kicker size???

[springerhill]

hi, im looking at maybe getting a kicker motor for my 18 foot starcraft aluminum boat. i have used the yamaha 90 on it for trolling and can go as slow as 1.8 mph on the gps with no problems. last year i had to get towed back in due to fuel pump failure and i'm looking to do whatever i can to not repeat that event. so my question is...what size would be good for trolling and also be good to get me back in from 18 miles out, possibly in slightly rough water if i happen to get caught out there when the lake kicks up.
i have a kicker bracket (not mounted yet) that i can use, but think there is still enough room beside main motor to mount a kicker. any help, suggestion, experiences, or comments are welcome and appreciated!

thanks
springerhill

 

[Duck Soup]

springhill, Number 1 is that you want it to run on the same fuel as your main engine. If your Yamaha is a four-stroke or even a two stroke with oil injection you do not want a kicker that requires you to carry additional fuel. Number 2 is that you want the kicker to be as light as possible. I'm not sure what is available under 9.9 HP but 7.5 is all the power you need to get you home with an 18' StarCraft. I had a 15 HP on my 19' StarCraft and it was a lot more power than I needed.

 

[skipster-13]

I totally agree with the above. I have a 21' aluminum with a 135 oil injected 2-stroke. I use a 9.9 4-stroke as a kicker, off the same fuel tank, and it has more than enough umph to get me back in should the main motor cause me grief.

 

[Rick in Brantford]

I have an 18' Starcraft Superfisherman and have a Honda 9.9. Like Duck Soup said it is likely more than I need but it works great and I am very happy with the setup.

 

[mick]

I reccomend a 4 stroke for sure and if you can afford it get the 15 hp. I have a 2003 honda 15 hp long shaft. I bought it new with the mid size pitch on the prop and it came with a 15 litre tank. I use it on my 14 ft Lund as a main and a kicker on my 17ft fibreglass deep V. I have put hundreds of hours on it and never a issue. It runs clean, quiet, dependable and excellent on fuel. It burns a litre an hour trollin. My 15hp trolls down to 1.5 mph on my 14 ft. I had a honda 8 hp long shaft; it was efficient but it was sluggish. Being under powered can get you in to trouble. If you go that route rememeber to accomadate the heavier 4 stroke LS motor with a good quality bracket installed properly on the transom.

 

[Walleye]

springerhill.

I strongly disagree with Ducksoup. You have stated that you want a back up in case the main engine fails. Good sense on Any of the Great Lakes and others. If you tie your back up to the same fuel system that runs your main engine you lose that margin of safety. Quite often fuel contamination is the cause of engine failure. If one fails because of fuel contamination surely the other will.

No offence DS. Been there and done that.

Cheers, Clark

 

[berkly]

I have a 9.9 Pro Kicker on my 17.75 Lund, awesome trolling and trust in choppy water, tied into my main full line as long as the main tanks full I never worry about a day's fishing.

 

[Polish-Newfie]

I have a 1775 as well but opted for a standard long shaft 8 hp. I have a quick connect to run off my main tank but as a "just in case" I also have a small portable tank on board that does not take up that much room and per the comment above, I have fresh fuel if needed, or to top up someone else's tank who was not thinking that day or got into trouble- or can throw it on the back of a smaller boat if desired. The 8 hp. is a little light on big waves related to steering but most times adequate and sips the fuel compared to my large motor.

 

[Smellybox]

I have a 15 hp pro kicker on my 18 foot Lund Pro V. I can get 8 mph with the kicker wide open. I bought a 15 hp kicker because I do a lot of muskie fishing and need the speed out of a kicker.

 

[Klinker24]

I have an 8hp kicker on the back of a 17.5 lund. We go on an annual fishing trip to Calander Bay on Nippissing and this is the perfect size to go slow enough up there. We can go .8 mph on the gps up to 3 mph depending on the conditions.

 

[RobNPerch]

Springerhill, I have a 1977 18 ft. aluminum StarCraft inboard/outboard 120 h.p. straight gas. I have a portable 23 litre gas container for a 9.9 4 stroke evinrude straight gas also. I broke down last year at the silver barn in port burwell. The water was 1-2 ft. chop and roughly 4-5 miles back to Bradfields launch. It burned about 3/4 of the small gas container. It topped out at 4.8 miles on gps. I had it running mostly full out the whole time.

As for your trolling bracket, check the weight that it can handle before you purchase a motor for it 4 stroke weigh more than two strokes and make sure you know what the weight is exactly before mounting bracket and motor. I ended up buying a garlick stainless bracket for my trolling motor because the bracket that came with the boat was only good for 80 lbs. !!!Think about when your trailering your boat, how much abuse the bracket takes when there is a motor mounted to it. Hope this helps make a wise decision for you fellow fisherman!!!!!!!

 

[Jwalsh]

I have 90hp yahama and 8hp honda kicker on separate tanks for my 17.5 smokercraft. The hondas tank is very small and doesnt take up much space. The honda is a reliable, quiet and is amazing on fuel. I would recommend going that way.

 

[Leftys Buoy]

I have a 19.5 ft. Seanymph with a 9.9 four stroke kicker. I use a separate tank with a back up tank. I also use "an easy steer" attached from my outdrive of my main motor to the kicker allowing to control the boat from the helm. In rough water it is very difficult to steer with the kicker and I'm guessing it will max out a about 5 to 7 mph. Definitely want a back up tank for Erie. Also want to consider a kicker equipped to charge or at least maintain a battery when main motor is shut off. Hope this helps.

 

[springerhill]

thank you all for the info and insight ! it is very helpfull.
lots of very good points from everyone

im leaning towards a 9.9 with a 4-5 gallon separate tank in case i get stuck down at hastings or way out in 65-70 FOW off of burwell
im hoping to be able to mount the kicker on the right side of the motor as long as the controls for main aren't in the way and the shaft is long enough to reach down past boat
will also look into the easy steer option as well

thanks alot everyone!
springerhill

 

[G.Mech]

Just a note about mounting the kicker on the right... For what seemed like good reasons at the time, I mounted my 4 HP kicker on the right on my Princecraft 174 but I wish now that I hadn't. With the cranking battery, the kicker, and my fat arse all on that side, the boat has a major list to starboard when I am boating alone. It really is a pain for steering and such but it is not hardly noticeable when I have the kicker off in the spring so I have to blame it on that. If the kicker were on the port side (like you see 99% of the time), it would definitely balance the boat out better especially with the weight of a 9.9. Just a thought and it really only applies to those of us with no friends.

 

[springerhill]

yah ideally i would mount it on the left but there is a swim platform already mounted there, and with having a 6 and 3 year old boys i think i'll be needing the platform before too long!

 

[Bruce Graham]

The 9.9 is good for your size of boat, the 4 stroke is nice as it is quiet. I would try to hang beside the main motor as when it gets a little rough it will never come out of the water and stearing control is easily accomplished. There is a speed control marketed by cabelas and bass pro which is electronic and suited to these trolling motors. It uses an adjustable control at the drivers seat and a small servo motor at the outboard to give you control from idle to full. It's handy as anyone who has used a trolling motor knows you are up and down a lot to adjust, and if you ask someone to adjust they always turn it the wrong way.the control is by 2 small (20 gauge) wires in a cable.