kicker motor

trojanmanXS · Post by **trojanmanXS** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:55 pm

another dumb question . my marina gets kinda shallow in the middle of summer and curious if anyone of you have installed a kicker outboard on your boat ? thinking I could utilize the outboard to get me in/out of our marina with less chance of the trojan prop digging out an abyss.

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:17 pm

You need the same water to float it whether or not the prop is spinning. If they don't have enough water for you, you should probably find another place (or slip) that is less of an issue.

Having said that... I HAVE seen guys with 9.9's hanging off of their transoms but they use them for trawling when fishing....

Commissionpoint · Post by **Commissionpoint** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:41 pm

captainmaniac wrote:I HAVE seen guys with 9.9's hanging off of their transoms but they use them for trawling when fishing....

Yeh, they use them around here for salmon fishing.

trojanmanXS · Post by **trojanmanXS** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 7:34 am

Yes I do realize that the boat would require the same water depth my concern is that if I were able to use an outboard to get me out to the channel I wouldnt be risking the boats main prop spinning and possibly hitting something on the way out. if the outboard acted like a trolling motor on a smaller boat it wouldnt be driving my boat or prop into something I would regret. as for a new location there are some available but mines right across the street and I can simply "crawl "home from there when needed. the ones you did see with outboards ? whereabouts did they have theirs mounted? I dont have a swimplatform so could put it pretty much anywhere I guess.

Allen Sr · Post by **Allen Sr** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:17 am

I don't know that I would trust a kicker motor. If you get a good wind you might end up somewhere you don't want to be. I have a depth problem at my marina once in a while but I wouldn't think of putting a kicker motor on mine. What size trojan do you have?

Vitaliy · Post by **Vitaliy** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 9:27 am

that just sounds like an accident waiting to happen, and to much room for error

trojanmanXS · Post by **trojanmanXS** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:35 am

the boat is a 1979 f26. someone had mentioned previously in here that operating the boat in 3ft of water would allow the water intake to suck up mud ect off the bottom and thought the kicker would safeguards this from happening .I'm not overly concerned about running aground or hitting anything as with the kicker it wouldnt have much force to "slam" into anything that would present an issue , thanks for the advice

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:18 am

The speed the kicker will move you at is one thing, but the speed the wind will move you at is another. I think basic control would be a challenge, and that's not what you want in confined spaces. How would you control steering, throttle, and gears - are you thinking of cabling it up or just using the tiller in the motor? If you were just going to use the tiller, will you have enough visibility to see where you are going and what's in front of you? To keep the muck out of your main engine you will have to shut it down - whether or not the prop is spinning, the muck will still get sucked through the cooling system if it is running.

For the record - I am not saying the kicker is a bad idea... just not sure if it is a good solution for this particular problem...

Having said that ... if you are still adventurous enough to try it, the couple I have seen (on 30-32 footers) were mounted on regular outboard jack plates like this one http://www.iboats.com/mall/image/vendor ... 789960.gif I have also seen some smaller (24-26' center consoles) where the swim platform had been molded from the factory to include a motor mount.

Couldn't find a good pic of the factory molded platforms, abut here's a couple of after market alternatives http://www.adventuremarine.net/

Or try googling swim platform with motor mount - you will find a few more advertisements and forums (like this http://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/boatin ... mstep.html ) where others are asking / talking about it too.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 12:18 pm

As far as kicking up stuff with the main engine , as long as your going forward you won't be sucking up stuff .you will be blowing the stuff behind you .

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 12:45 pm

Is it also possible the props may sit up higher off the bottom when running at idle than when not

My concern would be more about touching bottom than sucking in muck.
You could always just send everyone forward onto the bow/pulpit when leaving the slip

Commissionpoint · Post by **Commissionpoint** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 1:28 pm

trojanmanXS wrote:..... the ones you did see with outboards ? whereabouts did they have theirs mounted? I dont have a swimplatform so could put it pretty much anywhere I guess.

I have seen several mounted with jack plates on the stbd. transom or platform. Again, this was setup for fishing and getting down to under 2MPH. Lakers can be lazy. Personally I have never used such a setup, and usually just use one engine, and drag bags if I am heading downwind.

It can get shallow at my dock too at certain times of the year depending on the weather. By autumn, I have gone in and out of the slip so many times that its typically 2-3 feet deeper under the boat than the surrounding area. If the water should get low in the fall I still have plenty of draft at the slip to get in and out, and avoid striking bottom with the running gear should things get a little rough while tied up.

summer storm · Post by **summer storm** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 6:15 pm

If you want to have a backup in case your main engine fails I would say fine. But to do it for bringing the boat in and out of a marina I would say NO. First reason- the cost. You will need a outboard, outboard bracket, control cables, controls. steering cables, fuel lines modified to the main tank (please do not put a 6 gallon tank under the deck), and then the cost to install all of this.

Second, you will not have enough power to counter act the wind and momentum of the boat. In other words you could fine yourself with a following wind and some boat cuts you off, the little outboard might not be able to stop your boat in time. I just see a 15hp outboard on a f26 cavitating like crazy when you go into reverse and taking its sweet time stopping the boat.

Just my two cents

9rock · Post by **9rock** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 8:21 am

A long shaft 4 stroke set up with a large kicker prop should move that boat with no problam ,, or at least comprable to a single screw when docking , it would be much easier to manuver the boat at slow speeds as the prop moves instead of steering with the rudder witch needs moving water ,,

You dont need controlls but u might need a extension for the handle , portable tank or just run a line back no problam

If u go to THT site this has been discussed there is atleast one guy with one on a 26ft boat

9

trojanmanXS · Post by **trojanmanXS** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:57 pm

thanks for the posts, as for the costs that isnt an issue . I already have a 2011 9.9 tohatsu long shaft with electric start/alt. and two small ext. tanks on my sailboat . I would only need a jackplate. The marina is pretty well protected from the wind/current it just gets showllow midsummer and figured I might be able to slowly ease the boat into deeper water "bout 3min with sailboat now"

gettaway · Post by **gettaway** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:00 pm

How do yo plan to steer the boat?

have you ever tried to the steer the boat without power across the rudder?