I'm thinking of buying a 19 ft Lake Boat. I already own a 5HP 4 stroke Honda Engine and I'm wondering is this big enough for this boat. I hope to fish Lough Corrib and Lough Mask which are big lakes??

Regards,

Ray

The engine depends on a few things,

1. What you can afford
2. How far you wish to travel
3. The weight.. If you can leave it on the boat or have to carry it to the boat

On the big lakes such as Corrib and Mask it is a distinct advantage having a big engine such as a 10 or 15 hp.If the weather blows up a bit you can head for shelter as fast as you can.

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Sean


>>>>>>>MEMBER OF THE S.S.F.D.<<<<<<<<<

quick and defining answer, NO,,

big lakes need to be treated with respect, a storm can blow up so easily and quickly on one part of the lake while others parts are calm , its happened to me many times,

9.9 hp upwards i would recommend, as sean stated other factors come into play ,
i would not go out onto a big lake like corrib , mask , conn without my 15 hp engine,.
its got me out fishing quickly and got me off the lake safely every time,

you want a bigger engine,it will give you a bit of comfort

great reply, i would totally agree !!

HI Ray of Hope,as the other guys say,with a bigger engine you will have better comfort and speed,also you may feel like fishing other parts of the lough that would take to long to travel with a 5hp.On the other hand, a 5hp will take you across any big wave in a storm.It just comes down to your own experience and ability to handle a boat and engine.So your your 5hp will do the very same as a 15p,just slower off coarse.But whats 20 or 30 minutes over a day?If you do feel like changing,they 9.9hp are around 10kg lighter from a 15hp,also cheaper to buy and run,and again its only the matter of minutes in differance from getting from A to B.There is a little advantage with the speed to be sure,If its used in the proper way.But im sure you seen it yourself,guys ripping across a lake or through a windlane where fish is feeding in.And then the wonder why the fish are not upWell i hope this might help,C&R.

Along with all the points already raised one thing has to be considered. Your experience and knowledge of these lakes. There are numerous rocks and shallows in them and hitting a rock or reef while driving on at high speed with a big engine can be very dangerous if not fatal where as hitting a rock while driving a 5hp would do alot less damage.
These are lakes that cannot be taken for granted and as Hobble said have to be treated with respect at all times.

__________________
Sean


>>>>>>>MEMBER OF THE S.S.F.D.<<<<<<<<<

Ray, depending on the type of boat you're using a larger engine will have a significant improvement on its performance. As for Corrib and Mask you should be fine if you intend fishing close to your launch point. If you are going to travel and know where you are going then i would certainly go for a 10hp plus 4 stroke. A faster more powerful engine used properly will make your days more enjoyable by getting into more areas that your 5hp won't get you on any given day due to distance. Regarding weather, again depending on what boat you have and if your partners ar$e and back can take it, you wont travel much faster with a big engine than you would with a 5hp. Also, if your careful you won't disturb any fish in the windlanes when your goin back up your drift if you take your time. Bigger engines are for speed when travelling and to get you out of a tight spot during bad weather. I wouldn't be without mine.

Dibbler

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Confusious Say: "Upon seeing the shadow of a pigeon, one must resist the urge to look up"!

Thanks everyone for your replies. Food for thought. I think, on balance, I should really upgrade to a 10HP. A 15HP is probably not required but for safety reasons I think my 5HP is a bit too small.

Regards,

Ray

Just scaled up myself for this season on Corrib... c'mon February!