"Wm Watt" wrote:
For "load" read "displacement"

Herein lies the problem. There's more to "load" than "displacement"
and some of it is unpredictable. For instance, how much wind will you
ever motor against? -shrug- Who knows? And how much current will you
ever motor against? -shrug again- Both those factors need to be added
to "load" but all you can do is guess at what might be the worst case
scenario and plan for that. I think that may be part of the point CWM
is trying to make. Another part is, no matter how much horsepower you
generate with an engine, if you don't transfer it effectively to the
water with a proper prop, the hp is of no use. If I'm reading you
correctly though, your theory is for calculating only hp and leaves
other "pushing parts" to be calculated by some other theory. yes/no?

Whatever the case, my theory is.... you can never have to much power.
You can have to much weight though, which is why I wish someone would
market a 2 cycle high thrust outboard.

Rick