2014 Z7 max HP rating???

[Wayloncat]

I’m in the process of purchasing said 2014 Nitro Z7. The boat that I’m getting comes with a Mercury OptiMaxx Pro XS 150. The owner says it runs about 59 to 61 miles an hour. What confuses me is that some of these exact same year model boats are rated for a 175 hp motor, those boats are claimed to run in the high 60s and 70ish with a light load. Yet this hull definitely has a max 150hp on the Coast Guard plate. So are some of these boats are rated for 150 and others are rated for 175? Does anyone have any details on this oddity? Thanks!

[Boat4Life]

Mine is a 2013 and rated for 150 hp also. They were rated for 175 hp in earlier years and then got a 150 hp rating for a while. Now they are rated for 175 hp again. Mine is a 58-60 mph boat. I did add a hydraulic jack plate and reduced weight with Lithium batteries.

[06 SB]

The Z7 rating was 200 at one time then dropped to 150 then up to 175. It would be fun with a 200! I doubt you will have any luck legally changing the rating. Make sure you check for a hooked hull, other than that, the Z7 is a solid boat.

[2014 nitro z7]

My 14 Z7 is rated for 175.

[dchance]

06 SB is correct. They were originally rated for 200hp unitl mid 2011. Then they switched the rating to 150 max for a few years. The rating was then bumped up to 175 probably around 2014-2015 if I recall. I had a 2010 with a 200 and it was a blast. I sold it this past year and kind of regret doing so. It was a low 70s boat with a 2 stroke.

[Wayloncat]

Yes, that is a concern. I have heard about the hull with a hook, and a lot of these models seem to have had it. How do I go about checking for that? I’m assuming that if this boat is running around 60 with a 150 it should be fine.

[Bdog]

Put a straight edge on the back of the hull not on the pad. If it's running around 60 the hull should be ok. My boat would only 48 with the hook. Now it runs 62. I have a 13 with a 150.

[Wayloncat]

If you don’t mind me asking, do you know what the cause of the hook in the hull was? Did it come off the factory floor like that or something that occurred later? I’ve heard that not fully supporting the transom while it’s on the trailer can cause it. The boat I’m purchasing does not have a hook now, I’m just wondering if it’s gonna be something I have to worry about the future.

[Boat4Life]

I believe it is defect from factory. It should be good to go now! Is this a local seller? If so, I can help you look it over if needed.

[Bdog]

If you don’t mind me asking, do you know what the cause of the hook in the hull was? Did it come off the factory floor like that or something that occurred later? I’ve heard that not fully supporting the transom while it’s on the trailer can cause it. The boat I’m purchasing does not have a hook now, I’m just wondering if it’s gonna be something I have to worry about the future.

Mine did not have a hook in it when it was new. It developed over time. For the first couple of years it ran great. Then it slowly started losing performance. At first I thought it was because I put bigger batteries and thought it was a weight problem. Then I thought the motor was getting weak but it checked ok. Then I came across a post on here about a hooked hull. I check it and sure enough it was hooked. I ran it a whole summer like that. When i made the claim with the dealer the boat was running only 48 MPH. Nitro replaced the hull and now it runs like it did when it was new 62 MPH.

[Wayloncat]

As always, I found great advice on these forums. Thanks for y’all’s guidance. I put a flat edge on the rear portion of the boat, everything was flat. No hook! After a compression test on the 150 OptiMaxx pro XS, got 129-131psi across all holes I bought the rig without test driving it. I’m happy to say it performed well today, decent hole shot. I got 63 miles an hour on GPS. Just me, half of a tank and no gear whatsoever. Running 24p Tempest. I think I got a pretty good deal, as the boat came with quite a few upgrades. Ultrex, Percision three bank charger, 2-HDS Live units, duel 8 foot power poles. 20k. The trailer has some issues with the fenders and steps, but that’s just a matter of breaking out the welding machine. Overall I’m pleased with the Nitro.

[Bdog]

[mean_dean]

My 2015 is rated for a 175, only have a 150 and getting 61 out of it without a JP on it.