Yep --- There is a pattern here.

For the record outboard's are like most other horsepower rated engines-----
There is no way to be exactly "150" HP on every engine so they are allowed a plus or minus 10 %

As for "why not" ? -- Same reason not to bring a fish to the scales that when measured correctly is 1/32 of an inch short.




Noi sir the industry measures fiberglass boats from (glass to glass)

Wasn't there a guy that won an FLW tournament DQ'd because there was no plate on his boat even though boats over 20' don't have to have them?

believe it was redman/BFL regional on Wheeler lake......don't recall details but there was lot of controversey...winner was disqualified and cost him a truck,boat and trip to All American...heard later that FLW settled out of court with him...

If I'm not mistaken it was a Bullet boat that the guy was Dq'ed... My Bullet's have never had a Manufactures Sticker... Bullet doesn't put them on boats they make...



I'd check with the USCG before doing that... The Manufactures' Recommended Rating Plate says 250... I'd bet they'd write you a ticket for being over the recommended HP... And then you'd be at the mercy of the local judge... And if they're like any other judge they'd look at you and the officer, and side with the officer... Dan

It seems like boat manufactures that are tied with a motor manufacturer seem to rate max horsepower and whatever the engine manufacturer needs to produce the most of.

Why did Nitro have an 18’8” boat that was rated for 175 for a while, then one or two years it was 200, then back to 175.

Skeeter has done similar. The TZX 190 was always a 175 boat, even though I’ve seen a ZX150 factory rigged with a 250 SHO on the showroom floor in Australia, now the same boat was renamed a ZX150 and it gets a 150 hp motor as its choice.

Could you buy a boat in Australia with a way bigger motor, have it shipped to The US, and be legal? Since it came from the factory with a 250?

boat manufacturers only look at one number how many boats they can sell in the current market. big boats in texas sell better than small boats do because it seems the wind or inclimate weather nearly always happen on tourney days an besides it doesnt cost that much more to build a 20 than a 18 an there is way more demand for the 20 ft an larger boats. pretty sure that australia doesnt have near as many lawyers on standby to take the money from folks who dont use good judgment.

I have been researching this also. I just picked up a rare 22' bass boat with no sticker. I also read that the USCG does not regulate HP on boats over 20'. Of course tournaments can set rules any way they want. The BIA has a formula to calculate max HP according to dimensions of the boat but I am not sure if that rating would hold up...and there is no sticker on the boat with a recommended HP rating...

Its on the USCG website if you'd like to look. For hulls over 20' its just recommended and not a legal limit. Manufacturer can void warranty is about the worst that can happen from a legal standpoint.

I know some have fished major tournaments with modified motors and did not get caught... Anyways this thread proved why you should not even entertain this idea if your fishing HP limited Tournaments with a modified motor.

Unfortunately---there are those who figure it's only against the rules if you get caught.

I had a Cobra 190D 18’8” that was rated for 200. It was rigged with a Johnson 200 Limited Edition which was supposed to be a little over the actual 200. Had the prop built by Rich Boger and that little boat would get up and move.

Me too…or my buddy that bought an Elites BassCat with a 250SHO has unicorn dust on the motor. Haha.

I actually bought and paid in full for a 2023 SHO200…and used that boat and the Nitro Z7 as my reasoning. They sold it to me….I want even half way home from dropping off the boat to get it installed and they said “we can’t put this thing on your boat…we are a certified Yamaha dealer. We will sell you a 175 and you can flash it.” Then they couldn’t find a 175 anywhere on the list of dealers they partnered with, so a 150 and a flash kit became the plan.

I’ve only ever filed one boat claim, I got rear ended on the interestate as I was going about 10 in stalled traffic, a drunk women smoked me going about 80. Totaled my boat.

You might have a hard time getting your money back on the cost to flash, but insurance isn’t going to know anything about that. They don’t know anything about boats, I removed all my electronics and a few other things, and that didn’t affect what I received in the claim at all.

The drunk had progressive, they had no clue about anything to do with boats.

Crazy women asked me if it was okay if she hid her beer in the ditch before the cops came.