For boaters, you would always want to have the appropriate equipment for your boats so that you would have smooth sailing. Failing to do so could be a bane, considering the fact that a simple mistake could hamper your boating experience. One of which is the size of the outboard. Among other things, you should be asking yourself, “what size outboard for a 14 aluminum boat?” In this article, we’ll be answering that burning question and more!
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What Size Outboard For A 14 Aluminum Boat: Things To Consider
Choosing the size of the outboard that would fit your aluminum boat takes more than just picking the first thing that you see on the market. It requires a little bit of exploring in terms of the features and characteristics that they would have. Here are just some of the features to consider.
Choosing Between Two-stroke And Four-stroke Engines
Two-stroke engines are usually a lot less heavy than the four-stroke with similar power. This can be an advantage in terms of power to weight ratio. Since the aluminum boats contain horsepower and engine weight limits, it could mean that you can fit a more powerful engine into your boat. On the other hand, four-stroke engines are best kept when upright, and they can only be laid down in a specific manner.
Another difference is that two-stroke engines provide quicker acceleration. However, four-stroke engines are more silent. Banshee boat talked more about the difference between two-stroke engines and four-stroke engines.
Remote Control
We can say that the tiller steering control is quite ubiquitous on smaller engines. However, manufacturers provide conversion kits that may be costly and difficult to install. For example, you could operate an aluminum boat on a tiller steer for up to about 40 horsepower. However, we do not really recommend any children to operate the tiller steering outboards above ten horsepowers, most especially if they are going to go flat out.
Electric Or Manual Start
Smaller outboard engines are all manual, but for those engines that are approximately 15 horsepower, you can get an electric start. The bigger the engine, the more effort is required. This can be a genuine limitation for the children. We suggest not forgetting that you are doing this at the back portion of your aluminum boat, so you be careful should you wind up using an outboard with a manual start. Remember that you may not have a stable platform where you would be able to work.
Boat Length And Weight
Of course, the length of the boat should be a deciding factor on the size of the outboard. For 14-feet aluminum boats, the size of the outboard motor in terms of horsepower is around 15 hp. For less than 18 kg boats, you can op for two hp to 3.6 hp size. These smaller outboards are frequent for portable boats like folding boats, canoes, small sailboats, inflatable boats, and other small watercraft.
Because of the limitation in terms of weight and length, you should also need to understand that the outboards that would be present would usually be limited to forward-neutral gears and forward-only gears, which would spin 360 degrees.
The YouTube channel named Life Offshore named the best outboards that you can try for your boars.
Things To Take Note Of About Shaft Length
When you are picking the appropriate motor for an aluminum boat, you should base your decision not only on the size of the engine but also on the shaft length.
Shallow water boats will most likely want a motor with a shorter shaft. This is because if you do not do it, you might regret it immediately, especially when you would be giving it some throttle and trying to build up its velocity.
Moreover, you should purchase a motor with a shaft length that complements the length of your transom. In order to get the measurement of your transform, you need a standard measuring tape in order to measure from its top to its bottom portion.
Read More: When Should You Flush Outboard Motors with Vinegar?
Conclusion
When answering what size outboard for a 14 aluminum boat, we suggest getting around 15 hp. But the length of the boat should not be the only thing that you would consider. Other features such as the shaft length and the type of engine are all important. This way, you would be able to pick the right outboard at minimal or zero consequences on your end.
