Can you go over the outboard rating on a boat

Does it matter if I put a 5hp outboard on a boat which is only rated for a 4hp outboard. The weights are about the same.

this is one of those questions only you can answer. Take into account every detail before u make a decision. What type of boat is it, is it large or small. What type of material is it made out of?Can it handle the extra torque that the higher hp motor is gonna put on the transom. is the 4hp old and the 5 new? I ask this because the older motor are rated at the power head and the new ones are rated at the foot, meaning the older 4 may be more like 2hp getting to the foot where as the newer 5 gets the whole torque of the 5hp. Case in point my uncle put a newer 115hp yamaha in place of an older 90hp. now the older model boats are rated to handle the older model motors so the 90 was only running about 70hp to the foot and the 115 hp has almost tore the transom off the boat.The main thing is dont rely on us for this one use your best judgment possible and make a decision. So in your honest opinion will it handle it, because its ur boat and motor at risk here m8.

there is definetly a risk to it. at the very least, dont go straight from idle to full throttle, dont kick the transom as hard as you can. slowly throttle up.
weight, there is "about the same" and there is the SAME.....
overloading is very risky. especially when that weight is all the way to one side/end of the boat......



i know i'm a bit scared of my boat and its new outboard.
it is rated for 60 hp, and its only got 60 hp on it......
BUT, when my boat was built power was rated at the flywheel, before going through the shaft and gears in the lower unit, which does consume power and prevent that power from actually pushing the boat. a NEW outboard is rated at the prop, a NEW 60 hp is more powerful then an old 60 hp......
i throttle up slowly.


question, have you actually bought this 5 hp outboard already?