Safety Motor

[Uncle Dave]

I believe this belongs here rather than on "motors"<br /><br />If you go offshore or onto large lakes, do you carry a small (10hp) moter to get you back in case the main fails??<br /><br />If not, what is the reasoning for not having one??

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Safety Motor

Trolling,dingy,making frozen drinks.....Charlie

 

[Uncle Dave]

Re: Safety Motor

Trolling,dingy,making frozen drinks.....Charlie is Crazy

 

[bayman]

Re: Safety Motor

It's always smart to have a backup plan or two. It usually depends on the boat you have as to what the backup plan is. Some people have twin engines and thus don't worry about needing a kicker engine as a backup. Some small boats have an electric motor like a Minn Kota or Motorguide for backup. That isn't super common for the ocean or huge lakes. Some people like to have an inflatable dingy and a motor for it. Some people who go way out on the ocean have a life raft, a watermaker and much more. As always, it's good to have a radio. Cell phone antennas are also becoming popular. And some that go way out there like to have a satellite phone.<br /><br />In short, there are many options and I'm only mentioning a few of them.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Safety Motor

Yes, I carry a kicker motor, also use it for trolling.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Safety Motor

I carry a Kicker also. If either motor fails to start at the launch we do not go out in to the Pacific Ocean. <br /><br />Actualy used kicker to head in one time due to a Boatist operator error. Shutdown main motor near a pod of gray whales about 6 miles offshore. Took a few pictures then wife got neverous about how close they were so went to head in and starter would turn. Wife very excited at that point so started kicker gave her a compass heading and put her on the wheel. That was all it took to clam her down. As we got some distance from the Whales I opened main motor cover and made a few checks. Checked for fuel smell then decided to manually activate starter solenoid, motor as always started in under 2 seconds. We came in on the main motor. Then ran all the starter test I could think of and it worked perfect. There is no dout in my mind that I did something I never do, shut the motor off in gear. I was excited about seeing 5 big whale in such a small area. In Ocean my normal routine is to put the motor in netural and disengage the shifter, advance the throttle to about 800 RPMS then shut the motor down. I do this so motor is ready to start fast just in case we see a big wave coming or a nut on auto pilot working a fish and not watching ahead.<br /><br />Also use kicker for trolling or going back to free a stuck lure. When drifting for bottom fish in strong winds use kicker to slow our drift so can catch more fish and use smaller weights.

 

[dmonwai]

Re: Safety Motor

I have a kicker too, I use it for trolling but can also use it to get back in if the main motor fails.