Kicker For 18 ft Starcraft Holiday

[OMC_V4]

I am looking at a long shaft 9.9 HP kicker for my 1972 holiday that has a 90 ETEC pushing it. Attached is a picture of the boat with a 1.2 hp Johnson, however I don't think that motor is powerful enough to get me back off of Lake Ontario in wind. I'm looking at buying a used a 9.9 hp year 2000 long shaft. It has a high thrust prop, The motor does not come with controls or a tiller, it came off of a sale boat. It is electric start, and seller says I can see it running. My questions:

1) Is this too heavy and big for an 18 ft Starcraft? The boat I think is about 1100 LBS with motor, no more than 1300.
2) How easily could I connect this kicker to the steering of the primary motor?
3) The picture leads me to believe all the shifting, steering, and throttling of the motor is done remote. How much will this cost to set up? What are the best options. I'm trying not to break the bank here.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[KC8QVO]

There doesn't seem to be too much traffic over here in the steering/controls forum. Some input that may be helpful -

1. I don't think it is too big. 9.9 kickers are very common. The bigger diameter prop (lower pitch also, as well as lower gear ratio in the lower unit to turn the prop slower/more torque) the more water will move = more control you will have. Thrust is what you want, as opposed to a higher geared motor and smaller/higher pitch prop to move a dingy or small utility boat fast. As to the strength of the transom - use your best judgement. You don't need as strong of a transom/mount for a 9.9 as you do your main. You want some structure/reinforcement behind it, though, not just the outside thickness of the metal by itself.

2. This may be tricky. It looks like your kicker now is on a tilt/drop bracket - drop to run the kicker, raise when moving on the main. To keep the flexibility of that raising/lowering you need an extendable/retractable linkage. If you want to home brew something you may get a better suited set up. I can think of a nifty way of doing just what you are after with a couple of metal tubes - one that slips inside of the other. A cotter pin could link the two together so you can raise/lower the kicker by pulling the pin to allow the tubes to slide in/out. Though, if you had a way to clamp the tubes together it would make a more rigid/rattle-free connection.

3. I am working on a similar conversion for a 25hp motor. For a new steering kit (teleflex xtreme), steering wheel, etc I have about $200 in it. A SeaStar Solutions/Teleflex SL3 shifter/throttle and cables will run around $400 (over $300 just for the control, then add your cables). That is new pricing, however. As far as used components go - you may check around at boat salvage yards. The cables might be the hardest to come by - need to be the right length and in good shape.

Check around for places that sell parts for the motor you are looking at. They likely will have a parts diagram. You can get an idea of the mechanisms you will be dealing with, though without any detailed knowledge of how it is set up (pop the cover and get your hands in there, take measurements, etc) it won't be very likely to "make something work" just off the diagrams and pictures.