# Motor upgrade for 1448



## MrGiggles (Aug 23, 2017)

I've got an Alumacraft F7 with a 9.8 Merc. The motor has been giving me problems, and I'd like to sell it while it still works and upgrade. The boat is rated for 25hp.

Right now it'll do 17 mph with me and my gear. 15 or so with another person. 

Would a 15 even be worth upgrading to? What kind of speeds would I be looking at with a 15 vs a 20?


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## stinkfoot (Aug 23, 2017)

Somebody on one of my fishing forums just sold one with a 25hp Merc factory jet on it.


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## Weldorthemagnificent (Aug 23, 2017)

It'll fly with a 25 on it. Even if you don't care about the speed, there are a couple advantages. One is being able to pop up on plane and throttle back so the motor isn't at full throttle all the time. Also the ability to carry more weight and still plane. If you're Lake is only one mile long, go with a 15 and eat steak for a while. If your lake is larger, a 25 will be justified. 
Speed wise, a 15 probably get 22mph and a 20-25hp probably in the 27-30+ range. 


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## MrGiggles (Aug 23, 2017)

I fish Stockton Lake in Missouri a lot. The wind whips right across and it can get nasty in a hurry. If the weather turns, I'd like to be up and gone in my little boat. Sounds like a 20 or 25 is my best bet.


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## wmk0002 (Aug 23, 2017)

Is the current 9.8 a 2 or 4 stroke? I know a lot of the older 9.9 hp's shared the same powerhead as the 15 hp did. So the gains going from the same manufacturers 9.9 to 15 was easier to estimate. I think a lot of the modern day 4 strokes share powerheads between the 8 hp and 9.8 hp while the 15hp shares the same one as the 20 hp. In that case you get more displacement plus can have changes in gear ratios and WOT ranges making it hard to know exactly what more you may expect. Either way, if it were me and I had the money, I would put a 25hp on there and prop it accordingly and expect to be able to hop on plane in a snap and cruise on plane at fairly low rpms and still in the low 20's. And still have the capability to get into the upper 20's to run from a storm or travel a long distance.


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## nccatfisher (Aug 23, 2017)

I would like to see these speeds with a 25 on a fully loaded 1448. I have a 1448 Grizzly with a 40 (which is what it is rated for) and with me (200#) a 6 gal fuel tank and two batteries and tackle along with a 12 gal bait tank. The fuel tank and batteries both under the front deck it will do 32-33 in flat calm water. 

It came with a 25 and 22-23 was the best it ever did and that was under absolutely ideal conditions and the bait tank better be empty then.


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## MrGiggles (Aug 23, 2017)

wmk0002 said:


> Is the current 9.8 a 2 or 4 stroke? I know a lot of the older 9.9 hp's shared the same powerhead as the 15 hp did. So the gains going from the same manufacturers 9.9 to 15 was easier to estimate. I think a lot of the modern day 4 strokes share powerheads between the 8 hp and 9.8 hp while the 15hp shares the same one as the 20 hp. In that case you get more displacement plus can have changes in gear ratios and WOT ranges making it hard to know exactly what more you may expect. Either way, if it were me and I had the money, I would put a 25hp on there and prop it accordingly and expect to be able to hop on plane in a snap and cruise on plane at fairly low rpms and still in the low 20's. And still have the capability to get into the upper 20's to run from a storm or travel a long distance.



2 stroke. I've looked into that and you can't stick a bigger carb on it and get 15hp from it.


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## Weldorthemagnificent (Aug 23, 2017)

Just search for threads titled "Dang I wish I'd put a smaller motor on my boat"

Yeah, I didn't find any either. 


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## LDUBS (Aug 23, 2017)

Weldorthemagnificent said:


> Just search for threads titled "Dang I wish I'd put a smaller motor on my boat"
> 
> Yeah, I didn't find any either.
> 
> ...




HAHAHA :LOL2:


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## turbotodd (Aug 25, 2017)

Speed and performance are not a characteristic of "MOST" aluminum hulls. There are a select few hulls out there that do better than others, but they are also not inexpensive. It takes a good bit of power to move a big grizzly through the water; same for Alumaweld, Alumacraft, Waco, and a bunch of others. Having been around most of the major brands and a select few minor brands, I can tell you that you can take a 25hp motor, clamp it onto a Havoc and it'll go 30-31 mph with the correct prop; but take the exact same motor and put it on the exact same size Waco commercial-rated boat and it might muster 26 mph-if you're lucky. So saying that a 1448 will go X mph means nothing, at least not to me. It's all dependent on the hull.

On the O.P.'s boat, I would suggest one of the newer 25hp motors. From 9.8 to 15 isn't a huge jump. From 9.8 to 20 is an "ok" jump. Most newer 25hp motors are far superior to the 25's from just a couple years ago, and not much if any heavier than the 20hp. BUT, if you look around, the "old" 25hp and as well the 20hp and 15hp can be found dirt cheap, brand new. Local dealer is liquidating them to make room for the 2018 stuff, and with excellent prices.


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## kofkorn (Aug 25, 2017)

Weldorthemagnificent said:


> Just search for threads titled "Dang I wish I'd put a smaller motor on my boat"
> 
> Yeah, I didn't find any either.



=D>


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## MrGiggles (Dec 17, 2017)

I picked up an 83 Johnson 25hp short shaft for 200.00 on CL tonight.

It needs some recoil repair, but I will report speeds once I get it going.


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