Kicker motor

[mrbuster]

We want to install a kicker o our boat. The reaso is trolling, we have a 17' smoker craft model 171 all pro fishermen. It came with a 90hp merc 2 stroke. We need to troll slower. We dont want to use a drift net. So heres the question. We have a 25hp Yamaha model# 25SH, The problem here that I see is I think the motor is to heavey and I'll need to put a gas can on the boat. IM thinking a 5hp to a 10hp 4 stroke, I think we can use a steering arm, I also think I can use the same gas line that goes to the main engine, I'll just need to mount the engine and the cables. I have no clue at all if IM on the right track. What d you guys think????

 

[JB]

Re: Kicker motor

Outboard Non-repair topic.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Kicker motor

I would go with a 6-8 hp 2 cycle. You don't want to add a lot of the weight of a 4 cycle plus gas. Many folks go for the 9.9 but a 6-8 should do just fine for a 17'er and it uses the same fuel as the merc (assuming that you use pre mix). A 25 is way to heavy and has power you couldn't possibly use.

 

[joblo33]

Re: Kicker motor

If the merc is oil injection I'd go with the four-stroke though. Get whichever uses the same gas, but still carry a few gallons in a seperate tank in case.<br />Eric

 

[Boatist]

Re: Kicker motor

I have a 21 foot Crestliner runabout and have a 15 HP 2 stroke kicker. I use my boat in the ocean and inland river and lakes. I use a EZ steer for steering.<br /><br />Inland waters it works just fine. My speed is form .5 mph to 5 mph with a 10 by 9 by 4 Blade high thrust prop. The high thrust prop foward speed is slower than the standard 9.5 by 10 by 3 blade prop but back up into the wind or current at 4 times the speed.<br /><br />Ocean waters the kicker is way under powered. On a calm day with low seas and no wind it works good. On the average day with 6 foot seas and 30 knot winds it is still OK, but when the wind get up to 40 knots and seas are 7 to 9 feet it may not turn fast enough to change course between swells.<br /><br />For your boat I would not go lower the 6 HP and 9.9 or 15 like mine weigh 74 lb. It would troll as slow as you want and if your main motor fails it would get you back quicker with out running WOT.

 

[mrbuster]

Re: Kicker motor

I will go with the 4 stroke due to the oil injected merc currently on the boat. I think a 7.5 would be perfect, my son thinks a 9.9 would work.

 

[mallardjusted]

Re: Kicker motor

For your boat if your choice is down to a 7.5 or 9.9, I'd go the 9.9 (9.8??).<br /><br />I have a Lowe Roughneck 17 with Yamaha F50, and my kicker is a Yammie 8. This works pretty well for everything I do. I believe your boat is several hundred pounds heavier, so the 9.9 would seem to make sense. Also, look at the # of cylinders. Many of the 6 to 8 OB's are single cylinder, whereas most 9.8/9.9's are 2 cylinder. This makes for smoother overall operation.

 

[mrbuster]

Re: Kicker motor

Mallard, I did notice that looking around. Thanks

 

[mjbrueck]

Re: Kicker motor

On the average day with 6 foot seas and 30 knot winds it is still OK

Over here, we call that a tropical storm.

 

[Belchy]

Re: Kicker motor

mr.buster<br /><br />I would really consider keeping the fuel for the kicker seperated what you run in the main engine. If both of the motors have the same fuel source (i.e. one tank) and for some reason you get bad fuel, water in the tank etc. that means that neither one of the motors is gonna run on bad gas. If you keep the kicker on a seperate fuel tank then you don't have to worry about that problem. <br /><br />I use a 9.9 Mariner 2 Stroke as my kicker, even if it was a four stroke I would still keep the motors on seperate tanks.....no harm in being safe<br /><br />Belchy

 

[mrbuster]

Re: Kicker motor

Belchy, thats the million doller issue. The boat isint that big (17ft / 94"beam) So the question is where would we place the tank. Most of our compartments are to small. I did see Cabelas dose sell a tank the mounts to the transum. It has a cut out for the main motor. I dont know if it would work on our boat, but I did like it. Hay, dose anyone have any experiance with thoses flaps that can drop directly behind the prop? Will the slow us down enough to troll the speed we want?

 

[gss036]

Re: Kicker motor

I used one for my old 9.9 Evinrude on a 12 ft boat, but really don't think you will need them for a 17 footer. They do work though. I would go for a 9.9/9.8 hp Merc(Nissan/Tohatsu)/Yamaha or consider the 8 hp in Honda for a kicker.<br />I use my main tank for my 15hp Honda kicker, but still keep the Honda 3 gal full and onboard, just in case.

 

[496 Cubic Inches]

Re: Kicker motor

I think an 8HP would be plenty. I'm running an 8HP Evinrude on my 17' Alumaweld and it works well. I use it for trolling and as a backup for the main.