Small boat outboard kicker bracket

Tim Murphy

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Joined
Sep 14, 2012
Messages
7
Dear Board,

this is my first post here and I hope this is the right place to ask this question since it really isn't an engine specific question? Newbies are bad enough but when they start out wrong it's even worse.

I own a 16' Smokercraft Mag 168 with a tiller 35 HP motor, and it is a fishing boat, period. Here in Pennsylvania we have many lakes that are HP restricted. The smaller lakes under 200 acres can usually be fished with my electric trolling motor, but when we move up to the 1000 acre and over lakes that becomes a lot of lake to range with a trolling motor.

I am considering a kicker bracket and a small 4 to 7.5 HP outboard to use on those larger lakes. I know I will go nowhere fast but it will at least give me the opportunity to widen my range on the larger lakes and not be stuck fishing one cove all day long.

I currently own a 4 HP short shaft motor that works great on a square stern canoe that I own. My larger boat has a 20 inch transom and my first question is, can a short shaft motor be mounted on a kicker bracket and be used effectively on a 20 inch transom? I know I'll probably need an extension handle and I know it won't be the best set up, but do any of you currently do things this way?

I am also actively searching for the a long shaft 4 to 7.5 HP motor and I may have found one that will work. I plan on looking at that motor in the next few days.

Regardless of which motor I chose to use my next question is about the brackets. I'd like to use a plate on the transom and be able to remove or install the kicker into the plate as needed. What can any of you tell me about the various brands and how well they work and hold up?

All my motors are 2 strokes so I won't need a HD bracket. Anyone want to relay their experiences and point me in the right direction?

Thank you,

Tim Murphy :)
 

emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
Re: Small boat outboard kicker bracket

Sure it can, as long as you're using the swing-down bracket, like etracer mentioned. Mind your weight, however. What I mean is, if that boat was rated at a max 35hp, keep in mind a 6hp motor can weigh up to 65lbs plus 4 or 5 for the bracket. Just make sure your transom is solid and you should be fine. If it was rated at 50hp max, then carry on (although you should always inspect your transom:)}
 

Tim Murphy

Cadet
Joined
Sep 14, 2012
Messages
7
Re: Small boat outboard kicker bracket

Dear emoney,

I assume you mean I can add a bracket and run a short shaft motor to putt around on larger lakes?

As far as horsepower ratings go, my boat is rated for 40 HP but it is a 1990 boat and that was before the 4 strokes. Current 40 HP 4 strokes weigh at least 230 pounds but that is where it gets fuzzy because they weren't considering the weight of 4 strokes when my boat was built?

My current tiller steer Evinrude 35 HP long shaft only weighs about 120 pounds, and I have a short shaft 4 HP Yamaha that weighs 45 pounds. I've found a 6 HP Evinrude long shaft that weighs about 60 pounds according to the published specs. Any way I figure things I'll have about 200 pounds or less on my transom with the plate and bracket so I am figuring I'll be OK?

I just wish I knew for sure before I go out and do something I'll regret? ;)

Regards,

Tim Murphy :)
 

minuteman62-64

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 12, 2011
Messages
1,350
Re: Small boat outboard kicker bracket

I'm thinking of something similar - although I'm considering fabricating a kicker bracket.

I don't have any answers for you, but I have a lot of the same questions w/regard to HP/weight issues w/regard to transom capacity. So, I'll second your questions and hope for some good input :)
 

etracer68

Ensign
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
906
Re: Small boat outboard kicker bracket

Tim, I would say your ok, as far as transom weight, the thing I would be concerned with would be, the splash well, and how far it would be from over flowing with water,(stern weight). I have put up a few pics of my setup. Right chick on them, and open them, and they will be a larger size. The first pic you can see the kicker motor is in the water a bit, but I can tilt it up, and it wouldnt touch the water, or under way, as is, it clears, no problems. The second pic is about 2/3s down, and is fine for trolling in less then 1 ft waves, but if over 1footers, then I will put it another 4 inches down, so the av plate doesnt come out of the water, when the boat in moving up and down alot more in more then 1 footers.DSCF0261.jpgDSCF0275.jpg
 
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Tim Murphy

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Joined
Sep 14, 2012
Messages
7
Re: Small boat outboard kicker bracket

Dear etracer,

Thanks for a practical picture of a tiller kicker. It looks to me that you are running two 20" motors though?

Looking at your first picture if I had to describe my boat then my splashwell is as high as the black rubrail in your picture. The overall transom height is maybe 3 inches higher but the transom is protected by a canted plate that runs the width of the transom and has a couple of drain holes in it that drain off of the stern. If a wave breaches the splash well it's coming on board, no if's and's or but's, but where I will be running the kicker motor a wave that breaches is highly unlikely.

Looking at how you have things rigged I could probably drop the plate mount for my kicker a bit lower so that I could run a 15" motor off of a 20" transom and be OK. I'd still like to see something from someone who did that though.

Regards,

Tim Murphy :)
 

etracer68

Ensign
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
906
Re: Small boat outboard kicker bracket

The 4HP Mariner on in the pic is a short shaft (actual is 17" to av plate), and has a bulit in fuel tank (1/2gal). The 90HP Johnny is a long shaft. The boat is a true deep V all the way to the transom, so where the kicker is mounted, the bottom of the boat is higher then in the center. Some tin deep V's dont have a deep v at the stern, so sometimes they need a long shaft. Just make sure you get a good strong bracket, not the single sissor type, the one in the link I posted is a wide sissor type. I also carry the kicker in the back of my Burb, and put it on at the launch, and take it off to go home too.
 

Tim Murphy

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Joined
Sep 14, 2012
Messages
7
Re: Small boat outboard kicker bracket

Dear etracer,

OK, that explains things even better. My boat is deep V'ed in the bow but when it gets to the stern it is pretty much flat across the bottom.

Based on what you are doing it looks like if I put the plate in the right place a short shaft motor will work fine. I still may pick up the L/S Evinrude 6 HP though because it will save me the expense of getting a seperate remote fuel tank and hose. It's 100:1 ratio VS my bigger motor's 50:1, but it's hard to kill a motor with extra 2 stroke oil, especially since it will be running flat out most of the time moving me to different spots on the lakes as opposed to trolling.

Regards,

Tim Murphy :)
 
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