"Brett, if you are getting the
"Brett, if you are getting the 7.5 for nothing, you could give it a try. I assume your 16 footer is aluminum (?). My 14 is aluminum, and it's dry weight is about 225lbs - tack on 75lbs for the motor (standard weight for a 7.5/9.8/9.9/15), another 35lbs for the small marine battery I use to power the nav lights, fish finder etc, I estimate maybe another 30lbs or so for gear (anchor, assorted junk).
With a tank of gas, that's about 400lbs before I load a passenger. Now with just myself the boat would "fly" pretty good (total weight, almost 600) when I had the 9.9 on the back.
With another adult, it would still plane out pretty good - but add even two kids and she was labouring. That would have pushed the total weight up to maybe 850lbs.
However, depending what you are using it for - and how fast you want to get there - the 7.5 may do it for you. I also have a 2.5hp Ev on the back I use for trolling and it will push it along at about 4-5 mph....
(now a 70hp - think if I cranked that up on my boat, my transom would get close and personal with the bow)......"