Height of kicker bracket?

How high should I mount the kicker bracket on my 20' aluminum?
Also, what side do most guys put them on? My batteries are on the port side and if I put the kicker & gas tank there to the boat will likely be unbalanced.

Grant
Vancouver, BC

Re: Height of kicker bracket?

How are you steering it?

Usually they are on the port side so you can still reach the tiller handle easily.

Re: Height of kicker bracket?

The boat already has a port side bracket that is rotted away to useless. I bought an OMC version and the bolt pattern is different. Since I will be drilling and filling anyway I might as well get it where I want it.

The boat came with a rod and connectors that connects the stern drive to the kicker for helm steering.

In the past I have always fixed the kicker straight ahead and steered with the main drive as a rudder.

If standard is the port side then I guess that's what I needed to know. How far below the transom should the prop reach?

Tacklewasher: Nice boat! I used to live in Vernon overlooking Okanagan near Ellison Park opposite Fintry. Miss the area a lot. Now I'm in White Rock and can see the Pacific so it isn't all bad...

Grant

Re: Height of kicker bracket?

Grant Brown said:

The boat already has a port side bracket that is rotted away to useless. I bought an OMC version and the bolt pattern is different. Since I will be drilling and filling anyway I might as well get it where I want it.

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Port side. Even if you are steering it remotely, you still need to reach the tiller handle for throttle. Mind you, mine is bunjeed in the up position or I can't turn enough.

The boat came with a rod and connectors that connects the stern drive to the kicker for helm steering.

In the past I have always fixed the kicker straight ahead and steered with the main drive as a rudder.

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Have the same on mine and it works great

If standard is the port side then I guess that's what I needed to know. How far below the transom should the prop reach?

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I have mine set so the leg is deep in the water at rest. I still need to be able to reach everything to run it, but mine could be higher. No real big deal as I lift mine when running the big motor.

Tacklewasher: Nice boat! I used to live in Vernon overlooking Okanagan near Ellison Park opposite Fintry. Miss the area a lot. Now I'm in White Rock and can see the Pacific so it isn't all bad...

Grant

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Traffic here is better

Re: Height of kicker bracket?

Tacklewasher said:

Traffic here is better

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It sure is! I think I miss that the most.

Re: Height of kicker bracket?

It only needs to be deep enough that the cavitation plate is at or just below the water line at the fastest speed it will run. Any lower and it's just drag. Any higher and you could run above water pump pick up and risk frying the impeller.

Port or starboard wont matter, however std. mountings are for kicker on port and transducers, speedo pick ups, etc on starboard transom away from the turbulence from the kicker.

Hope this helps...
Craig