Thread: What caliber........... boat.

Yep whatever you get make sure it is well powered, which for older boats usually means at or near the max rated power.
My Fryan 450 (4.5m) with a 40hp Johnson is under powered as are most boats in that 4.2-5m range with a 40hp, with no gear at all and 2 adults its ok just but any weather and all the essential gear it is working too hard which isnt really a problem for the engine as they are designed to be run at full throttle but boy do they get inefficient at high load, 2 strokes outboards are jetted rich at high throttle openings to keep piston temps down and oil up and this results in high fuel use.

^^^Stingrays 5m stabi with 60hp fourstroke vs my 4.5m and 40hp twostroke on the same trip and one less set of dive gear and two less tanks mine with 50% less horsepower burnt 50% MORE fuel pushing a SMALLER boat just because it was working its arse off and just below full throttle to be on the plane.
A 5.5m with a 90 or 115 on it would do the trip easily in less time at a higher cruise speed and use less fuel.

A well powered two stoke vs fourstroke will burn very similar fuel at cruise, where the fourstroke uses a lot less is at high and low load so trolling speeds and repetitively accelerating up on the plane towing a skier or just goin fast for fun.

A 60hp on mine would make it a bloody good little boat, more economical and some speed to run home before the weather.

Think about what size boat will suit you best.

4.2-4.5m really only good for 2 adults unless VERY well powered and used only for ski boat (Ie glassy conditions)

5-6m and getting up to four persons comfortably but once again will want to be powered near top of spec as a ski boat.

My little 4.5m suits me well as it is easy to tow and launch by myself and with a 2wd and it fits in my garage....I would like a 5m just for the extra seakeeping ability and still just in the fits in the shed/easy to launch/tow etc range.

Its horses for courses.