Kicker motor, additional transom weight

N7XW

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I'd like to add a kicker to my 1977 15' Seaswirl trihull for both trolling and backup safety. I just don't know how much weight the transom can handle. From what I can tell, the transom isn't rotten and seems sturdy. I've got a 1977 75hp Johnson Stinger as the main motor. I'd like to add a fixed bracket (thinking the Garelick 71099) and my 1983 Evinrude 15hp motor. The bracket should handle the weight but I'm not sure about the transom.

I'd like to use the 15hp kicker if it isn't too much weight since it will be more powerful than a smaller kicker in the strong current and ripping tides in the river if the 75 dies. Anyone have any advice as to the transom handling the 15hp motor and 75hp motor (combined weight I believe would be around 375 lbs). Thanks.

Edit - the maximum rated horsepower for the boat is 80 hp if that is any indication of the transom weight capacity.
 
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JimS123

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I used to have a 15' boat with a 1977 75 Stinger. My Kicker was a 1978 Johnson 6 HP. That little guy got the boat up to hull speed at half throttle. Plus it was light and didn't cause the boat to list. Brackets are a PITA and should be avoided if possible. In my case the kicker mounted perfectly right on the transom and tilted easily out of the way.

I wouldn't necessarily be worried about the transom, but IMHO that 15 would be too heavy and way overkill for a 15 footer.
 

N7XW

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Thanks Jim, appreciate the info. The transom "cut" on my boat is very narrow and I don't know that I would have room to mount anything but an electric motor on the transom and be able to fully turn it. I'll have to take some measurements and figure it out.
 

QBhoy

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Hi there
Not overly familiar with your particular boat, but I agree with the above....pretty sure you don't need a 15hp. A 4/5 would get you home alright at 4/5mph....better still, a 2 stroke 6/8 twin cylinder would be ideal !
 

N7XW

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Thanks guys. I probably should have clarified, I already own the 15hp motor. A big part of why I'm thinking of using it instead of something smaller is I don't want to buy another motor if I don't have to. As far as the load on the transom, I'm thinking of not trailering the boat with the 15 kicker on, would only put it on and take it off at the ramp.
 

JimS123

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I've had kickers on every boat I've ever owned. The first was a 1950's Merc Mark 10 on a 16' wooden boat. Way overkill, too heavy to trail (had to keep it in the trunk on the highway) and it made the boat list in the water.

I understand you're desire to use what you have. Nevertheless, trade it in for a small 6. If you don't you won't be happy and wish you did.
 

oldboat1

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Is the '83 15 a short shaft non-electric? If so, I think that trihull would handle the extra weight. Mounting and unmounting for trailering isn't ideal, though, nor is a stationary bracket, IMO. (Might also consider one of those devices that permits vertical pull starting -- also look into a trolling motor steering rod and clamps. Control is vastly improved if the kicker can be steered.)

Garelick makes a kicker bracket that can be fit into a plate that mounts to the transom, or at least they used to offer one. It's pretty neat, as the motor and bracket can be removed for storage. (With two of the mounting plates, you can easily transfer motor and bracket to the garage or shed.) A model with less travel would be the sturdiest, and would want to check the rating of course.

The sticking point is the transom condition. If you have a rotted core, you will want to replace it whether you use a kicker or not -- but particularly if increasing weight back there. Replacement is a DIY job, with great forum resources here.
 

N7XW

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Thanks for the responses guys, they are appreciated. I will have to check the structural integrity of the transom to know for sure, but as far as I know, it has no issues. Even though it is considered overkill, I really am thinking about using the 15hp as my kicker. Here's why - the rivers I want to fish are large and tidally influenced. I will be running from the mouth at the bay up river 15 miles or so. A few years back, a friend and I were in my little 12' aluminum boat about 10 miles further up river. That boat had a new 8hp Mercury outboard and we barely made it back to the ramp with just the two of us in the boat. The current was that strong.

So I'm thinking that if an 8hp barely got 2 people back in a small light weight aluminum boat, maybe a 15hp isn't really overkill for a larger heavier 15' boat with 3 people in it. I'm really focused on an emergency situation when that old 75hp Johnson won't start and I'm 10 miles up the river with no help (these are very remote areas). Trolling is one thing but I want to make sure I can get back to the ramp in an emergency against very strong currents/tides.
 

oldboat1

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Ha! Checked your info. and see you fish out of Westport. That's motoring out "over the bar" isn't it -- or is that in Oregon?

We were there in the '70s, and took two or three charter trips out of Westport. Know what you mean about the tidal currents. Nasty. I'm impressed if you took that on with a small tinny.

[In rereading, see that might have been upstream some. Still impressive, though.]
 

N7XW

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Ha! Checked your info. and see you fish out of Westport. That's motoring out "over the bar" isn't it -- or is that in Oregon?

We were there in the '70s, and took two or three charter trips out of Westport. Know what you mean about the tidal currents. Nasty. I'm impressed if you took that on with a small tinny.

[In rereading, see that might have been upstream some. Still impressive, though.]
I'm thinking about trying the little boat in the ocean. There are many 15'-16' boats that do here. But the bar can be nasty. They say it is one of the most dangerous on the west coats, along with the Columbia bar...and I believe it. The worst I've seen is about 14' with breakers but my wife deckhanded for the charter boats for many years and she's experienced 26' breakers. If I do choose to go over the bar, it will be in the summer under ideal conditions for salmon.

I mainly want to run up the rivers here. There are endless miles of rivers to explore, fish and access hunting from. My biggest concern is going way up river and have the motor die and be stranded out of cell or radio range. As far as the currents, this river can get downright nasty for a little boat - 3' to 4' quick rollers breaking on top. 77501545.jpg
 
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oldboat1

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Interesting. I was thinking Westport, but probably confused it with the Columbia bar. I remember the charter boats seemingly fighting the currents (I was pretty much just hanging on.) Spent some years fishing boating on the Chesapeake as well, and rivers off the bay -- not quite as ferocious, but still a factor for small boats.
 

N7XW

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Interesting. I was thinking Westport, but probably confused it with the Columbia bar. I remember the charter boats seemingly fighting the currents (I was pretty much just hanging on.) Spent some years fishing boating on the Chesapeake as well, and rivers off the bay -- not quite as ferocious, but still a factor for small boats.
That was probably Westport, WA where I am. I don't know that there is much of, if any charter fleet at Cape Disappointment. There are some sturgeon guides that fish the river but I don't know about ocean charters from there. Here in Westport, we have a large charter fleet that fishes nearly year round. They used to call Westport the 'salmon capitol of the world' in the 70s/80s. Salmon is still good here depending on the quotas but we get a lot of interest in bottom fish, halibut and tuna too.
 

oldboat1

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Yeah, it was Westport. Fishing was good (salmon), but talk in the '70s was about the decline. I think that's just the way it always is with fishing -- yesterday always better. Glad to hear it's still active.
 

NYBo

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You would technically be overpowered by 10 HP.

A 5 HP with integral gas tank would be the simplest solution except for the current you are facing and the fact you already own the 15.
 

N7XW

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You would technically be overpowered by 10 HP.

A 5 HP with integral gas tank would be the simplest solution except for the current you are facing and the fact you already own the 15.
True. I still worry about the extra weight of a 15 hp on the transom though.
 

JimS123

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Thanks for the responses guys, they are appreciated. I will have to check the structural integrity of the transom to know for sure, but as far as I know, it has no issues. Even though it is considered overkill, I really am thinking about using the 15hp as my kicker. Here's why - the rivers I want to fish are large and tidally influenced. I will be running from the mouth at the bay up river 15 miles or so. A few years back, a friend and I were in my little 12' aluminum boat about 10 miles further up river. That boat had a new 8hp Mercury outboard and we barely made it back to the ramp with just the two of us in the boat. The current was that strong.

So I'm thinking that if an 8hp barely got 2 people back in a small light weight aluminum boat, maybe a 15hp isn't really overkill for a larger heavier 15' boat with 3 people in it. I'm really focused on an emergency situation when that old 75hp Johnson won't start and I'm 10 miles up the river with no help (these are very remote areas). Trolling is one thing but I want to make sure I can get back to the ramp in an emergency against very strong currents/tides.
A 6 HP 2-stroke will probably get you up to hull speed. A 15 won't make you go faster, but it'll use up a lot more gas. If you think you need to go faster, you'll need to plane the boat. The 15 won't do that.
 

JimS123

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The weight difference between a 5 and a 15 is likely minimal.
I have a boathouse full of outboards and I love to experiment (spelled play). We just bought a new boat so I'm experimenting with a kicker.

9.5 Evinrude, 62 pounds, remote 6 gal. tank, 5.5 mph. Won't plane. 3.5 HP Merc, 39 pounds, 0.3 gal integral tank, 5.5 mph.

The 3.5 pushes the boat at 1/2 throttle just about the same speed as WOT.

Now, which kicker is the logical choice?
 

ondarvr

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I've had a similar boat, live in the same area, used it the same way, and had a dozen different motors on it.

​The weight and power of the 15 is a non issue if the transom and bracket are in good shape, some brackets are made better than others and handle the stress better.

​The 15 is fine, just use it.
 

oldboat1

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Yeah, think it's a matter of power to move against a current. I remember using a little 5 kicker on a 16 footer, trying to buck a tidal flow in a river off the Chesapeake -- and was barely able to move the hull against it. A 15 might have given me a better chance.

If the 75 is a little dicey, might be looking around for something with fewer ponies but equivalent power -- and maybe slightly less weight. I'm not sure if the '77 was prop rated, but an '80s or '90s might do the trick in a lower hp. (60hp, for example). I'm not sure of the comparative weights, but to save some weight, could forego tilt and trim -- think J&Es in the '80s had a tilt assist which would save your back (tried it when looking at an '80s 60hp, and it worked well). Still need two of something for offshore, IMO, so still want your kicker.

See NYBo apparently runs a Chrysler -- also not a bad choice. I've had a number of them, and good motors. Cheaper to buy and easy to maintain -- probably lighter weight too. Drawback is all the warnings you can expect about getting back home (just point to the kicker).
 
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