kicker motor

[dstewart1]

I am going to install a kicker on my 21 ft. i/o for safety going near offshore. Are there any guidelines for mounting or horsepower?

 

[dstewart1]

Re: kicker motor

Forgot to mention, It has a full swim platform across the stern. Thanks.

 

[bubbakat]

Re: kicker motor

http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=034949

 

[Solittle]

Re: kicker motor

I'll leave the mounting to someone else. The best motor for your application would be a 9.9 hp JohnnyRude (any year) longshaft. They are easy to start and are generally bulletproof. Plenty of power for a 21'. A 15 hp would work also as it is basically the same motor.

 

[JRJ]

Re: kicker motor

I have a Johnson 15HP long shaft 4-stroke for my 181/2 cuddy. It is a great lake and calm ocean troller. With much current plus some wind in the wrong direction, headway is iffy. Get a heavy duty bracket for whatever motor you buy. I left my kicker in the garage this year.

 

[Columbia]

Re: kicker motor

A guide I fish with a few times a year has a 22' sled fished in the lower Columbia River. His kicker is a Merc 4 stroke 9.9 and it seems perfectly adequate. His sled doesn't have any superstructure for windage, however. I've seen a lot of kickers mounted to the swim platform. Some of them seemed iffy to me but apparently were working.

 

[RatFish]

Re: kicker motor

I can personally vouch for the 1985, 9.9HP Evinrude. I bought one new in 1985 and have used it every spring and summer since 1985. It's been bullet proof, running as well as the day I bought it!

 

[Forktail]

Re: kicker motor

Nah. Go with a kicker specifically made for heavier V bottom boats like that. <br /><br />Yamaha puts a true "high-thrust" gear case and prop on their 4-stroke HT kicker models (they don't just put a different prop on the same outboard). And unlike the Johnyrude, you can get the 25" extra-long shaft to keep the hood out of the water and the prop in the water. Their 9.9 runs like a fine swiss watch.

 

[Squeakit]

Re: kicker motor

You want a kicker with some grunt, I have a British Seagull model 110 5hp with a 9" four-bladed prop and a gearcase the size of a trolling motor. Slower than hell on my 12ft jonboat 9mph tops, but not designed for planing hulls. Just made to push a heavy boat back to the marina or a sailboat back to harbor when the wind conks out. Max thrust. I'm in love with mine because it looks really cool and is a collector's item, so I'm told. Designed for rigorous use in salt water or wherever. An unusual motor that would get a lot of comments as you came putting back home. <G> Seriously, if you can pick one of these units up it would probably be in your will and your grandkids wills as they are supposed to last nearly forever (!)

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: kicker motor

I agree. Look around for some old iron waiting for a chance to go to work again. Fun projects and indefinitely reliable for a lot less than a modern plastic motor.

 

[gss036]

Re: kicker motor

JRJ, you are brave to leave a perfectly good kicker the garage, never need it until you break down which happend to me a couple weeks ago, electrical problem and could not get my big motor running, came in 13-14 miles on my 15HP HONDA. Took me 3 1/2 hours but I would still be there w/o it.<br />It will all depend on your swimstep, but I would say you would need to reninforce the area where the kicker mounts. The Yamaha bigfoot is good engine. Honda just came out with a new lightweight 15&20 HP 4 stroker. No I don't have anything to do with Honda, I just use a lot of thier engines and they seem to always run start and run when I need them.