200 HP on 188 OB too much?

JohnL

Just purchasing a 2014 188 OB and looking at a 200 HP Honda.  The boat will have a variety of uses - everything from pulling tubes, skiing, cruising (6-7 passengers at most), etc.  Top end speed is not as big an issue as hole shot and relatively quick plane (with a few people in the boat and a skier or a couple being pulled on a tube)

Want to know if 200 HP is overkill for this boat, or will the extra power help from a torque perspective.  I was considering a 150 - but thought I'd might be better off getting the bigger motor now, rather than regret it later.

John

nquirk

@JohnL,  jdunavant is right in that with this boat, if you have 150HP or bigger, you have no concerns with being able to do what you do.

However, I previous had a 17ft Hurricane with a 115HP.  It also met all my needs except in some cases with watersports.  Tubing you don't notice the importance of hole shot as you do with a slalom skier.  Mine would get a skier up, but not with a loaded boat.

When I purchased my SS188, I ended up with a 200HP.  Is it a lot of motor, for sure.  However, boat engines are different than car engines where the bigger engine = extra gas.   In fact, I would venture to guess cruising with a boat load of people in my boat may in fact be pretty much the same as cruising with a smaller engine.  The reason is I'm sitting at lower RPM to cruise and therefore consuming less fuel.  So this argument almost offsets itself.  At top end, it will absolutely consume much greater fuel amounts than its smaller counterparts (comparison valid on same hull only)

Where it helps?  Loaded boat (6-7 people) and you want to get a slalom skier out of the water quickly.  That is the only time you use the extra HP.  So you'd need to factor that into the equation.

Here is a rule of thumb I use and is fairly well accepted for approximating the right engine size for use.

Your boat would be rated to a Max of 200HP

Light load/fishing/cruising -  60% Max HP rating = 120HP (115HP minimum)

General Purpose/med-heavy passenger/occasional watersports - 75% Max HP rating = 150HP (150HP)

Primary Watersports - 85% of Max HP rating = 170HP (175HP or greater)

So 150HP is your minimum, and if you do intend to slalom ski, invest in a prop that will give you better hole shot (4 or 5 blade).  These will reduce you top end speed a fair bit but will give you the results to enjoy watersports. 

And if you invest in the extra HP, remember, you only have to use it when you need it.  I rarely do but like knowing its back there when needed. 

jdunavant

That's a lot of motor for a 188.  I have a 150 E-tec on my 2011 SS201 and couldn't be happier.  We've had four or five full grown adults in the boat while pulling big double tubes without any problem planing.  With 2 adults, 2 kids, and a half tank of fuel I can run 50 MPH @ 5400 RPM WOT.      

JohnL

Thanks for the comments - very helpful.  The reality is that while my current needs would probably be met by the 150hp (especially with a 4 blade prop) - I don't know what things will look like in a few years as my kids get older.  In any case, I need to resist my egotistic temptation to have the biggest motor.  :-)

nquirk

@johnL, well good luck.  And if it helps, I ordered mine with a 175HP.  Unfortunately (actually what turned out to be fortunate) there was a horrible mix-up with my engine from Mercury but my dealer and Mercury couldn't rectify it quickly as they had no 175HP left in stock, and only a 200HP so I had to suffer from a free upgrade from 175 to 200HP :P )

JohnL

Thanks.  Decided to go with the 150 and put the dollars into a new shore station.  Practicality wins.

tomahull

Thanks for all the information on this forum! I got the new 200 HP i4 yamaha on the SS188 and just Love it!

nquirk

@tomahull..... Sometimes there isn't enough HP, but there is never TOO MUCH.   Great motor and fantastic setup.  If you're like me, you'll never need that 200HP except on occasion but is fun to have.  Enjoy!!!