Can my boat handle a 23 HP copperhead or will I need to reinforce transom?

What is the stated hp rating? Pretty sure it’s not 25 hp!
Long tails or surface drive are both heavier than outboard. And hard on transoms.
My vote is a solid no.
 
Max Crawford said:
It’s a 1438 riveted fisher Jon boat wanna put a 23 hp copperhead surface drive on it.
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You can visit this site to get complete and accurate specs when you select the year of manufacture. https://www.boats.za.net/fisher/1436-lw-riveted-jon
As an example I randomly selected "2008" and the max HP rating for that model year is listed as 10HP.

This boat is a very lightweight, light duty boat. Look at the listed hull thickness of ".043 thousandths of an inch" Very easily penetrated plowing thru shallow water.
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Huntindave McCann said:
You can visit this site to get complete and accurate specs when you select the year of manufacture. https://www.boats.za.net/fisher/1436-lw-riveted-jon
As an example I randomly selected "2008" and the max HP rating for that model year is listed as 10HP.

This boat is a very lightweight, light duty boat. Look at the listed hull thickness of ".043 thousandths of an inch" Very easily penetrated plowing thru shallow water.
View attachment 78940
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Thanks how big of a job is it to reinforce the transom?
 
Huntindave McCann said:
Reinforcing the transom will not change the duty rating of the hull.
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Exactly, This hull is not built for, nor stable enough, to handle a 23hp mud motor.
You need to be looking at a 1448 minimum, a 1648 with rear pods even better, for this motor.
Or for the hull you have, you need to be looking at mini longtail 10hp or under, And even then, you're hunting from a low gunnel, narrow boat. Not a rig for open or deep water.
What kind of water are you hunting? weedy shallow protected waters?
Do you have to cross wide open rivers, bays or lakes to get to your spots?
What kind of water depth and fetch are you dealing with?
All that will help us help you.
 
Huntindave McCann said:
Different brand boat with a different set of specifications. Length and width are not the only things that need considered. Even within the same brand and model, different build years can and will vary.
Your example is not apples to apples.
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I missed that, but you are correct. I have found a number of references to the Fisher 1438 and it looks like most of them are ~ 10-15 hp, and may vary with date of manufacture. For all of the reasons discussed above in the thread, even that seems like a lot for a lightweight jon boat to me.
 
I’d recommend the 7 HP Copperhead for that hull. It is an almost 50# lighter and will push it fast enough for duck hunting in any water where a 1438 jonboat has any business.

As stated, the weight of a mud motor is always significantly higher than an equivalent water-cooled outboard. Everyone thinks a heavy motor is a fair trade off for power; it isn’t. I cussed my 200 lb. 20 HP Go-Devil every time I had to manhandle my boat; this is a daily occurrence when navigating twisty, shallow water with a boat without a reverse. Also remember that a while a bigger motor can push more weight, it’s increased weight 1.) takes away from the boat’s capacity and 2.) concentrates that weight where it causes the most headaches (the transom). On a small boat, this really matters.

Pretty much any planing hull is strong enough to handle any motor that won’t sink the transom. Other considerations are much more important.

Nate
 
I bought a riveted hull for my first boat. I put an old 18 hp mudbuddy first gen on it. First time I ever took it out, I could literally watch the transom flex as I rode it around on the lake I was testing it on. Not at all a good feeling. You are right, surface drives are HEAVY.

many moons ago, I found a custom aluminum shop online. I made two cardboard templates, sent them the templates and they made aluminum brackets. They fit like a dream. I drilled holes through the bottom of the boat and the transom and riveted/bolted them in. Sealed it all up and it made that transom much better for the weight of the mud motor. To this day, that boat still runs that old 18 hp mud motor in texas somewhere.

I think I ran 6 rivets along the bottom and 6 bolts up the back of the transom to fit each bracket to the boat. They were all one piece welded and angled. The bottom came out about 8-10 inches from the transom and the bracket went almost half way up the transom on the inside. They were beefy big brackets that I had made. Best thing I ever did to reinforce that transom and it worked. I hunted 5ish seasons without a hiccup and it never wobbled on me again.
 
Max Crawford said:
It’s a 1438 riveted fisher Jon boat wanna put a 23 hp copperhead surface drive on it.
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Lots of people do it. No federal law prohibits putting an over size motor on your boat. With that said many states make it illegal as I found out after someone told me its okay to do it. DNR told me otherwise. No, I did not get a ticket but did get a warning. Also if I were to be involved in an accident insurance won't cover you. I'd look at your state requirements rather than ask here.
 
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Ed L. said:
Lots of people do it. No federal law prohibits putting an over size motor on your boat. With that said many states make it illegal as I found out after someone told me its okay to do it. DNR told me otherwise. No, I did get a ticket but did get a warning. Also if I were to be involved in an accident insurance won't cover you. I'd look at your state requirements rather than ask here.
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Thats why they make aftermarket cowling stickers..... :ROFLMAO:

I can make 75hp into a 50hp real quick.
 
"With that said many states make it illegal as I found out after someone told me its okay to do it. DNR told me otherwise. No, I did get a ticket but did get a warning.
Also if I were to be involved in an accident insurance won't cover you."

Yep, on both accounts.
 
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