David,

Not sure if this will help but I own a 14 foot Jon boat made of heavy gauge
aluminum. The boat weighs 532 lbs. Loaded with 16 gallons of fuel, fishing
gear, beer, 20 gallons of diesel and my 300 lbs I had a 30 hp on the back
and run at 24 MPH according to the GPS on plane on the way to the camp for
the weekend. Take the diesel and extra ice chest out and I get 30 MPH out
of the boat on plane. Proper trim and pitch of a motor will help get you up
to plan and proper weight distribution. I had a 15 HP that was given to me
and I bought the boat and trailer from a friend for a couple hindered bucks.
The boat with just me and fishing gear would not go over 20 MPH and had
trouble planning. I tried a 25 HP that I had on another boat and the boat
planed better and only got 24 MPH. I then saved my money and purchased a 30
HP and totally happy now with its performance. This boats is used to carry
supplies to a camp 20 miles from the launch and occasional fishing so speed
was not a factor. For fishing I use a 23 foot Ranger powered by a 225 HP
Yamaha. This baby was built for speed and fishing.

If you are buying a boat check the HP rating and don;t go less then 80
percent of its rating. Unless you live in Louisiana then you need to go 150
percent above its rating (typical Louisiana boating). My boat was not made
for recreational use so it was not stamped with a HP rating. Different hull
design (semi V, Jon) will all handle different and its requirements to
perform to your standard will vary. Look around your area to see what
others are using for the same type of boat.

Sarge