Re: kicker motor issues
My suggestion is to keep the kicker - you never know when you will need it.
If you want a bit of an eye-opening education, carry a handheld marine VHF around for awhile and monitor Channel 16. While you won't hear all of the calls from the boats because of distance, the USCG transmitters are high power and their antennas are mounted on towers, so you will hear the responses.
Now that high horsepower outboards are common, and fuel prices are soaring, single engine installations on even fairly large boats are more common. As a result, I hear more and more responses by the USCG in regard to boaters being stranded due to engine failures. As was mentioned in another thread, the CG doesn't tow boats unless the occupants are in danger, so the next call by them is usually to request that another boater assist. This usually isn't a big deal in inland waters but if you run offshore to fish (as many people in my area do), it can be quite dangerous.
Having a kicker motor isn't going to get you home quickly in the event of a main engine failure, but it usually will get you home. Having the ability to handle your own situation is also a lot better than hoping someone like me is willing to burn up a bunch of $4.00 gasoline, to get you out of your predicament!
BTW, don't think you will be immune to engine problems just because the boat is new. I tow people with new, $20,000 motors in all of the time. While today's motors are great in a lot of ways, they are complicated and the smallest thing can disable them entirely.
