your boat so the motor is just in enough to operate properly for cooling..

3 Get or make a River Runner I am currently using a Mac"s river runner

In the past I had a old hay fork strapped on with gear clamps...

River running with a outboard can be fun, keep it under 30k and you should be fine if you hit bottom, allways have your hand on the throttle and keep your eyes open

[Marsha]

Almost forgot..

THE NUMBER ONE RULE !!

Always work upriver..... If you break something then you can drift back to your car...

[ditchpickle]

Originally Posted by FishingFrenzy

Not sure what type of 15hp motor you have but here's my take, based on my 9.9 1981 Johnson.

I would NOT risk it. If your motor is older than 1994 I believe, the gears are an obsolete part and are difficult to find. The gearcase can be rebuilt, but to the tune of 700 bucks, using parts from newer motors. This is info I got from a reputable marine mechanic.

The other thing is, people keep mentioning sheer pins? Im not sure which motors use shear pins but my 9.9 uses a spline system, where if you hit a rock and your prop doesn't break, it will grind the splines right off your propshaft. A new propshaft for my motor is 250 bucks...plus a PITA to replace.


Just food for thought, not saying it can't be done but be aware of what it will cost should something get broken.

At the very least, get a "Mac's River Runner Skeg Guard"...it should prevent some damage.

The other thing I've heard some guys do, is take an old pitchfork and use hose clamps to attach it to the leg of their motor, with the tines hanging down a few inches below the bottom of the prop. Then just leave your motor unlocked and the leg should pop up.

Watch out where your legs are, the motor flying up could hurt....

Good Luck!

I've got to correct a few things said here.

Parts for those motors are as plentiful now as when it was made. Including gears for the lower end. The 9.9 and 15 horse OMC outboards were almost unchanged from 1974-2006. There also really easy to work on yourself.

Also, although these motors don't have shear pins, they are protected by a rubber sleeve between the prop itself and the hub. If you hit something hard enough, the rubber will rip, and hopefully leave the rest of the motor intact. You will absolutely not grind the splines off the shaft. (If you do rip the rubber sleeve, you will still be able to troll back to shore, you just won't be able to put full power to the prop)

Go ahead and run an older motor in a river. Make sure to bring an extra prop, and have fun.

[Shmag]

As far as the sheer pin goes I cut down nails and use them. Usually a thicker 3 and a half inch nail (spike) that is softer metal. I've tapped a few rocks in my time and usually the nail snaps before any major damage is done to the prop. I put a new one in every spring and keep a couple more already cut in my tackle box as well as couple taped to my fuel hose...

[357xp]

Originally Posted by Wild&Free

What river?

I wouldn't want a 15hp to go upstream in the Peace.

the Peace River? if so why not?

[Bobby B.]

Originally Posted by Wild&Free

What river?

I wouldn't want a 15hp to go upstream in the Peace.

About 40 years ago, a buddy and I took a 12 ft. with 10 hp up the Peace River. We were spring bear hunting. We camped at the Dunvegan Bridge and headed upstream every morning. We watched the water current and stayed in the deepest sections. Yes, we bounced the prop off the underwater rocks more than a few times, but we never lost a prop or had any other breakdowns.

I'm hoping to get my new 14 ft. Naden and 30 hp Merc on the NSR soon. I'll be launching here in Edmonton and heading upstream.

Bobby B.

[FishingFrenzy]

Originally Posted by ditchpickle

I've got to correct a few things said here.

Parts for those motors are as plentiful now as when it was made. Including gears for the lower end. The 9.9 and 15 horse OMC outboards were almost unchanged from 1974-2006. There also really easy to work on yourself.

Also, although these motors don't have shear pins, they are protected by a rubber sleeve between the prop itself and the hub. If you hit something hard enough, the rubber will rip, and hopefully leave the rest of the motor intact. You will absolutely not grind the splines off the shaft. (If you do rip the rubber sleeve, you will still be able to troll back to shore, you just won't be able to put full power to the prop)

Go ahead and run an older motor in a river. Make sure to bring an extra prop, and have fun.

Thanks for the corrections. Did not realize about the rubber sleeve.

I agree, its easy to do the work yourself. I just consulted a marine mechanic because I had some questions. He gave me the (mis)information about parts availability. To be fair though, the forward and reverse gears are both $505 bucks each (quoted directly from BRP parts site). Alot for a motor worth maybe 700-1000 bucks.

It's still worth it to be cautious about running a river with a prop engine. Crap can happen and it might leave you out of $$$$

[Wild&Free]

Originally Posted by Bobby B.

About 40 years ago, a buddy and I took a 12 ft. with 10 hp up the Peace River. We were spring bear hunting. We camped at the Dunvegan Bridge and headed upstream every morning. We watched the water current and stayed in the deepest sections. Yes, we bounced the prop off the underwater rocks more than a few times, but we never lost a prop or had any other breakdowns.

I'm hoping to get my new 14 ft. Naden and 30 hp Merc on the NSR soon. I'll be launching here in Edmonton and heading upstream.

Bobby B.

How quickly were you moving? My comment was not so much on the prop in the water, more on the power of the motor vs the current of the river.

[jim summit]

Originally Posted by Wild&Free

What river?

I wouldn't want a 15hp to go upstream in the Peace.

Sure, why not.
Will be using my 15hp on the Peace river this weekend, it runs 18mph going upstream, 23 going down.
Plan is to go 65 miles down one river till it joins the peace and another 34 miles up the Peace to the truck.
15 Evinrude, will do 15 mpg. Parts plentiful, cheap, motor is tough as they get.
The leg is overbuilt, carry spare prop.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Wild&Free

What river?

That's what I was wondering, it could make a big difference.

j_rod,

I wouldn't recommend an outboard on any river with an average depth of less then three feet.
And I wouldn't recommend attempting any river without an experienced river pilot on board.

It can be done by a novice but it is dangerous and can be very expensive.

The boat driver needs to know how to read the river. Where the deep channels are most likely to be, how to spot sand and gravel bars, what a deadhead looks like, and how current/wind effects wave action.

As I said, it can be done by a novice, but if you hit a gravel bar, you could find yourself stuck in the middle of a river or worse still, stuck crossways to the current. That can turn ugly real quick.

Then there are submerged boulders, and deadheads. If you don't know how to spot them or spot where they are likely to be, it could cost you at minimum, a shear pin, or worse, a prop and possibly a lower drive unit.

Few river are charted simply because most rivers change bottom profiles almost on a daily basis.
A depth sounder helps but it can only tell you what's under the boat, not what is ahead, and what is ahead is what you need to know.

Depths can change radically over a span of a couple of feet.

Now that is why I would not recommend a novice trying to run a river.
But I know it has been done hundreds if not thousands of times before by people just like you. Most survived.

Now, about your question. My experience is with the Peace River.
The Peace is a large slow moving river. Around here a 15 horse motor is considered by most to be more then adequate, I've covered a lot of miles on the Peace with a ten horse. But it depends on what one considers adequate.
In the Peace a ten horse is barley enough to get a 16 foot aluminum boat up on plain with only one person aboard.
A 15 horse will get a 16 foot aluminum boat up on step in reasonable fashion with two people aboard and sufficient supplies for a day of fishing or hunting, but top speed is not great. We calculated that we averaged 14 mph with a 15 horse and around 18 mph with a 20 horse.

When I was working as a big game guide, (along the Peace) my boss wouldn't consider anything less then 40 horse and an 18 fot boat for two hunters, a guide and a possible moose.

If you do decide to try it, stick to the outside of the corners, 1/3 of the width out from the shore. Stop from time to time and use a string and weight to measure depth to bottom until you have an idea of how deep the channels run and where the shallow water can be found.

If in doubt, slow down. If your boat suddenly picks up speed, carefully steer toward deeper water, you are about to run aground.

One last word, leave the fiberglass at home. Aluminum is the only choice for running rivers.

Be safe out there.

[Bobby B.]

Originally Posted by Wild&Free

How quickly were you moving? My comment was not so much on the prop in the water, more on the power of the motor vs the current of the river.

Can't say exactly how fast we were moving upstream. However, each day we made it within a few miles of the BC border, or so we were told. I wish we could move upstream as fast as the odd jetboat we saw and twice as fast on the way back home to camp. Still, it was great fun for a couple of rookie bear hunters willing to freeze their ***** of in the quest to kill a couple of bears. Come to think of it, I'd like to do the same thing again. And, we did kill a bear.

Bobby B.

[Wild&Free]

Good post Keg.

Seems a 15hp is good enough for the peace, I'd just rather go a little quicker is all.

[ALBTUFF]

Originally Posted by Safety D

props have no business on skinny water

HA! Maybe you should check out this link.

www.mudbuddy.com

Those tiger props love the shallows!

[Redfrog]

Depends on the style of boat, cargo, river, speed, experience,etc. etc.

It's like asking, "how long is a piece of string?"

I would take a 12 foot with a ten horse on the Peace most days. Sometimes of the year, I wouldn't.

But I'm not in a hurry.

I have run the Peace with a jetboat and spent the better part of the day trying to muscle it 150 feet back to the water, because some one who had to get nowhere really fast couldn't stop when I said "gravel bar"

That day I wished for my tinner.

[357xp]

Originally Posted by Wild&Free

Good post Keg.

Seems a 15hp is good enough for the peace, I'd just rather go a little quicker is all.

plenty big enough! but if u want to go faster.....i have an old 14' tinny with a modified 20hp kicker that pushes me 30 miles an hour along the peace, thats about as fast as i want to go in that piece of tinfoil

[Legend Boats]

Excellent question. Going upstream in a 14' boat with a 15hp will be easy. I would recommend you stay on the throttle and keep the boat pointed upstream. If you lay off the throttle in current be prepared to give it a little throttle to correct your boat so you don't end up going downstream.

Henry Nguyen
Legend Boats

[j_rod]

All great posts everyone. Caution is obviously the order of the day I can see, along with doing your homework before setting out.

Once again, great advice. Thanks.