Why not find an engine that's rated 65 HP "at the pump," then your performance numbers should remain comparable to what they are now. I'm thinking that would be around a 90 HP engine....

Performance in the saltwater is a legitimate concern. If the waves become large enough that your transom is being lifted out of the water, you lose propulsion quickly and can get in trouble fast. This is not a jet or prop issue, it's an issue of how far your drive unit is sticking down into the water(with jets inherently being built as shallow as possible).


-david