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Barri,
It is important to remember that even a 25 hp will not plane your boat. It is just too heavy for that. A hull acting as a displacement hull will only go as fast as the length of the hull will allow. It has to do with hull length and the pressures associated with the length of the standing wave the hull produces. Very complicated stuff but it is the reason a longer sail boat hull will go faster than a short one.
That said, you could probably get the same displacement hull speed from a lighter, more fuel conservative kicker like a Yamaha T8 which is a high thrust model and will power the hull through waves and tide exchange at the same speed it does in the open calm water. Power to keep moving is the important thing.
I too go out to 40 or even more miles and feel very comfortable that I can get back in on my 7.5 hp. I would guess my displacement speed is not much more that the 4.5 I already get. I know my power is not as great so speed will slow up the waves but I will get home none the less.
Just some things for you to consider when you start pricing motors.
Good luck with the decision, Codfish.
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