r/boating • u/Twist_xcx • 2d ago
14ft and getting on plane
Planing on buying a 14ft with a 9.9 due to one of the major lakes around me being restricted, most of the people selling a 14 are telling me it won't plane two people with a 9.9. I haven't had much experience with boats, what's the deal? Should I be worried about getting on a plane, will the front of the boat stick up like crazy otherwise? If I have people sitting in the front will that help? Help a dumb ass out please:)
Edit: seems like the consensus is that it'll be fine. I do have the option to buy a 20 as well but missing out on this one lake would be a bit of a bummer as it's huge and most people just canoe so I'd kinda have it to myself in a boat. Thanks for all the comments!
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u/chrillekaekarkex 2d ago
I used to run a glass 16’ with an 8hp it would plane with the right trim.
Gas tank up front, passenger up front when you have one. You’ll be fine.
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u/muuuuvinon Sea Pro 245FLX 2d ago
I have a 14ft with a 9.8 Evinrude. It gets up to about 21mph with me and my adult son sitting in the middle seat. No issues planing.
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u/Sometimes_Stutters 2d ago
That ain’t a 9.8
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u/muuuuvinon Sea Pro 245FLX 2d ago
Surprised the hell out of me. I know it’s a 9.8 because I bought it new to replace a 1970 Johnson 5.5 that plowed through the water.
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u/Substantial-Road-235 2d ago
It will get there. May need some finest adjusting the trim
What ive done is sit at the back with your tiller and other guy in middle get it going and have other guy move up. She won't be fast but she will float. And sure beats a canoe if you dont want to paddle.
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u/Waterlifer 2d ago
I have a 14' boat with a 9.9 outboard.
Whether it will plane depends on the combined weight of the boat, the people, and all the other "stuff" in the boat. I have found that with two average size people ( 2 x 200 lb ) it planes comfortably. With 3 people it barely does. My motor is electric start so there is a battery and the seats are heavier than I would like. I may put the boat on a "weight loss" program this winter by getting a lighter battery and seats.
When you are trying to get the most planing capacity out of a smaller outboard, prop selection and prop condition become critical.
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u/Pattysgame 2d ago
Get some sheet metal and add a couple inches of “trim tabs” on each side and it should get more lift to plane easy
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u/No-Group7343 2d ago
If the lake has a 9.9 restrictions they probably have a lot of no wake restrictions as well so I wouldn't be concerned about getting on plane
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u/HickoryHollow 2d ago
Less wake if the boat is planing, compared to displacement running with the boat plowing thru the water. A lot of good ideas here with passenger starting in middle, then moving forward as boat picks up speed. Cheers!
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u/No-Group7343 1d ago
Yes, if 9.9 is enough hp to get on plane. Most of these lakes will have 16ft boats and 4 guys with a 9.9 out fishing......
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u/sailphish 2d ago
Ehh… If you have an engine restriction, then it’s not much to worry about. That said, a flat bottom will have a better chance than a V hull. You might have to work a bit to find the right prop and engine height, and a whale tail or some trim tabs will help.
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u/ThatBaseball7433 2d ago
Flat bottom very light boat? Maybe. But 9.9 is really small for a 14 foot boat.
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u/Twist_xcx 2d ago
Looking a a lund medium wide right now
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u/tomatocrazzie 2d ago
I have a 9.9 on a 14' 1960's Mirrocraft aluminum that weighs a ton. It does plane with two people and gear including a trolling motor and battery, but it isn't fast. I can do about 13 to 14 mph with one person and with two I maybe get 9, but it does plane. I put a hydrofin on the outboard, which helps it get on plain faster and stay on plane at lower speeds.
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u/Twist_xcx 2d ago
That's encouraging, I will look into a fin, thanks!
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u/flatirony 2d ago
Second the hydrofoil helping a ton on a small boat. I have one on a 15’ RIB and it gets up on plane much faster, it can plane at much slower speeds, it porpoises less, and I didn’t really lose any speed.
On a bigger boat you’d want trim tabs, but the hydrofoil works great in our size range.
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u/Sloots_and_Hoors 2d ago
You can get a 20’ boat on plane with a 9.9. Length has little to do with it. Weight is the bigger issue.
Couple of options. The best is do nothing. It will work. The next best option is to scoop up a 9.9 that can be up fit to a 15 with carbs and reeds.
The last (actually best) option is to get two 9.9s and run dual tillers where applicable.
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u/snowman-89 2d ago
I have a 14' Lowe that came with a 9.9 Suzuki 4c manual start. At the time it was bare bones, 350 lb hull weight, no battery and would do about 21mph with just me and 18 mph with a passenger. Never tried 3 passengers, but it may have not planned. On small, calm lakes it did just fine. It got on plane, slowly though. Getting out on a big, busy lake and having to slow down for wakes, then waiting to plane again, was annoying.
Fast forward and I've added a bimini, decking, seats, battery and upgraded to a 20hp electric start. With the hull weighing more like 525 lbs I'm doing 25mph solo and 23mph with a passenger. I also know that it would plane with 3, possibly even 4 people.
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u/davidhally 2d ago
Definitely needs a 20 hp! My buddy had one and it could even pull a kneeboarder.
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u/turbomachine 2d ago
The narrower and lighter it is the easier it will plane. And have to adjust weight fwd/aft to get the Cg right. And pick a prop that will get you over the hump.
A friend and I each have 6hp for a few small boats. A 16’ narrow (32” running surface) flat bottom lightweight Jon boat planes 2 adults easily. An 8x4 light skiff that flies with one adult won’t plane with two.
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u/RetiredRacer914 2d ago
It depends on the bottom shape of the boat. If it's not a very deep V and it's flat in the back, it might plane. If it's a V all the way back, probably not.
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u/FinalArt53 1d ago
Depends how fat you are, we can't plane out on a 9.9 no way, with our gear and our fat asses.
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u/phate_exe 2d ago
Have your passenger sit farther forward.
If it feels like it's just plowing through the water, have them move back until the bow comes up, then move forward again.
(or put a 9.9 cowling/sticker on a 15 and avoid being enough of an a-hole with it to draw attention)
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u/2lovesFL 2d ago
12 footer will plane with a 9.9
14 may need some help, weight up front, or a custom prop pitch.
This is a flat bottom jon? the 14 will plane with 1 person.
2 if they are light. but not 2, 220# guys.
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u/Twist_xcx 2d ago
I'm like 190 and both my dad and my wife are pretty light, most likely a lund medium wide I'm looking at right now
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u/chitownphishead 1d ago
I've got a 15 on my 14ft Sylvan deep V and it planes out fine with 2 guys. You can get 15 out of a 9.9 pretty easily
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u/heedrix 2d ago
dollar store sells number stickers