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	Name:	CAT BOAT -
	Subject:	for those in the know
	Date:	2/2/2011 2:23:32 PM

Sure, with a given size (cu.in. or CC's) Todays engines produce more power when compared to those a few years old. 10-15 years ago, is not that long. EFI and other advancememts were avaliable then. Maybe you meant to type 20+ years ago. Lets not get sidetracked into your question and tie it to effeciency as far as emissions and fuel consumption. If you can make an engine burn lots of fuel, you can make that engine make lots of power. (reliability becomes an issue) On that same note, you can manage a lessor amount of fuel to make the same power/hp with todays technology in a smaller engine (cubes or CC's). Or, take a really BIG cu.in. engine and make BIG BIG usable power. Yes, usable and quite friendly around the dock. A task not as easy as years ago. So, that does make your question odd! Remember the OLD Johnson outboards, that looked like a Fridge on the back of the boat? (Nope, I don't, only saw a picture, I'm not that old) Well, it took that much engine to make say 85hp. Today, that 85hp engine is MUCH smaller, and effecient. In about 1996, an EFI502 cu. in. Mercruiser produced 415hp. Today, that same size (502 cu. in.) engine off the shelf makes 525+++, and is called an HP525 (note number change because they are reffering to HP) It gets more power not from size, but fuel/intake delivery enhancements, and exhaust enhancements. You also mention "given the same prop dimentions". Engine height, and propeller designes have advanced a lot, really more than you think to enhance overall performance as well. It was not in your question, but hull design has made lots of advancements, because what we ask from our boats are different than years past. Kinda like "Tri-toons", "Catamaran Hulls", "Pontoon lifting strakes" "Pads" and the likes. A pontoon used to be for easing around, now you have them pulling ski's and tubes. Even very small engines in PWC's are very fast and efficient from Supercharger technology. Sorry for the long answer, but I found your questions quite interesting. :)
Respectfully,
Steve

ps. But to answer your posted questions AS ASK, an 85hp engine built in 1980 vs. a 85ph engine built in 2011 may look different but they both still have 85hp. "Just sayin".