kicker size

[diamond k]

I have a 17ft legend and am looking at getting a kicker. what do you guys think is the minimum and optimum size. I have a 100 hp merc on the back and a bow mount electric on the front.

[TROLLER]

I have a 16 Cresliner and used to run a 5HP worked great as long as there was no wind.

I switched to a Yamaha 9.9 high thrust with electric tilt and love it. Works well in the wind and you can run all day never a problem.

I am told the high thrust is equal to a 15

[EZM]

9.9 - will be plenty for your boat..... lots of good choices out there ......

Tohatsu best bang for your buck ........... Honda would be the smooth sexy high end option.

[Walleyedude]

I'd look for a 4 stroke, 2 cylinder, 9.9HP. It'll be quiet, smooth running and reliable. The next step is remote shift/throttle or tiller. I would advise going tiller with a link bar to the main motor.

After that its a matter of bells and whistles - power trim/tilt, electric start, high thrust gear cases, etc...

FYI - Tohatsu makes the 9.9s for Merc and Evinrude.

[Warmbreeze]

Please excuse my ignorance. But why do you need a kicker on such a small boat? Especially when you have an electric on the front. There are these as well which I have seen work very well:
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/boating-trolling-gear-trolling-plates-stabilizers/_/N-1107281/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104655780?WTz_l=Unknown%3Bcat10479438 0%3Bcat104784480

Just curious.

[huntsfurfish]

You have the option of a second motor if the main ever quits would be one very good reason. Electric will run out of juice.:)

[Bigdad013]

You have the option of a second motor if the main ever quits would be one very good reason. Electric will run out of juice.:)

also if it has a charging system, you can never have to many safety features

[EZM]

Please excuse my ignorance. But why do you need a kicker on such a small boat? Especially when you have an electric on the front. There are these as well which I have seen work very well:
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/boating-trolling-gear-trolling-plates-stabilizers/_/N-1107281/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104655780?WTz_l=Unknown%3Bcat10479438 0%3Bcat104784480

Just curious.

Trolling on a bigger lake with some moderate chop at higher speeds with an electric - it just doesn't cut it. The smaller prop and thrust on an electric will not hold you on line and will be jumping in and out of the water.

Trolling for 8 hours a day dragging riggers, planer boards, etc... higher speeds on bigger lakes also is no game for the electric to play.

Electric is good for pulsing around, automatic anchoring, positioning, slow trolling, bottom bouncing on flat water.

[SCHOOCH]

I went with the 9.8 Tohatsu, picked up 2 from the dealer in Edmonton for $2300 each only with elec start though.....the elec/tilt will run you just over $2700. Big difference from the Merc 9.9 for same motor $3050.

[diamond k]

Do you think a 4hp would be big enough or will it strugle too much

[hockey1099]

id go with an 8-10hp 4 stroke. Buying one for my 19' this spring. Anything bigger is a waste your kicker is only gonna move you at hull speed

[cube]

I have a 17ft legend and am looking at getting a kicker. what do you guys think is the minimum and optimum size. I have a 100 hp merc on the back and a bow mount electric on the front.

A four to six horse will be more than enough to push your boat at trolling speeds (unless your speed trolling for Muskie or pike). As a matter of fact if you watch any of the west coast fishing shows you will see 9.9 kickers on 23-27 foot Kingfishers with cabins etc all the time, so you don’t need one for your boat. That being said I have a 9.9, which is a bit too fast sometimes but it can get me home from anywhere on the lake in a reasonable amount of time should my main engine fail. You might also want to consider an electric start, not because you can’t pull start a small engine but because the electric starts usually have a small alternator that can keep you battery charged while running the sonar, downriggers etc.

I would try and borrow a 4 or 6 hp and give it a try f you can.

Good Fishing

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Do you think a 4hp would be big enough or will it strugle too much

Your just using it to troll right , I used my old 2.2 on my 18 foot tracker worked great for trolling walleye and spinner rigs . Pushed my batt no trouble at all , but I wasn't looking tomsetntimemrecords , I've been shopping around for a 9.9 merc just so the two motors match , if not I'm going to spray paint the old Johnson black and use it again this year .

[huntsfurfish]

I am looking for a 6 for my 16 foot crestliner. But want it to do double duty with a 12 foot fiberglass cartopper.

I like the 6 for weight - little lighter but more horse than the 4.

[GPBuzz]

Please excuse my ignorance. But why do you need a kicker on such a small boat? Especially when you have an electric on the front. There are these as well which I have seen work very well:
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/boating-trolling-gear-trolling-plates-stabilizers/_/N-1107281/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104655780?WTz_l=Unknown%3Bcat10479438 0%3Bcat104784480

Just curious.

Have I been told a lie?

I have a Larson with a 190 hp mercruiser I/O. Bought it used. When I went to the dealer for a quick run through they told me never to run it at idle speed for to long. Why is that, kind of kills the trolling plan.

[diamond k]

Have I been told a lie?

I have a Larson with a 190 hp mercruiser I/O. Bought it used. When I went to the dealer for a quick run through they told me never to run it at idle speed for to long. Why is that, kind of kills the trolling plan.
\
I think inboards are different as they need more water pushed through to cool engine. Same thing as cars overheating when stuck in traffic in the summer. Motor need to work to cool.

[Bigdad013]

\
I think inboards are different as they need more water pushed through to cool engine. Same thing as cars overheating when stuck in traffic in the summer. Motor need to work to cool.

x2, a friend of mine trolled all the time with his i/o, in the end it cost him around 1200 to fix the damage done by running it at such slow speeds for extended time. I wish I could remember what he told me the problem was, except all I remember was, it was from trolling. He now has a kicker

[Walleyedude]

Please excuse my ignorance. But why do you need a kicker on such a small boat? Especially when you have an electric on the front. There are these as well which I have seen work very well:
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/boating-trolling-gear-trolling-plates-stabilizers/_/N-1107281/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104655780?WTz_l=Unknown%3Bcat10479438 0%3Bcat104784480

Just curious.

Better boat control. More precise steering and more precise speed control, in all weather conditions.

Safety. If you ever lose the main motor, the kicker will get you home.

Reliability. No need to worry about batteries going dead or not having enough power. The kicker will do it all day long in all conditions.

Saving the main motor. Racking up tons of hours trolling is NOT good for the main motor, and it hurts your resale value too.

[Walleyedude]

Do you think a 4hp would be big enough or will it strugle too much

It will do it, just like you can tow a boat with a 4 cylinder 1/4 ton, but the 1/2 ton with the V8 will do it a lot better and for a longer time.

The biggest thing to me is to look for a twin cylinder motor. They are MUCH smoother running, easier to start, and just generally perform better, especially under load.

Another factor to seriously consider is how loud the motor is. A loud (or smoky) motor running for hours on end absolutely ruins the fishing experience for me. A quiet kicker running at low speed is really nice.

[Faststeel]

I have a 21ft Sylvan and my kicker is an old 5hp merc, seems to do what it is supposed to. If you got a 9.9 or something like that you can always peel it off and stick it on your 14 footer that you may not own yet. FS

[dodgeboy1979]

i have a 16' trihull and the little 4.5hp kicker seems to do just fine.

[browning375]

I am upgrading my kicker as well, i have a 9.8 tohatsu short leg right now and which i plan on upgrading to a prokicker 9.9 merc or big foot with 20" leg.

My tohatsu is awsome, but need a long leg for the ocean swells, it pushes my 20ft no problem except in heavy waves it cavitates once and awhile. I am going for the electric start option, as well as it being able to charge the batteries while trolling, use alot of power when salmon fishing running downriggers, GPS, Depthfinder, lights, radio, Radar etc. So its nice to have an alternator.

[diamond k]

can any kicker be tied into steering controls of main motor or it a specific feature of some motors.

[jeffrey929]

The kicker can be linked to the steering controls.. We have a 17' Crestliner with a 6 horse Tohatsu.. Love it and it adds minimal weight to the transom

[diamond k]

so any kicker can be made compatable to link into the steering of the main motor

[jeffrey929]

I would have to say yes...it is just a linkage arm connected to the main motor

[Mudslide]

Bass Pro has Merc 9.9 manual short shafts for $1867.00 during their fishing classic which starts Friday. That is the best price you will find anywhere. Not sure if they will match that price for a long shaft but it doesn't hurt to ask.

[Mudslide]

I have a manual Honda 8HP on my 17.5 Crestliner hooked to the main motor with a threaded linkage with quick connect ball joints. Works fantastic but this year I'm hoping to move up to a 9.9 big foot Pro Kicker and adding a Garmin TR1 autopilot system to that. Lots of money but it's going to be awsome.

[Bigdad013]

so any kicker can be made compatable to link into the steering of the main motor

ez steer. Had it on my last boat.

[Swath]

Browning,

How much do you want for your kicker??

[javlin101]

I have a Honda 8hp 4 stroke and it pushes my 16ft around all day, quiet too. I made my own steering rod and cost me about $10.00.

[dodgeboy1979]

i use my main motor to steer, the kicker is always pointed straight.

[50/50]

I went with Merc Pro kicker 9.9. Steering is an electrosteer. It will push a 26 foot bayliner at almost 8 km/hr. max. It has tilt ,trim etc and has run every day in the summer since 2007 .It still runs perfect. A charging system is a must when running downriggers,gps, radio, radar etc all day long. It was $ 3000 at the time to set it up mounted on the swim platform.

[browning375]

i use my main motor to steer, the kicker is always pointed straight.

I do that as well! Works great when its calm, and when I'm to lazy to hook up the steering link.