transoms

Hello all, a fishing partner has a question about transoms. He is in the market for his first boat and wants a tiller. His question is are the transoms the same on a tiller as they are on a console on the same model boat? Take for example a lund pro v 1800, a tiller is rated for a 90hp and the console is rated for a 175hp. If the transoms are the same why are the tillers not rated for a higher horsepower? Not saying he would want to run a 175 tiller but what about say a 115 or 130.

Thanks for your help, Don

I don’t profess to be an expert, but I believe the reason for the lower rating on tillers has to do with handling the boat. Warrior has a hydraulic steering system on their big tillers, which enables them to put 175, and even bigger, tiller motors on their boats. I have been told, by a fairly reliable source, that the coast guard determines how big a motor can be put on boats. The Pro Tiller Steering System on the Warriors are really awesome. I have a 2090 with a 175 Merc tiller. It runs 54 on my GPS, but speed doesn’t catch fish, boat control does! Can’t beat a tiller for boat control in rough conditions. Keep it vertical.

I was told that it had to do with bow rise. Because visibility is more limited with a tiller, the coast guard down-rated them to keep you from putting a motor on it that would throw the nose 10 feet into the air and block your entire field of view until you planed off.

It might also be the distribution of the weight. With a tiller, the driver, motor, electronics, and usually the livewell that’s used most are all in the back end, and a larger motor would draw it under? Anyone?

I’ve always been told its because you can control a boat with high horsepower better from a more up front location with a steering wheel than you can sitting in the back of the boat hanging on to a tiller handle. Don’t get me wrong, not trying to start a tiller vs console debate here. If my neck would allow me to control a big tiller I’d still have a tiller boat. Now you know why my gray Lund Rebel has a console in the back of the boat. It was converted from a tiller to a console. Smoother ride in the back of the boat too. Still love the back of the boat! Bill

Thanks guys,

Don

The follow info was posted by Troy LaTour of Warrior Boats last June at WalleyeCentral.

The formula for HP that all boat builders use is from the America Boat and Yacht Council’s book “Standards and Recommended Practices for Small Craft”.

Horsepower Calculations

Remote steering and at least a 20″ transom.

LOA x Beam in decimal feet=__________factor

Factor_______ x 2 =_________-90 =________HP factor.

Tiller steering boats with at least a 20″ transom

LOA x Beam in decimal feet = _________factor.

Factor_________x .8 =__________-25 =_______HP factor.

Example: Console boat with a LOA of 19’3″ and a beam of 97″. 19.25 x 8.08 = 155.54 x 2 = 311.08 – 90 =221.08.

If the HP factor is not a multiple of 5, it may be raised to the next multiple of 5. So, the above example boat can be rated for a 225 horsepower motor.

One other observation he made in the article is that all 2002 Warrior boats from 17′ through 20′ will be standard with 25″ transoms because outboards have gotten so much havier than they were just a few short years ago and now the industry is going to be seeing smaller Opti’s and Four Strokes. The number one problem with most of the engines that are having powerhead failures is directly related to transom height because these engines are suffering water injestion.

His entire post can be read in the archives at WC message board, Boats and Motors, dated June 29, 2001, “RE: HP Ratings on Tiller Boats, post #7.

Thanks Leo,

I found troys post. As always great information guys. See you on the water.

Don