Good grief they’d go moonbat crazy over my scooter.
I’ll stay here thanks.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
Hang what you want on the back and change the decal. Oklahoma has a no overrated law a lot of guys just bought new stickers. Game warden won't know what is under the cowling. Just make sure your good with your insurance company first some will not cover overrated boats.
I would be affraid that the transom would fail eventually from the weight or the tork of that much more hp hanging off the back. A 150 or 200 hp would really stress the transom & the back of the boat would sit lower in the water also causing a swamp condition if you slowed down to fast i would think anyway. But what do I know about a boat except how to turn a key.
We have a stamped steel plate not a decal attached to the boat, not so easy to duplicate. I wonder why they changed to HP rating to 90 max if it was @ 150 when the boat was first offered to the public?
They used the same transom board on all boats back then, your 15' is the same as the 20' of the same vintage.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
Thanx Pat, I will assume that this is a good good thing for me!
Anybody have recommendations on Marine batteries?? What brand last's longer (life), holds charge longer, warranty??
Sonneshien or Thermo.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
Thanx Pat, will check them out
Both of those batteries are far superior to the normal "marine" battery you see.
What ends the life of a battery is the beating they take, plates get loose and that's when they go dead "overnight" We've all seen that happen.
Neither battery is acid filled.
Thermo is oil filled
Sonneshein is a gel battery.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
Mr. Goff,
I read the The World Of Champion According To Pat Goff twice! Not only is it great reading material but so informative & rich with information about Champion Boats that I personally consider it priceless material that would never ever been known if not for you, You really outa consider writing a book "The Rise & Fall Of The Champion Boat Company" I personally would buy it just for the fact that you believe in what you state about the boat, management, & performance. I have to ask (now that I just bought one) why you decided not to mention anything about the Mean 15 Is it because it is a bad design with flaws, or it's just not a tournament grade platform to fish from. If there is any information or stories on this boat I for one would love to hear them.
Thank you again for sharing your experiences with Champion with all of us
Robert - Southern California
86' Tower of Power 90 Mercury
86' Mean 15
Just not a hull I had run much myself. Nothing personal about it, it's an amazing little boat.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
To the OP, the 1985 Champion sales Brochure lists the 15’6” with recommended horsepower as 80 to 140. I knew a guy in north Texas around 1986-87 with one with a Mercury 225, (clam shell Cowl). He said 84 mph via radar gun. Didn’t have GPS then. You can make your own guess what was really under the Cowling. For several years back then, he had no problems from the transom.
Well Pops that doesn't suprise me a bit since your about the 3rd or 4th person to have seen one toting a 200+ motor on it's back. Can't get away with that her in California. I'm stuck with the 90 it's coast gaurd approved for. I would love to replace the 90 hp mercury 2 stroke with a 150 hp mercury 4 stroke, but it aint going to happen while I live her in California.
I'm 60yrs old now & just wanted to get a boat & hit some of these lakes in Southern & Northern California while I still can before moving back to Canada. It's easy to tow in traffic & to store when not in use. For $2,400.00 it seemed like just what I needed. (wonder if the Porsche could tow it, lol). Just got it back from the local mercury mechanic & was told to take it out & run it hard, it passed all his inspections. Think I will take her out to Lake Castiac next week for my first time in the water with it, hopefully it will bring luck with her.
Robert - Southern California
86' Tower of Power 90 Mercury
86' Mean 15
Rode in one with a 150 hp long time ago, Had to change my drawers when I got back home. Scary fast...
Put a 2.0 135 on a mean 15 rated for 140. You will have a sneaky little boat there.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
I don't understand why my mean 15 is only rated for a 90 hp when it seems that it was also rated for much larger hp engines in other states & years??? Or is the boat just another victim of California choke & hold regulations.
Robert - Southern California
86' Tower of Power 90 Mercury
86' Mean 15
I don't either. Call C&O and get a 140 rating plate, there that was easy.
Pat Goff
Two degrees from center
of nowhere.
Smithwick TX.
Ruudawg,I remember reading a post on here in the past where that question was asked in reference to a Champ 16’8”-why the OP’s boat was rated for a 140 when earlier models were rated for 150hp. The answer given in that instance was that the change in hp rating for the 168 came about when the outboard mfg’s changed their method of setting hp output numbers for their motors. Earlier horsepower output was taken from numbers obtained at the flywheel which was later changed to output at the prop shaft.
Maybe there is hope! Pat sorry to have to ask this but who is C&O??? See when i'm in the loop even esasy gets harder. lmao
Robert - Southern California
86' Tower of Power 90 Mercury
86' Mean 15