Kicker motor

[proline23]

What size kicker motor do you recamind for my 1993 proline 230(23'). I was thinking a 10hp maybe 9hp and is it necessary to have a long shaft. The boat has an adjustable kicker bracket on it.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Kicker motor

Most brand 15HP motors are based on the same block as the 9.9 so you get 5 extra horses with little weight sacrifice. So for that size boat I would definitely consider a 15 and I think you should go with a long shaft.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Kicker motor

New or used, or should I say older or newer?

Newer high thrust 8s (Yamaha being the best) work well even on the larger hulls, so if at all possible find high thrust model, they come 9.9 and 15hp also.

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

Re: Kicker motor

I have a 15hp johnson ( not a high thrust) on my 22'. I still get blown around if trying to hold a slow troll in the wind. Definitely get the high thrust if possible.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Kicker motor

Fished Sunday when it was blowing 10-14kts out of the southeast cuasing some very sloppy conditions. Lots of boats with kickers on the back but not one of them could use them to troll given the conditions.

I would go with 15 hp min.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Kicker motor

15hp in my humble opinion.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Kicker motor

Welcome to the board
It really depends on where you are going to use the boat. Inland on small lakes and rivers is one thing.
The opean ocean and very large lakes is another.

I have a 21 foot 2800 pounds runabout aluminum hull with a 15 hp Johnson kicker.
It works very well most of the time but I would like more power on windy days (20 knots plus) in the pacific ocean.
Main purpose of my kicker is as a saftey to get in if something happends to the main motor.
While I have tested the motor many times in bad conditions and it has always done the job more power would be Better.

The place where I need more power is if heading into the wind and seas.
My boat is pretty light so the bow can blow around pretty quickly in the wind.
If I have to turn up into the wind and sea or tack to maintain a safe heading it just takes too long to complete the turn.

My motor is a long shaft on a lift bracket with 15 1/2 inches of lift.
With a following sea and backing into the wind and sea to slow are drift for fishing
the motor will often go completely under the water and still as the swell goes under
the boat the prop will still come out of the water.

So in my case I can only run at idel when backing into a wind and sea.
If I run much above idel when the prop comes out of the water the motor will rev up
and when it drops back in the water it has broken the flywheel sheer Pin.
At this point the motor dies because it is out of time. It of course will not start until repaired.
Not a big deal to repair on land but in a 8 foot following sea it is not something I would try on the water if there were any other choice.

So if you can I suggest to try and get a extra long shaft and at least 15 HP.
I high thrust prop is a must for backing into the wind and sea as it has about 5 times the reverse thrust.

If you were to mount on the back of a swim platform then even a 30 shaft would not be enough.

 

[dan t.]

Re: Kicker motor

ditto on the extra long shaft,I run a 15 hp Honda long shaft and still have problems with it ventalating at anything above 1/2 throttle

 

[ken52]

Re: Kicker motor

My 21 Proline has a 7.5hp and it's a joke. I got stuck on calm day and it pushed boat with 3 guys about 2mph. Gonna be pulling it off too gonna get a tow service next too. So if thinking about it for a backup IMO get a tow service. Also make sure you kicker bracket will handle the weight/hp you plan on using. I wouldn't go any less that 15hp with long shaft.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Kicker motor

HP isn't really the key to moving a heavy hull at low speeds (although it helps), its thrust at low speed, so prop size and gear ratio are what come into play. A larger prop with more surface area and a lower gear ratio to turn that larger prop is what counts, that's why an 8HP high thrust model will out perform a normal 15 in this application.