Originally Posted by TDobb
Im yet to have an insurance company ask what my boat was rated for HP wise. The coast guard plate is a recommendation, not enforceable by law.
Im yet to have an insurance company ask what my boat was rated for HP wise. The coast guard plate is a recommendation, not enforceable by law.
How are you liking your Suzuki. and for that kind of money it might be worth it to go new
Took a while to get sorted out but now it's pretty good. I did not see $1000 difference between the DF and the SS model, the only difference I saw was in the lower unit ratio. You don't get something for nothing, it enables you to use more "standard" propellors. I am using a 16 inch dia 3 blade 23.5 pitch with a whale tail. It jumps out of the hole and runs low 60's. OK with me.
Better stay in Kansas because it is law in Oklahoma.
I would sure like to see a link to a site verifying it is Law, No one seems
able to provide this but still make these claims, Everything I have found is regarding what the manufacture has to do and post on the boat. I can find nothing stating it is illegal to do so. However you can bet attys. will make big out of it if you do and are involve in even a no fault accident
No doubt your hull warranty will be void
Thank You Leon Pugh
If your involved in a fatal accident, they will strip every single item they can look at. You running a 250 on a 200 boat is against the rules/law in every state Ive ever fished in. F&W will jam you good, so will some poor dead guys lawyers. Flashed motors? dont for a second think that they wont pull the computer and have it read. They do and will. Cars or boats.
In my area, I don't think could give a bass boat away with a Suzuki on it, I have yet to even see one with that motor in central Ca, Mercs, Rudes and Yamahas not even Hondas
Thank You Leon Pugh
I wish somebody would have given me a bass boat with a new Suzuki. I just bought a 200 DF for mine. I'll just suffer in anonymity. Maybe I can put Mercury decals on it and hide the Suzuki decals. They are both big and black.
I am condemning their motors at all, they do make very good bike motors and I really liked their Sumrie 4x4, They have very strong background in in these types motors and may be great units, I just think in many areas there will be very little or no interest in them, If you keep them long term they may be a very good value for many
There was a time when Yamaha and Hondas were in the same position, and look what happened to Rudes & Johnson that were once so popular
Last edited by lpugh; 07-04-2020 at 10:59 AM.
Thank You Leon Pugh
I have owned 2 Suzy’s a 1989 140 carb 4 Cyl and a 1999 150 EFI 6cyl. Both were very good outboards, never had a problem with them. I still see the boat with the 150 on it, still running.
took less than 20 seconds to find the first of many articles. Here was one easy to C& P
One often-overlooked potential issue with overpowering is that your insurance company may not cover your vessel should you need to file a claim. Most companies will use the boat’s maximum rating as its limit for coverage and you could find yourself in a bad situation should they discover that the engine is bigger than recommended by the manufacturer. Some insurance companies may make exceptions (for an additional premium) so you should check first.
You may also want to check your local and state laws as in some areas overpowering may be illegal. Even if it’s not, should an accident occur you may be found as negligent and open yourself to a law suit in the event of damages.
No matter what outboard you end up with, it is important to consider all factors before exceeding the maximum power recommendations of the boat’s manufacturer. More power could translate to more problems so proceed with caution.
I remember an accident when I was a kid. It involved a jacked up 63 or 64 Chevy. Broadsided a car and seriously hurt the driver. Car was not standard height and the claim was it caused more injuries to the other motorist. Big lawsuit and the insurance company for the kid was in litigation if they were going to cover the kid. I never heard how it came out. Today, insurance companies want the vehicles as soon as they can—— they pull the black box and check everything.
Last edited by Bassman Ia.; 07-04-2020 at 11:26 AM.
There is a couple running around but no place to get them worked on.
Be honest with you they don't need much until you get 400 hours on them. Just change the oil and filter, spark plugs occasionally. Lower unit like all the rest.
I would look for a good used 200 from the same manufacturer to make it easier to rig out. Despite what some people think about over-powered boats, your insurance carrier could and probably would deny all claims if you exceed the HP limit on your capacity plate. God forbid you hit another boat and injure or kill someone with an over-powered boat as life as you know it will be over.
Times have changed for sure. My first bass boat was a “79” 15-1/2’ HydraSport. When we bought it it had the max horsepower Merc on it, 85hp. Ran it for a couple of months and traded in the 85 for a 115. Loved the speed, but wasn’t fast enough. Went to a 150hp tower of power. It had to be the absolute most squirrelly boat on the water. Never had a problem getting insurance.
The Suzuki seems to be a great motor and the only problem I’ve heard of was with a 250SS. Suzuki didn’t want to step up to fix the motor. After a BBC campaign and I’m sure some help from Bass Cat they replaced the motor. I think Kev has been happy with it since then.
There’s no use being stupid if you’re not willing to show it off.
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