HEY ALL, ok my 14' boat has a Max rating of 30hp...i have the chance to get a 35hp on a sweetheart deal.

will using a 35 screw up my boat? if i was going to a 40 i might see where it could hurt. but 30 to 35?

any thoughts?

I know Max HP rating has to do with weight and the structural integrity of the boat, exceeding it could change the bouyancy of your boat and could slowly damage your hull. Also if you were in an accident your insurance may not cover your boat if you were exceding the limits.

That extra five HP is not going to screw up the boat but you may run into several other issues.

If the boat is under warrenty you may run into a problem if you have to have any warrenty work done on it.

Insurance is another thing you need to check into if you're going to insure the boat.  Some will allow up to a max of 5% over power some won't allow any.

Some states (I know Ohio is one) will give you a citation for an over powered.

Amost no tournament will allow an over powered to be intered.

You will get fined by the coast guard if caught operating an over powered boat in under there jurisdiction.

I know your only talking 5 hp, but that still exceeds what the coast guard rating on the boat is.  

With all that said, almost every boat I've ever owned has been overpowered by a bunch but I don't fish T's, coastal waters, my state don't care and I don't buy new boats and pay cash for them so I don't insure them.

Ben thanks. im fishing in Mo and Ks mostly. i didnt think it would hurt the boat and i looked at the MO regs and found nothing about overpowering.

if this deal goes through i may have to do it. that little bit of extra power will help on the Mo River.

Is the MO River governed by the Coast Guard?

Well here is my .02,  I had a wide 12foot jon that was rated for a 15hp.  I had a 30hp on it LOL.  I didn't have insurance on it and not sure I needed insurance on it.  I used it on alot of public rivers and lakes and got checked quite often with zero problems.  I missed hauling arse in that rig through the cypress swamp!  It's the closest I got to Indy Pole racing .  

T Mike