6hp or 9.9 hp 4 stroke

[Buck9]

I am looking at purchasing a kicker and am undecided which hp to get. I have a 17 foot 2005 Lund Pro Sport with a 115 merc opti. I am concerned with the weight of a 9.9, but unsure if a 6 hp will be sufficient. I plan on using it to troll for walleye and lakers instead of using the big motor. What is your opinion or experience with kicker size.

[cube]

Try looking http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=127922

4 HP will be more than enough you certainly don't neet a 9.9 to troll a 17 ft aluminium. But read the thread above as there is some good info there.

Good fishing

[Lambo]

I would go for more power. Your boat will handle the weight of a 9.9 no problem.

[Hooker]

A 4 hp will troll all day and not let you down. A 9.9 will do the same but will get you off the lake a lot faster than a 4 hp if your 115 quites on you.

[fishing101]

I would also do the 9.9. You can also link the big motor steering together. If you don't want to have to use the tiler handle. Another tip in the wind use your trolling motor and put it on slow. Prevents the bow from getting caught by the wind as easy.

[Buck9]

Their is about 40 pounds difference between a 6 and 9.9. Is this not a fairly big difference in weight hanging off the transom?

[cube]

Their is about 40 pounds difference between a 6 and 9.9. Is this not a fairly big difference in weight hanging off the transom?

40 lbs. in this case is not that big a difference. Your 2005 transom would probably have been manufactured to take heavey 4 stoke engines so you should be very safe here. eg your 115 opti wieghs about 375 lbs. a 115 Honda weighs 480 lbs. Therefore you should have at least 100 lbs to spare. But by all means call a Lund dealer and find out what the weight rating for your tansom is.

[Buck9]

Think I found a 9.9 merc. 4-stroke. Owner says its a long leg. On my boat as stated in my first post, what leg length would I need 15" or 20"? Any opinions on this merc would be helpful.

[Stu]

http://www.onlineoutboards.com/Help.html?Question=Shaft-Length

[Buck9]

Thanks Stu

[Kingfisher]

If your going to do any trolling with the motor then get yourself a 2 stroke. They troll a lot better than a 4 stroke. I have a friend who manages a resort he said they have had nothing but trouble with the 4 strokes trolling. So they went back to 2 strokes.

For that boat the kicker is not only a trolling motor. If the 115 ever dies and you need to get back to shore. Can you imagine putting along with a 4 or 6hp? It could take you a long long time. If there was a wind you may have to stop and camp a night on the side of the lake depending on how far you have gone with the big motor. Safety is a big factor when choosing a kicker. Not just trolling.

Rob

[cube]

Think I found a 9.9 merc. 4-stroke. Owner says its a long leg. On my boat as stated in my first post, what leg length would I need 15" or 20"? Any opinions on this merc would be helpful.

According to the Lund catalogue from 2005 the 1700 prosport had a 20" transom.

http://www.lundboats.com/pdfs/old-catalogs/2005.pdf

[lotw]

Adding a kicker will affect the handling regardless of the size - 4hp to 9. It will most likely make the bow of the boat bounce when the motor is trimmed up. The weight of the kicker will determine how severe it is. A 4 or 5 blade stainless prop will minimize this. Don't waste time with a 2 stroke unless you like fumes and carrying an extra tank of mixed gas. If you are backtrolling into the wind the 4 hp will be a bit small but a 6 will hold well even without the bigfoot and 4 bladed trolling prop. If you are concerned go to an 8hp same weight as a 6 but more power. The 9 will be overkill for your boat. I have a 19 foot harbercraft and with a full load of people and gear the 8 hp is plenty for 3 foot+ waves. You probably want a merc shift on the handle is great for backtrolling and matches yopur opti however depending on where it sits on your transom the carry handle or the steering handle may hit the side of your boat and not let you turn it all the way. A different brand of motor may fit better but I strongly recommend getting a motor that does not require you to lean back to shift. A 115 opti is good for about 2000 hours of wide open operation so unless you forgot to put oil in the foot dont worry about a breakdown and getting back to the landing. For fwd trolling connecting to the big motor with the steering rod works great.

[TROLLER]

Don't listen to any of that BS about 4hp. I had a 5hp 4 stroker on my Crestliner and any kind of wind and I just could not control the boat. 4,5,6 hp is just not enough for a 16ft or larger in so. Alberta.

I changed to a 9.9 and it is the best thing I have done. I went with the Yamaha high thrust. The other great thing about a 9.9 is if your big motor goes down at least you have enough hp to get you safely back to the dock especially on a windy day.

[Buck9]

So the gentlemen just backed out and changed his mind about selling his kicker. They seem to be hot little commodities and are hard to come by and expensive to replace. New 9.9's ML's seem to run from $2900-3300. Would like to find a good used one. I did measure where the kicker would sit and it is right around 19" for transom height. Move it an inch either way and it would change. Think I will be looking for an 8 or 9.9. Thanks for all the opinions.

[ddddd05]

Why don't you get an electric trolling motor?

[Buck9]

I have one albeit a 55lb thrust 12volt. I am looking for motor backup for larger lakes, and also fish a fair amount for lakers. So a trolling motor would not last that long at higher trolling speeds.