Assess Maximum Power Capacity Sticker

[Maverick]

[An article in the REFERENCE section on the 15-foot hull] shows the maximum power as 70-HP. The capacity decal on my recently purchased 1976 15-footer shows the maximum power as 75-HP. The capacity decal appears to be original. (See Figure 1, below.)

Fig. 1. Portion of capacity plate on 1976 15-footer indicating maximum power rating of 75-HP.

1976CapacityPlate.jpg (17.35 KiB) Viewed 12755 times

I plan re-powering with a 70-HP engine. I am curious about the difference in capacity between 70 and 75-HP.

Q1: is there a typographical error in the REFERENCE article?

[jimh]

The data in the REFERENCE article notes it is from the 1984 catalogue. An excerpt from the 1984 catalogue is shown below in Figure 2. The rated capacity for the 15-foot hulls is 70-HP for the models that employ remote wheel steering.

Fig. 2. An excerpt from the 1984 catalogue specifications page, clearly showing the maximum horsepower for the 15-foot hulls with remote wheel steering is 70-HP.

catalog1984SpecPage.png (10.78 KiB) Viewed 12756 times

For Boston Whaler to change the capacity rating from year to year is not unusual.

Q1: is there a typographical error in the REFERENCE article?

In regard to the capacity shown in the REFERENCE article which specifies the data came from the 1984 catalogue, the use of 70-HP as the maximum rated power is not a typographic error. The list shows the maximum horsepower rating as specified in the 1984 catalogue, which is precisely what is shown in the REFERENCE article.

[Maverick]

Perhaps the boat came from the factory with the 75HP rating sticker and Whaler changed the 1984 published rating to 70 HP.

Q2: why did Boston Whaler change the maximum power rating?

That [question is just] a curiosity for me and perhaps for other owners of a classic 15-foot hull.

[jimh]

Perhaps the boat came from the factory with the 75HP rating sticker and Whaler changed the 1984 published rating to 70 HP.

That is exactly my inference.

[jimh]

Q2: why did Boston Whaler change the maximum power rating?

I doubt there is any way to know the motivation for changing the maximum power rating of the 15-foot hull to be 70-HP as shown in the 1984 catalogue from what appears to be a 75-HP rating on a capacity sticker for a boat said to be a 1976 model 15-foot hull.

The inclusion of a rating for maximum horsepower capacity first became mandatory following the federal legislation known as the Federal Safe Boating Act of 1971 and also referred to as the FSBA 1971. However, prior to the mandatory federal legislation in 1971, Boston Whaler was already indicating a maximum horsepower rating for their boats.

The FBSA 1971 imposed a particular method for determination for an upper limit on a horsepower rating for a particular hull that was based on a formula. This has been widely known and discussed. For example, see the FAQ at Q6:

Q6: Can the maximum horsepower rating be exceeded?
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q6

The actual maximum horsepower rating for any particular boat is the value shown on the required capacity plate. If the manufacturer changed the maximum horsepower rating for that model in a subsequent year of production, there is no effect on the boats built prior to the change. This includes if the rated power increased or decreased. The capacity plate is the final authority on the rated maximum power.

The existence of a rated maximum power on the mandatory federal capacity plate does not mean that a boat MUST not be powered above that level--unless the boat is being operated in some state whose boating regulations explicitly enforce the federal capacity plate rating for maximum power in that state on or a particular body of water. For a thorough discussion of use of power greater than the stated maximum power on the capacity plate, see the REFERENCE section article at

Maximum Rated Power
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/refer ... tedHP.html

Some Boston Whaler owners have speculated that a change in maximum rated horsepower might have occurred in order to accommodate the introduction of a new model of outboard engine, particularly a new model of Mercury outboard engine, that became available, and that engine had slightly more horsepower than a prior maximum rating. I can't think of a specific example of that, but I believe it may have occurred a time or two, particularly with the onset of Boston Whaler delivering all their boats with Mercury engines pre-installed.

All these sidebar discussion are really off the main topic, which asked if there was an error in the REFERENCE section listing of capacities for dozens and dozens of Boston Whaler boats. I believe that in the case of the 15-foot hull that question has been settled: there was no error.

[Phil T]

This was original. It was a single year for that horsepower rating.

Note the rating only applies to the manufacturer and you can install any engine you desire.

Enjoy.

[jimh]

Regarding how the data in the REFERENCE articles that show information about the rated maximum horsepower was obtained, those data were always taken from published material by Boston Whaler.

The concept that data about maximum horsepower rating would be collected by personally inspection the capacity plates of dozens and dozens of Boston Whaler hulls of various length and various model is really not a workable method. That somewhere on some model in some year there might be a capacity plate on a boat whose maximum power rating differs from a rating that was listed in a particular year in a Boston Whaler catalogue is really quite possible.


Where year-to-year variations in any dimension or specification or capacity for a particular model are known, they are generally indicated in listing as much as possible.

[Maverick]

It was a single year for that horsepower rating

I thought this anomaly was an interesting tidbit.
[Thread now closed. I believe the occurrence of this particular boat having a maximum power rating that differs from listed ratings in catalogs has now been exhausted.--Moderator]