Home › Forum › Ask A Member › maximum outboard sizes on smaller cedar strip boats? › Re: maximum outboard sizes on smaller cedar strip boats?
I have a 12′ Delhi aluminum boat, I tried to use a 7.5HP Evinrude on it and it would never get on plane. I think the best I ever got was 10 or 11MPH, and that was with a very flimsy tiller handle and sitting in the middle seat. When I felt safe using the stock handle I had to sit on the back seat and was only able to get 8MPH and I think that was with a tailwind.
I wanted to try a 10HP on it, but I ended up skipping to a ’56 15HP Evinrude. With two people I’ll hit 20ish MPH? A cedar boat is going to be a little heavier than my aluminum, so I’d expect about that with a similar motor?
I will say that getting it on plane is a bit scary at times. Bow climbs up enough to cut off pretty much all of the waterway.