Adding an additional outboard?

I have a 1989 Blue Fin Spectrum 1900 (fish/ski) with an 85HP Force. I'd like to add my Mercury 9.9hp to the boat so that I can use it on lakes with HP limitations.

I've seen people do something similar before... I just don't know that did it.

1) How would I mount the motor, as the transom doesn't appear to have much free room. I've seen add-on motor mounts, is that an option?

2) Is there a way to link both motors to be drive using the steering and throttle controls?

Re: Adding an additional outboard?

Good questions

I have a 16' Starcraft(very similar to yours) and I just bolted on my 5.5hp Johnson on the port side. I run it with a tiller or using my big motor as a rudder(if I'm in deep enough water).

It works great. I do have a kicker bracket that I'm going to bolt on so it can be raised and lowered when needed, but since I'm going to rebuild the transom that is going to wait.

As far as steering...there are the two methods I mention above and also you can buy or fabricate an "EZ steer" device so that the kicker is attached to the main OB.

These can be mounted on the front of the motors like normal or on the back with swivel joints which allow one motor to be tilted up while the other is down.

Good luck to ya!

Re: Adding an additional outboard?

Use the kicker bracket and the EZ steer or equivelant. You wont be disapointed. Nice to have everything all in unison. Brackets can be readily had on Ebay and other like sited. You can make or purchase a ready made steering set up.

Re: Adding an additional outboard?

Possibly helpful link http://users.sisqtel.net/jkriz/Outrage/Kicker/

Re: Adding an additional outboard?

Definitely helpful, and I'll definitely need a kicker bracket though. My transom really doesn't allow for much room as it has a sort of dip, rather than going straight across (see attached photo).


Does it matter which side you mount the kicker too? I was planning to mount mine on the starboard side, but wasn't really sure?

Re: Adding an additional outboard?

It technically doesn't matter, however I have found the port side to be better for two reasons: one is the ez steer setup works better on the port side (tough to explain but it becomes obvious when you start lining things up) and also it's nice to have the kicker balance your weight if your solo in the boat.

Re: Adding an additional outboard?

Thanks, I had not even considered that one. I'll check it out and see what I can come up with. I'd like to have it ready for next spring.


edit: Just looked at your SS restore... Very nice, and I'm amazed at how similar that is to mine. I'm thinking about re-doing mine this winter (or maybe next) so I might have to hit you up for some pointers.

Re: Adding an additional outboard?

First, I don't know the answer, just asking the question, but does the ez steer work if the big motor is tilted out of the water? I know some of the horsepower restricted lakes I've been to you can't even lower the big motor into the water or you will get a ticket.

Re: Adding an additional outboard?

I know I have seen systems that will allow that functionality. Not sure which ones. If you look at the link I posted earlier, it looks like the big motor being tilted would only move the ez steer bar a couple inches off it's previous position so it looks like it either could work, or wouldn't require much modification in order to work.

Re: Adding an additional outboard?

Looks like you can trim them up or down, independently:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x97N7LRaMbc