Choosing the right kicker
- Thread starter Rain
- Start date
journey on
New member
OK, the 9.9 is the only choice for a kicker. But do you want the EFI, A, AE or TH?
I assume the EFI and AE are out because of their complexity, but now you have a choice between the A and TH. So it all comes down to how you're going to use the motor. The a is a standard 9.9 which is good for all around use, whilst the TH is more of a high torque model which is nice for trolling.
Boris
I assume the EFI and AE are out because of their complexity, but now you have a choice between the A and TH. So it all comes down to how you're going to use the motor. The a is a standard 9.9 which is good for all around use, whilst the TH is more of a high torque model which is nice for trolling.
Boris
Mostly as a "get back", which is why I thought maybe "bigger is better", but possibly some trolling. I have never gotten into fishing, but I do live on an island, so I should give it another shot.
Would the answer be the same for a 23' Venture? I am considering both the 22' and 23', and expect to make a decision by the middle of next week.
Chuck, they each weigh 108 lbs.
Would the answer be the same for a 23' Venture? I am considering both the 22' and 23', and expect to make a decision by the middle of next week.
Chuck, they each weigh 108 lbs.
I can think of lots of different kicker options that would be "best" for various scenarios and use cases. Since you listed 9.9, 15, or 20 as the choices - I chose 9.9, as I can't really see any benefit to the larger two. I think I'd say the same for the 23 as well.
(For example, my 22 came with an 8 hp 4-stroke, electric start. Great engine in new condition. But I changed to a 5hp 2-stroke. The latter fits my particular use case scenario much better than the 8 did. OTOH, the C-Brat who has my former 8hp now (on his 22), finds it well suited for his use - lots of time spent fishing under kicker power.)
(For example, my 22 came with an 8 hp 4-stroke, electric start. Great engine in new condition. But I changed to a 5hp 2-stroke. The latter fits my particular use case scenario much better than the 8 did. OTOH, the C-Brat who has my former 8hp now (on his 22), finds it well suited for his use - lots of time spent fishing under kicker power.)
I thought about the 6HP, but it is a single and probably wouldn't be as smooth. What others came to mind? I just want to make the right choice. The only reason I wanted to stick with Suzuki is because of my anal retentiveness. 20+ years in aerospace quality tends to do that! Both the 22 and 23 I am considering have Suzuki mains. Well, that, and the local mechanic touts them highly. I'm sure that could be another whole discussion!
I'd agree - I've never run a single that was as smooth as a twin. I miss the small hp twins of my youth.
I think a lot depends on your personal factors. Such as....
1) Do you expect it to "get you home in a hurry"? Or do you want it so you can "get to the side of the road" and wait for better conditions, make a repair, or putt on home later?
2) Do you want to be able to control it from a tiller in the cockpit? Install a second helm in the cockpit? Control it from the main helm?
3) Will you be fishing a lot with it? How "fine grained" do you want the control to be from the helm? (Just steerage, or speed and shifting too.)
4) Do you want to be able to easily lift it on and off the transom at times? How much weight can you easily lift? How high a priority is light weight vs. heavy weight? Related to this possibly is what side of the transom do you plan to mount it on (considerations of balance, swim platform use, tiller clearance, etc.)
5) Do you want it to have an optional separate fuel source (in case of contaminated fuel?
6) Will you also be using it on a dinghy or is it purely for the transom of the big boat?
7) Can you tilt a large/heavy motor safely while leaning over the transom? If not, you may want to consider a "lever arm" or power tilt/trim.
I'm sure I could think of more questions, but that gives you the idea.
For me the answers were as follows:
1) Get me to "the side of the road" where I can do what I need to do. No need to "get home in a hurry."
2) I wanted to be able to control from tiller in the cockpit for sure. Other means optional.
3) Not fishing much. No need for super fine grained control, as I'd be using the main most/all of the time.
4) I did want to be able to lift it on and off the transom easily by myself. For me this meant around 50# or less. Mine is mounted on the starboard side (swim platform is to port, which I use a lot, and which I like on that side as no cables/hoses/etc. there). My boat tended to be starboard-heavy with the larger motor, so fixing that was a goal (lighter motor did that).
5) I wanted a separate fuel source, but also didn't want to always have to have a separate tank. So the motor I got has an integral tank, plus the ability to be hooked up to an external tank (have it then set up to run off main tank/filter).
6) Purely for transom of "big" boat.
7) Leaning over the transom to tilt/lower larger motor was an issue. I could have used some sort of lever (they make them) to assist; however with the lighter engine it's not a problem.
I don't know if any of that helps, but maybe it might.
Sunbeam
I think a lot depends on your personal factors. Such as....
1) Do you expect it to "get you home in a hurry"? Or do you want it so you can "get to the side of the road" and wait for better conditions, make a repair, or putt on home later?
2) Do you want to be able to control it from a tiller in the cockpit? Install a second helm in the cockpit? Control it from the main helm?
3) Will you be fishing a lot with it? How "fine grained" do you want the control to be from the helm? (Just steerage, or speed and shifting too.)
4) Do you want to be able to easily lift it on and off the transom at times? How much weight can you easily lift? How high a priority is light weight vs. heavy weight? Related to this possibly is what side of the transom do you plan to mount it on (considerations of balance, swim platform use, tiller clearance, etc.)
5) Do you want it to have an optional separate fuel source (in case of contaminated fuel?
6) Will you also be using it on a dinghy or is it purely for the transom of the big boat?
7) Can you tilt a large/heavy motor safely while leaning over the transom? If not, you may want to consider a "lever arm" or power tilt/trim.
I'm sure I could think of more questions, but that gives you the idea.
For me the answers were as follows:
1) Get me to "the side of the road" where I can do what I need to do. No need to "get home in a hurry."
2) I wanted to be able to control from tiller in the cockpit for sure. Other means optional.
3) Not fishing much. No need for super fine grained control, as I'd be using the main most/all of the time.
4) I did want to be able to lift it on and off the transom easily by myself. For me this meant around 50# or less. Mine is mounted on the starboard side (swim platform is to port, which I use a lot, and which I like on that side as no cables/hoses/etc. there). My boat tended to be starboard-heavy with the larger motor, so fixing that was a goal (lighter motor did that).
5) I wanted a separate fuel source, but also didn't want to always have to have a separate tank. So the motor I got has an integral tank, plus the ability to be hooked up to an external tank (have it then set up to run off main tank/filter).
6) Purely for transom of "big" boat.
7) Leaning over the transom to tilt/lower larger motor was an issue. I could have used some sort of lever (they make them) to assist; however with the lighter engine it's not a problem.
I don't know if any of that helps, but maybe it might.
Sunbeam
Salmon Fisher
Member
Good discussion.
If $ is not a problem, get the Yamaha 8 or 9.9 hp high thrust prop kicker. It is the best and most quiet motor out there with the most push for your $$. I know it will clash with the Suzuki, but it is, hands down, the best one out there.
I had one on a 17 Arima that was an '84 model when I owned the boat from 2005-2009 and it had thousands of hours from the 1st owner and my use trolling for salmon. Look around and see what most fishing boats on the west coast have and most are Yamis.
Heck, might as well trade in the Suzuki main and get Yamis to match up
!
Seriously, Yamis have most service dealers from here, up to BC and SE Alaska.
Good luck!
If $ is not a problem, get the Yamaha 8 or 9.9 hp high thrust prop kicker. It is the best and most quiet motor out there with the most push for your $$. I know it will clash with the Suzuki, but it is, hands down, the best one out there.
I had one on a 17 Arima that was an '84 model when I owned the boat from 2005-2009 and it had thousands of hours from the 1st owner and my use trolling for salmon. Look around and see what most fishing boats on the west coast have and most are Yamis.
Heck, might as well trade in the Suzuki main and get Yamis to match up
!Seriously, Yamis have most service dealers from here, up to BC and SE Alaska.
Good luck!
Regarding the Suzuki dealer network, there are many choices in the Puget Sound, I-5 corridor from Olympia to Mount Vernon so that argument about "spotty" dealer network isn't really true for our at area but I'm sure it may be true for others. We've been using Master Marine for years and they've always done a good job for us.
Phil Barnes
New member
We have a Honda 9.9 electric start, tilt and trim on our CD 22 cruiser. It is a fine engine but heavy. Probably about 110 lbs. That is a disadvantage when trying to balance the boat load. Having it on the port side doesn't help since the water tank is also on that side. That being said, it takes about 8 hp to put the CD 22 at hull speed. Any more hp than that helps in a wind but doesn't necessarily help against a tide as hull speed is hull speed as determined by water flow against the hull. We hit hull speed at somewhere around 3/4 throttle on the 9.9. We like the 9.9 but would prefer less weight for our use (get home motor). Ours is rigged with a steering bar to the main engine when desired, but all the controls for the 9.9 are on the motor itself. Might be good to have a kill button on the dash if running the engine with the steering bar attached to the main engine and steering from the helm. We run ours with a fuel line from the main tanks so we don't have any fuel separation should we have contaminated fuel in both of our tanks. I don't know what hp it takes to plane a CD 22 but I am guessing that maybe 40 hp would be required. So no advantage to have more hp than a 9.9 for trolling or a get home motor really as you can't get above hull speed. Just a few things to consider in your final hp choice.
Sunbeam touched on this but a big question is whether or not you want a dinghy with a motor. The problem, of course, is that it's challenging to have a main motor, a 9.9 "get home" kicker and a yet smaller dinghy motor all on the same boat. It's certainly been done but for me that's a lot of stuff.
On our CC 23, we like to cruise with a dinghy and the one that fits best can only handle a 6 HP motor. So i bought a 4 HP Suzuki as I didn't want anything too heavy.
Now if I did a lot of fishing that required trolling I'd probably also need a 9.9 and just have to take whichever motor suited the trip.
Yes, when cruising we don't really have a "get home" kicker but with a well maintained modern motor (twin fuel tanks/fuel water separator), a dinghy with a motor and all the various technological solutions for getting help it just seems like the adverse risks are pretty small.
I think that level of risk is tolerable in much of the common PNW cruising areas. I would probably re-think if we were planning a solo trip to very remote areas but then there's lots of other issues - like how to avoid contaminated fuel shutting everything down, EPIRB, improved medical kit, etc.
Anyway, that was our thinking... food for thought.
On our CC 23, we like to cruise with a dinghy and the one that fits best can only handle a 6 HP motor. So i bought a 4 HP Suzuki as I didn't want anything too heavy.
Now if I did a lot of fishing that required trolling I'd probably also need a 9.9 and just have to take whichever motor suited the trip.
Yes, when cruising we don't really have a "get home" kicker but with a well maintained modern motor (twin fuel tanks/fuel water separator), a dinghy with a motor and all the various technological solutions for getting help it just seems like the adverse risks are pretty small.
I think that level of risk is tolerable in much of the common PNW cruising areas. I would probably re-think if we were planning a solo trip to very remote areas but then there's lots of other issues - like how to avoid contaminated fuel shutting everything down, EPIRB, improved medical kit, etc.
Anyway, that was our thinking... food for thought.