# Newbie with a question about Jon boat length to plane



## Doug Merry (Aug 19, 2018)

Hello I just purchased my first boat this week as I’d like to take my wife and 3 kids to a few 10 hp restricted lakes close to my home. My father never took me fishing and I don’t want my children to be able to say the same. Earlier this week I bought a 1648 alumacraft boat with a 9.9 hp yamaha 4 stoke, and 2 days later I found another boat close by, which is an alumacraft 1448 loaded with a side steering console and a 2 stroke 9.9 Tohatsu. My question which I haven’t been able to find any info on is the 16’ boat harder, easier, or about the same to plane? I’ve only driven the 16’ boat so far and it took a while to get it to plane. I didn’t know if the 14’ would be easier or not. Also would it be better to modify the yamaha to steer and sell the Tohatsu as a tiller or just sell the yamaha? My plan was to keep the best off both boats and trailers and then sell the other one. Thanks for the help.


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## richg99 (Aug 19, 2018)

First off...there is NO WAY that I would consider taking five people, no matter what their sizes, out in a 14/16 foot boat.

That said...


I think that you will find that ..planeing..is a function of the shape of the hull(s).. the weight of the passenger load; the weight distribution of each boat..and the power supplied by the motor through its propellor.

If both boats were flat-bottomed (Preferred for quicker planeing); and both boats were evenly balanced and weighed the same, and the engines and props were identical, and each had exactly the same passengers sitting in exactly the same positions....then I think that the 16-foot boat would plane more easily than the shorter boat. 

However, the 14 foot has an advantage with the side console, in that the weight of the driver is more forward. But, that might be offset by the added weight of the console itself and its controls. I imagine that the 14-foot boat weighs somewhat less, but one boat might be welded (heavier) and one made with rivets ( lighter)...only you know those things.

I know of no way that anyone can give you a generic answer for two different boats with two different setups. That said, I would always rather have a larger boat than a smaller one. I've never tried to plane any boat equipped with only a 9.9 hp motor, but I imagine it is possible with a light load.

For long-term use, the age and condition of the motor(s) would be where I would spend some time investigating.... before I made any decisions.

Sorry, I can't be of more help. Perhaps someone else will pipe in and be of more assistance.


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## Doug Merry (Aug 19, 2018)

Thanks for the repsonse. Both boats are riveted alumacraftboats with 48” bottoms. I was just going to put the console on the boat that would plane better. I figured the 14’ would be a little lighter, however the 16’ being longer might be easier to get out of the water??? I picked up the 14’ boat today and to make things even more complicated is that it’s not a 1448 flat bottom like I thought but is a 1448 semi v Hull. So now I’m even more confused. I just want to keep the better of the two boats. As far as the 5 people capacity which is rated for both boats, well my 3 children are all under the age of six. I’m not looking to keep all 5 of us forever in it, but it’s a good place to start and there small enough to not affect it that much. Thanks again for the response.


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## gillhunter (Aug 21, 2018)

I have owned a 14' side console, and am currently running a 1648 with a 9.9 Honda 4 stroke (tiller), that I fish on horsepower restricted lakes. 

If you plan on taking your wife and kids fishing keep the the 16' boat that I assume is a tiller rather than a side console. The side console takes up a lot of room. 

Don't worry about the boat getting on plane. If the boat goes 10mph is there anywhere on the hp restricted lake you are fishing on that you can't get to in 10 minutes?

I recently took 2 of my young grandsons and my wife fishing. My wife and I only took gear for the kids. If you think you're going to fish with 3 youngsters in the boat good luck :LOL2:


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## MrGiggles (Aug 21, 2018)

I had a 9.8 Merc on a 1448 Alumacraft semi-V that would barely plane with me (250lbs) and my brother of average weight.

I did fish it once with myself and two adults, which was okay from a stability standpoint, but planing wasn't going to happen.

As mentioned, planning is not likely on either of those boats loaded with 5 people.


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## wmk0002 (Aug 21, 2018)

I'm with gillhunter. You need space with that many people plus kids. The extra 2 feet plus having a square bow vs a pointy one equal more usable square feet for people. And a tiller saves a ton of room too.

Have you ran both with you only and gotten a baseline that way? I would do that and note results. Then I would go over to the motors section and get some details on how to check out the two motors. It's possible one or both are not running optimally. I'd also guess that both motors have factory props which are almost assuredly too underpitched for those size of boats and with that much of a load. And, depending on the year, that Tohatsu may even be able to be modified to a 15 hp.


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## surfman (Aug 22, 2018)

Neither boat will plane with a 9.9 and 3 people in it.


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## jethro (Aug 23, 2018)

My 14 footer with 25hp can have trouble planing with 3 people. You are asking a lot of 10hp.


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## Rocs (Sep 27, 2018)

Ask the wife, she will tell you... Bigger is better. lol


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## turbotodd (Sep 28, 2018)

Biggest boat you can get. Between those two, 1648. 

Use a tiller outboard. Consoles take up floor space. Tillers don't take up NEAR as much space. Really opens up the floor.

9.9 will work fine if you're just idling around. If you have to make a run of over a mile, you'll want a bigger motor-especially with that much load. 40hp+. You "could" put 9.9 stickers on it and try to get away with it like the duck hunters used to do here. Lot of anglers too on the local lake that was 10hp max for decades until it was destricted, now you see guys rip roaring around with 300hp motors, in less than 18" of water, and tree stumps EVERYWHERE. Seen way too many ruin boats, motors, seen a guy throw himself outta the boat a while back. Definitely have to be mindful.

On the 9.9. I ran a 15hp on a 1548 for a little bit and while it would plane, it was very reluctant (and slow) to do so-and that was with me and nothing else in the boat. A 9.9 MIGHT plane yours if it's empty and lightly loaded but that's a stretch. Hull design plays a part too. Not all boats plane the same. My old 1448 Lowe would not get on plane below 14 mph. My current war eagle will be on plane by 10mph and it's heavier than the Lowe was-by far-probably 150 lb heavier (just the hull). Same outboard on both.

Even if you have to idle around or run real low speeds all the time on that lake, it doesn't matter as long as you can get out to the water and teach the kids the enjoyment of fishing-and the outdoors. That's the way I learned too. In a 14' boat that had no motor. Just paddling around. And I'm hooked.


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## haute (Sep 28, 2018)

When I first got my Alumacraft V16, I had my trusty 1990 Evinrude 15hp on it. So, that's a motor which only weighs about 75#'s. A four stroke 9.9 will be laughably heavy and under-powered comparatively.

With me, my wife, and two kids, I could only get to 12mph and it wouldnt even come close to planing - it just pushed the boat *through* the water, not on it. That also made the gas mileage on it atrocious.

I upgraded to max hull power (25hp, 2-stroke) and I can plane 4 adults and my two kids, and run at about 20-22mph without a problem at all, in protected, oceanic waters - even better performance on calm, flat lakes. With just the wife and kids, 26-27mph and on plane in a couple of seconds is standard. I can even plane it with my fishing buddy sitting on the bow bench, and he's somewhere in the 350-400# range.

There is no way you are going to get a 325#, 16' boat to plane with a 4 stroke 9.9 unless the boat is completely empty other than you, with a small gas can, and you are under 200#'s, with a massive tail wind - then you *might* have a chance.

I'd also point out that both Alumacraft's 1648's (the Jon and Mod-V) are rated for 35hp! That is 3.5x more than what you have on there now.

Another piece of sage advice I received here was that for a family with kids, 14' is not going to be enough in the long term. They were right. The 14' we had before this lasted about 3 years, and then it was obvious we needed a 16' for comfort. Every time we're out on the water as a family, my wife or I will comment on the 16 being the much, much smarter choice (that's not to say you couldnt with a 14 or even a 12, it just depends on your tolerances and preferences).

I chose the V16 b/c I live in a coastal city, and taking a jon/mod-v onto waters around here would be laughable, or more accurately, downright dangerous. With the V on the ocean, I can cut through 2-3ft rollers w/o problem at speed, and have a very comfortable amount of freeboard. On lakes?... its just glorious.

... oh... one last thing... 

If you're out on the water, and you're a LONG way from dock, and you have a child with an emergency, you will NEED to have max hull power available...

... something to think about...


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## Pappy (Sep 29, 2018)

A 16' flat bottomed boat presents a lot of usable planing surface and will not take much to plane off. Good choice for a low horsepower boat. 
Planing ability and overall speed vs planing surface are two entirely different issues and many get them confused. 
In order to plane a boat you will temporarily displace more water than when up on plane, the extra planing surface a 16' hull provides vs a 14' hull will help out. Assuming the overall weight is the same the 16 hull will displace the same amount of water but over a wider area, Pretty easy to understand.
Now, when up on plane drag on the surface area increases more rapidly on the 16' hull over the 14' hull so you may not get the top speed the smaller hull would provide. 
The 16' hull allows better options with weight distribution as well, will take more horsepower, provides more room to fish, etc. You did well with your choice of boats. 
In a previous post someone was comparing a V-hull in that length. Two entirely different boats as the water is displaced differently than that of a flat-bottom hull.


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## turbotodd (Oct 3, 2018)

Every hull is different.


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