Sled question

[HawkenBob]

Check out the site from the guys who make the pumps. Weight kills Jets. After owning a couple under powers, I finally got a 19 foot open and put a 175 DI 2 stroke on it. Now I have a scare ride! Hull was homemade so no restrictions on it for power.

These guys can answer your questins straight up. www.outboardjets.com
Especially read the facts and weight specs.

You'll hate underpowered. And what might get you on plane, wont with 2 or 3 plus gear.

Im not gonna tell ya what motor to buy, but bang for buck you wont beat a 2 stroke for weight to power.

Look at it this way. A 4 stroke jetted 90 is a 65 and weighs near 400. I believe I saw it quoted at 385 above? My 175 DI with pump weighs 400. And has 130 hp at the pump. Twice the power for the same weight.

Id opt for the lightest 2 stroke you can...

You will find that moving everything forward will give best performance and shallow drifting.
It's all what you want to put up with...48 inch bottom dosent give you much weight displacement. So be careful in what people try to sell you in motors.

[groundhog]

My brother and I own a sport fishing business in Alaska and have 18 boats and I don't know how many outboards up there. If I were you I would try to find a good used 2 stroke jet or buy a used 2 stroke and put a pump on it. I have had good luck with Mercury 60/40, Suzuki 40/30 and Yamaha 70/50 pumps. You can work on the two strokes and the power to weight ratio makes a big difference. The hole shot is also way better with the 2 strokes.