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Would anyone know whether a Honda 90hp carb. four-stroke is too heavy for a '69 Sakonnet? My dad saw this used engine for sale and was curious about repowering his old Sakonnet.
My impression is that it is too heavy (not to mention too much power for him) and whether this will screw up the ability to quickly plane.
I've seen engine hp on this model topping off at 100 hp and total load capacity is 2400 lbs. The engine comes in around 385 lbs.
IMO, Honda 90 is too heavy for a 17 Montauk type hull; but it really depends on what kind of boat performance and function you want to wind up with. The hull speed you can generate with this much power will probably niche you into pretty flat calm, lake type conditions, and will really be an overweighted dog when you are throttled down and off plane in heavier water chop conditions. You will fall off a planing boat at a higher speed with this much engine weight.
As an extreme in the opposite, I under repowered a 17 Montauk hull with a Honda 50. This is just a delightful compromise when I am solo or one other light passenger such as the wife. I plane at full throttle about 24 mph. It trolls ultra slow and quiet, turning a small propeller. In rough water conditions (when every boat on the water has to slow down or else you would pound your teeth out), the relatively light transom weight keeps the boat bobbing the wave action higher, dryer,and more responsively.
The tradeoff, of course, I am not towing tubers or skiiers; I am not a speeding bassboat;; and three onboard is a crowd. My vote is: pay attention to your transom weight.
I put a Merc 90 on the back of my Nauset last summer and I have nothing but great running ever since.
I notice the stern sitting lower a little bit. It's about 1/2 inch at the stern. Other than that the power is really nice. I plane fairly easily, and cruise quite nicely around 16 mph.
I don't think that motor is overpowered, but I very often carry 4 passengers and gear for a days worth of cruising.
