Dual Start up 's on Newer OBs

[wirehoncho]

I wanted to start this post for those of like mind that like to mod motors or upgrade from what you were able to afford a few years back by doing the upgrades yourself.<br /><br />I bought a 2004 Mercury 25 Hp Bigfoot, manual start/tiller with a short shaft a few months ago with the thoughts of modding it to a remote and later perhaps electric start.<br /><br /><br />Fist thing I did was get all the parts to make this an R/C boat. The conversion was as easy as putting together a model kit... in this case a boat. Through Iboats (might was well plug them) I purchased a Teleflex NFB steering console, throttle & shift cables. <br /><br />As of today, it is still mounted on a Tracker Guide V14 and as light as the boat is, I fly on the water once I can balance the load and all kinds of weird kind of stuff to keep this boat in the water at just half throttle. The boat is rated for a 25hp. I've come to the conclusion that the motor is too much and now, I am in the process in closing a deal on a 16 foot Fisher/Tracker Avenger/Super guide V with side steering. (All depends what dealer in my area is going to cut me the best deal... (Same boats, different decals and color schemes). <br /><br />Tracker Marine is trying to say they only do package deals (the boat motor & trailer) and I haggling with a local ma & pop shop for the Fisher.. (Dang on big box stores! lol)

 

[wirehoncho]

Re: Dual Start up 's on Newer OBs

'cont:<br /><br /><br />So by next weekend, I’ll have a new boat to go with the motor and I am trying to max out this motor on the cheap by doing the upgrades myself. <br /><br />Most the parts I did on the first phase in converting the motor I got from a local boat shop www.riversidemarine.com<br /><br />To move up a notch, I have to upgrade to a long shaft. <br />I got an aftermarket 5" Extension kit from Bay manufacturing.<br /><br />I might convert the gas assisted tilt to a power tilt.. But that kit is expensive (OEM the P.T. models run about +$1200 over the manual tilt. the parts run about $800.. (I think I can stop the boat & reach back and lean the boat by hand! lol <br /><br />Oil pressure kit (for the onboard gauges) will come in time.<br />Now here is where your seasoned help comes in.<br /><br />Mercury plays off that if they don’t make it, then it can’t be modded, so I need to know & possibly see some mods in what I am trying to do.<br /><br />Here's where I am stumped:<br />The 25hp Bigfoot manual start motor came with a 6 amp alternator. What I got planned in "phase 2" of my mod is to get this motor to charge my battery, and possibly switch it to electric start.<br />DO I NEED TO UPGRADE TO THE 15 AMP ALTERNATOR KIT?<br />DO I NEED ANY THING ELSE TO GET THIS MOTOR TO CHARGE MY BATTERY? (Cables, harnesses)? The 15 Bigfoot just requires a harness & battery cables, but the 25 shows N/A.<br /><br />Electric start kit: I want a combo electric/manual start setup. LIKE THE AFTERMARKET EXTENSION KIT, MERCURY MAKES FEW UPGRADES FOR THIS MAKE & HORSEPOWER CLASS.. (Low number motors shipped with short shafts )<br /><br />I would take that an electric start kit would include a high amp alternator, so I am holding back on modding the alternator. <br /><br />So to sum it up, I want to get my motor to start charging by battery on the run & add electric start. <br /><br />I'm researching parts to see how and if I can make this motor a dual start setup. After seeing folks with small boats like mine and they had no means to backup start their boats, I want that option on mine.