Northwest Fishing Reports

I am looking for an outboard for a 14' starcraft. If it was just for lakes I would go with a 9.9 but I would also like to take it on rivers. How large of a motor do you think would be required to push it upstream on the Snohomish, say when the pinks are running? Where are good places around the greater Seattle area to look for used outboards?

sharpshooter, what is the max HP for your boat? This will give you a better idea on what it can handle and then go from there. Also are you going to run a prop or pump? Are you going new or used and whats your budget?
Auburn Marine has some very nice used outboards as do most shops or your can look on CL just make sure you run it prior to buying one.
I had a 18hp 2 stroke on my 14' mirrocraft and it did the job great, later I went to a 15 hp 4 stroke honda and never looked back, not as fast on the top end but did what I needed it to do YMMV.

Sharpshooter, depending on the age/condition of your boat, there likely would be a sticker inside it, that gives the maximum HP rating for the boat.
I have a 14' deep V hull aluminum. Rated for 25 hp. Gets around in the Sound or any lake very well. I cannot recall any 14' boats that I've seen rated at over 25 hp, but that is only in my experience.

9.9 -15 four stroke would be your best bet you should be able to troll just fine all day unlike a 2 stroke where you can foul out a plug plus you should be under the weight limit for the transom no real need to have a huge motor hanging off the back

Will a 15 hp likely be capable of moving this size boat upstream? Up to about 900 lbs total? I have a trolling motor, so I'm not looking to troll under engine power.

As far as how slow you can get your troll speed down to, is up to a few different things. Although the 9.9- 15 hp would run a great troll speed of course. Don't be afraid of a well tuned newer 4-stroke of 25 hp.
I can troll down to 1.2 mph, depending on chop/water/wind, etc. A smooth glass surface lowest is about 1.8 mph.
(I Realize you said you have a trolling motor already)

I run a 40 HP 4 stroke on a 16' aluminum. 35-37 mph top end solo and will troll all day at 1.2 mph.

To me unrequitted horse power is kinda like "Anatomical envy". Or to put it in realistic terms...
Whenever you get a new boat, you soon wish you had 2' more in boat length.

That being said, as long as you have something that you can troll slowly with, might be nice to pick up and SCOOT down the lake quickly.

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Personally I would go with the 25hp Mercury and get yourself a nice Minn Kota Trolling Motor.
If you are wanting a motor that will get you the best of both worlds, I would stick with a 9.9hp Merc.
On the river you will want the best motor for your boat to get you to where you want to fish. A 25hp will do that. To troll or make the small adjustments that you need to keep you on the fish, you will want a quality trolling motor.
Place to look - - - craigslist
and put something out around here or Facebook that you are looking and I think you'll be suprised.


fishnislife

my 14ft crestliner is rated for 35hp. my old 14ft lund, mirrocraft and smoker craft i think were rated for 25hp. the oldies were run with a 20hp suzuki 2 stroke and they did great, never tried in rivers though. they were also faster then my crestliner with its 25hp 4 stroke yamaha but that boat weighs over 400lbs by itself, the others were about 180lbs. not sure about what a starcraft would weigh. a 9.9 would be a good option for lakes and parts of the sound, pt. defiance boathouse uses 9.9s on they're 14ft rentals. may work in the snohomish, don't remember it being a very fast moving river. otherwise not much to contribute other then i'm tired and have a 2010 20hp yamaha 4 stroke for sale with electric start, power tilt and such but you need to buy the 14ft classic 146 and trailer with it.

Hunter757 wrote:sharpshooter, what is the max HP for your boat?

Until ^^^this^^^ question is answered, the rest is irrelevant. No one, so far, has commented on the exact same boat sharpshooter223 has and no one knows what his hp limitations are. We can't help him until he shares that info with us.

Max out the HP. I have been in a 14fter with 15hp and it was a sluggish dog. Dont get a sluggish dog!

Norm wrote:Max out the HP. I have been in a 14fter with 15hp and it was a sluggish dog. Dont get a sluggish dog!

I have a 14' Starcraft with a 15hp Mercury 4-stroke and works for me...

I have a 14' Starcraft with a 15hp Mercury 4-stroke and works for me...

I have a 55 lb minn kota. Not worried about troll speed. I would jump on one of several 15 hp I've seen if I know it could make any kind of headway on local rivers or the Columbia. I was refinishing the wood in the boat and misplaced the specs but I believe max hp was around 20 hp. Does anyone have experience with a 14' semi v and a 15 hp in rivers?