Exceeding Max. HP

School me on having a motor that exceeded maximum hp rating on a boat. I'm getting different information if this is legal in Alabama. If its legal what about insurance problems?

Will make your insurance policy null and void.

No law that makes it illegal in Alabama and there’s no federal regulation against it. Unless it’s grossly overrated, insurance will write a policy on it. Some will charge a slightly higher premium.

This is what I've always been told and my wife's uncle is a state farm agent.

I've changed the stickers a couple of times on motors to match ratings.

Just dont go backurds to fast

Guy in a club with me had a 200 on a boat rated for a 175. He hit a bass tracker. Since he was over rated his insurance didn't pay. It was insured with progressive or geico I can't remember which. Best way to find out go talk to your insurance agent. Problems you can run into. Depends on what hull you have. If you have a wood transom I wouldn't even consider it.

I've had one guy tell me he got a ticket. Said he had a 20 on a boat rated for a 15. He claimed he was fined $100 per hp. Think I'll give Brandon a call and discuss the insurance.

That guy is full of chit.

Better read again! Only way for there to not to exceed rating is for MFG to have it rated as unlimited. Most Allisons, Strokers, some Bullets are that way.

True for those over 20' long.

No horsepower limitation/restriction on boats over 20'.

The manufacturer is required to plate any monohull boat under 20’, but there is NO law that makes overpowering illegal.

Not sure this information is correct. Straight from ALEA's boating rules and regulations page, under "prohibited operations"....



7th bullet point....

Bingo, exactly what I was saying yesterday.

Correct. The state regulation is to follow federal regs. However, there is no federal law that prohibits it, so technically there’s no way to be in violation. Some states have specific laws against it but, in Alabama, it’s completely legal.

From the USCG site;

It is not a violation of Coast Guard regulations to install or use an engine larger than specified on the capacity label, but there may be state regulations prohibiting it.
There are no Coast Guard regulations against exceeding the safe loading capacity, however, there may be State regulations or restrictions which prohibit this. There is a Coast Guard regulation that gives Coast Guard Boarding Officers the power to terminate the use of a boat (send it back to shore) if, in the judgment of the Boarding Officer, the boat is overloaded. There is no fine for this, unless the operator refuses the Boarding Officer's order. We certainly hope that you will abide by the rating, as overloading may lead to capsizing or swamping of the boat.
NOTE: The Coast Guard Capacity Information label is required only on monohull boats less than 20' in length. The label is not required on multi-hull boats, pontoon boats (catamarans), or on any sailboats, canoes, kayaks, or inflatable boats, regardless of length.

I just found this.
This is from the Alabama boating course.
Overloading and Unsafe Conditions


Alabama law designates certain dangerous operating practices as illegal. The following are examples of illegal and dangerous operation.

Overloading or Overpowering is loading the vessel with passengers or gear beyond the recommended capacity shown on the capacity plate (taking into consideration weather and existing conditions) or powering a vessel beyond the recommended horsepower shown on the capacity plate. It is illegal to operate, or allow others to operate, a vessel without a permanent capacity plate.



The boats I was interested in were rated for a max 75 hp and both have 90 hp motors. I don't think this is too hp for either boat, but I don't want to be worried about any problems caused by being over max recommended power.
Thanks for all replies.





















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Insurance no pay. They not stupid, they can check serial #s, etc. Don't do it.

I remember reading on a forum a few years back where duck hunters were replacing the engine cowls with a lower HP cowl. (the way I recall it, with some engines there is no difference between, say, a 25hp and a 40 hp, other than the tuning, and the cowls were interchangeable. They got busted and were ticketed. Granted, this is me just repeating what was said, but TIFWIW

My 185 Johnson has a 150 cowl. I thought the motor was a 150 for the first 6 months or so until I looked at the data plate when I needed a part.

There's nothing more dangerous than an under horse powered boat. And..sadly half the manufacturer ratings MAX H.P. is underrated.

They were probably ticketed because they were on wma's with hp restrictions. Same as was on Catoma in Cullman. Folks were running 15's and 18's with 9.9 stickers. I think the only issues with running over hp'd boats is getting a loan for one and insurance liability?

I have a ranger 481vs. Boat is 19'6" total length and rated for a 175. Going by the math they use to figure h.p mine should be good for a 225.

The guy who got the ticket must have been near Demopolis and run into Pat Oliver the Game Warden. He pulled me over there one time because he said he thought my outboard (140 Johnson on a 16' Baja) was too LOUD. Asked if I'd cut the exhaust out???

He had LOTS of personality. None of it was likable though.


If I wanted to run a boat with an engine over the rating (like the 90 hp vs 75 mentioned above), I'd find a mid section from an approved size engine (thats where the serial number plate is, as best I recall) and put the powerhead from the engine I want to use on it. This would only work on units that shared a platform size.

For the record...Pat Oliver was NOT a GW. He was a Marine Police officer.

Insurance company will not insure said boat or could turn you down if you make a claim

Please explain how a 150 would be more dangerous on a 200 rated boat?

I would love to hear an answer to this question, too.

Pretty sure he's talking about that 18 foot bass trackers with a 40 horse on the back

May be underpowered...but I'm failing to see any "danger" there. We're not talking about an airplane here.

Rough water you want the power to keep the nose up. If your under powered andcant keep the nose up you will submerge the boat. Example my bass tracker has 80 on it. That's what it is rated for. I have been on pickwick and not be able to get back up stream due to the current. About sunk it another time because I couldn't get the nose up. Those two there was no chance of rain and they supposed to running one turbine. Not all boats are under rated bad but some are. Now just out riding on smooth water. No danger in it.

Rough water strong current high winds etc. It would be easy to get swamped in a boat like that

Ok hold on a minute. You telling me that a bass tracker with an 80 HP motor was WOT in current and not moving forward or gaining ground? If that’s what you indeed are saying I’m gonna have a hard time believing that. Granted I’ve never been below the Pickwick dam. I have been below the Guntersville dam when they were running over 40,000 with the turbines and my boat running my 24 volt trolling motor would gain ground in those conditions. I did get caught in a swirl or whirlpool or whatever you want to call it and got pulled backwards into it but the outboard pulled us out of that with very little throttle.

Agree. Something's wrong with that outboard if that's the case.

Sounds more like a case of not enough boat to be on that lake, rather than not enough horsepower.

You ever been on the river and them open alll the flood gates. Lol it sucks. Yes y'all are right it wasn't enough for those conditions. Any other time it would be fine. Even with the 80 it topped out at 35mph. Boat was heavy. It was a old v-17.

You need one of these:

https://youtu.be/AR_fsmgI8mU

You need one of these:

https://youtu.be/AR_fsmgI8mU[/quote]
Agree. Lol the ranger handles the river way better than the old tracker.

In such a case the danger may be more of a case of bad judgement than under powered boat.

Back in mid 80s Skeeter made a boat I believe it was an FS80? maybe. Anyhow, at Buck's, we used to sell corner pieces to mount on the rear. Using the math formula it would increase the HP rating from a 125 to a 150, all for $25 worth of chrome bling. Most of the guys would buy them and put 175 Mariners on them. Tough as chit to drive WAO.

I used to fish with a guy that ran a 150hp cowl on a 200hp Merc with a chopper prop fitted to a 17' fiberglass boat of some kind. Geez it would peel your eyelids back.