Say if a person decided to add some pep to his tournament outboard, would it be legal? Is the horsepower rating what's stamped on the mfg plate or is it what the engine actually produces? If so wouldn't we need to dyno and register all of our tournament rigs? Late night thoughts but I'm a gear head.

P.s. Some outboards are stronger than others. 10% rule...

I could've sworn I seen in the Flw or bass rules they must remain stock!

Federal emissions regulations are VERY tight on modification (from factory stock) of any engine manufactured after a certain date. This is why the scream & fly crowd is to prone to using older powerheads. They can blatantly modify the engine and operate it in sanctioned events without getting slammed by the fed. So, the matter of remaining stock is way beyond any tournament rule.

Nobody checks it. EVER. not saying it's ok to "cheat". Since it isn't really cheating. The rules say "manufacture rated at 250hp or less". To me that leaves the door wide open. But, honestly,....WHY? What's the real difference between 250 or 270 HP? And with a lot of prop choices, any boat can run way too fast to be safe.

Going from 240-270hp is a jump. You will gain holeshot and Throttle response. I just read bfl rules. They did not mention modification to an outboard engine. Boat just has to be rated for the motor sitting on it, 250hp Max.

A friend of mine has an Allison with a 225 BlaxkMax that is tuned up to a 318HP, you would never now it with out Dyno all you know is it says 225 on the back.

In this age of running 90 plus this is interesting conversation. Why????. If I were not certain then would leave alone. Being uncertain and lie detector might not go well together should you win.

My thoughts are this.. For one, the only way to gain that kind of power is a reprogram of the computer.. But lets just use this example.. You own a HPDI which is bad about burning exhaust tuners.. You buy a aftermarket to replace OEM because its a few hundred dollars cheaper.. You install, and the motor makes 5 more HP... Im pretty sure noone can require you to replace parts with OEM to remain stock.. Or lets say you own a pro XS, and the computer takes a dump, you get it reprogrammed with a new intake.. Alot cheaper than buying new OEM... And bam, youve made 30 HP.. Even going back to older 2 strokes with reeds.. OEM Vs Boysen makes a big difference, but the Boysen is half the price... Sounds like a gray area to me........ Unless they had a Dyno at the weigh in I wouldnt give it a second thought....

i think a few years ago the 250 mercury pro xs from the factory was putting out more than 250 horsepower.

Like Steez said, there's just not much difference in 20 hp on most of our hulls. You'd be better off buying a faster hull, which has WAY more effect that a little more pep under the cowling. I run a 300 on my Skeeter and I'd imagine a 250 will run almost right next to me. Yes, I can get on my trailer better and fully loaded I hop on plane a wee bit faster with full live wells and a big 'ol boy next to me but that's about it. It would make way more sense to get an Allison / Sterling / Bullet if getting there faster was your goal.

If you go to the boat races you see one engine on the majority of the boats. And I don't mean 51% majority.... I mean 90% majority. The 'ol bullet proof 2.5 L Merc.

Read and understand the rules.
There are about as many different horsepower rules as there are different trails.
Some are very clear about modifying the engine to gain HP. Others say nothing about it.
Some have a 250 Hp limit.. Others don't post a HP limit.
There are some trails I can fish with a 300 -- Others I can't
Some are very strict about the coast guard rating plate. some are not..
If your in question ask the director.. or take your chance that you can pass a lie detector when they ask if you followed all the rules ???

Only if you live in Cali. We can run any old sputtering, oil burning smoke machine of a boat in our great state. I've owned a few back in the day.

Generally speaking, if you modify the engine to be higher than that allowed in the tournament or the rating on your mfg plate, it would be illegal. The 10% rule is accounted for engines that are allowed. No, they would not need a dyno as they would ask questions on the polygraph that would be acceptable. If they for some reason did have a question of your engine, they could force it to be put on a dyno at a later time and location.

Now, my old boat doesn't have the plate anymore. On tournaments that I have entered, I contacted the director and they had a formula in place to measure the boat and come up with an acceptable hp rating.

As far as other responses that they never ask..depends on the tournament and what's at stake. I think that it is cheating because they have established rules for the tournament for a reason. If they have it int he rules, it is a rule the same as any other. They did not allow you to sign up then pick and choose which rules you wanted to follow. How would it feel to win and during the polygraph be asked a question where it put doubt in your mind and you failed and lost everything that you had worked hard for?

It's all fun and games till that one time you get checked and you get your rep destroyed and get known as being a cheater...

But as long as its a 250hp outboard and the tournament rules do not have a modification clause. What is it? Such a gray area.