What size Kicker??

[madolive3]

I want to get a kicker for my 19ft Century bowrider. It's and old boat and I want an auxiliary power source so I can fish and recreate and not worry about getting back. The dry weight is 2100lbs, probably add a 1000 pounds to that for me and equipment and people.
I won't go off shore but I will be on the San Francisco bay and up the delta.
I'm looking at 6hp motors, don't really know if that's enough, or too much.
New or used, 4 or 2 stroke, all options are open at this point
Thanks... Bill

 

[Teamster]

Any of the 9.9 4 strokes fit the bill,...

Most of the smaller kickers are single cylinder and the vibration will drive ya knutts,..........

 

[Frank Acampora]

6 HP will not be enough. You will need to fight current. How many have drowned trying to escape Alcatraz? 8 or 9.9 is better. My experience with an 8 HP kicker on an 18 foot Renken closed bow was that it only managed about 3-4 MPH with no current. SO, 9.9 and if you can afford the weight and cost, a 15 would be even better.

 

[JoLin]

6 HP will not be enough. You will need to fight current. How many have drowned trying to escape Alcatraz? 8 or 9.9 is better. My experience with an 8 HP kicker on an 18 foot Renken closed bow was that it only managed about 3-4 MPH with no current. SO, 9.9 and if you can afford the weight and cost, a 15 would be even better.

Agree. 9.9 minimum The 15 hp kicker on my 21 Pro-Line WAC would drive the boat at hull speed (6-7 mph) in the heavy chop and 20 mph winds common here (Great South Bay). Weight of that boat was about the same as yours.

My .02

 

[gotboostedvr6]

The high thrust sailboat tillers will provide better part throttle speed and efficiency.

Yamaha makes the T8

 

[Scott Danforth]

size of your kicker will be determined by the type of water you boat. high current and high winds require higher HP.

for years we had a 36# trolling motor pushing a 17' IO. worked just fine.

My buddy brought his 37' sail boat in 3 miles with an inoperable diesel and little to no wind with his 2.5hp suzuki from his 10' inflatable tender against an outgoing tide.

if it was me, I would be looking for a 4.5 - 6hp older twin. something you can idle down for trolling

 

[airshot]

I own a 22' starcraft Islander about 3000lb loaded. I have a 9.9 kicker and have no issues. Boat will do about 10 mph at full throttle or a tad more in calm conditions. I boat lake erie in the great lakes, and find that is plenty and also fuel efficient for trolling.

 

[fishin98]

I had a 2007 Merc 5hp 4str long shaft on my 2000 Bayliner 1802 Capri Cuddy...great for trolling....ok for pushing the boat around for anything else