kicker

with prices of gas going through the roof - I'm thinking about adding a kicker to my V-21.

a couple of things I would like to get feedback on :

how many horses to push this puppy for trawling ?
2- or 4-cycle ? - (I'm leaning towards 4-cycle - no hassle hooking up oil line, but just the gas line -since my 2-cycle 150 HP Johnson has oil tank/injection ).

what brand ?
who's got the good prices ?
reliability ?
mounting bracket ?

thanks,
chipde

[Brian_M]

Hi,

I use a Mercury 4 hp two cycle for trolling, it works fine. I have a remote tank and internal tank for the kicker, the main engine is a 165 hp Mercruiser.

Photos of the set up are available in the gallery

Brian

9.9 is the best size.

2 cycle weighs about 75 pounds.
4 cycle weighs over 100 pounds.

2 cycle is good for an emergency backup, but if you plan on trolling for many hours of use -- 4 cycle is probably worth the extra initial expense and weight.

Extra portable tank is still good to have on hand if a fuel problem disables your main engine.

Why not stick with Johnyrude?

You tell me where the best deal is, and then we'll both know. ;)

Chipde --- how are you makin out?

Have you checked into any of the high thrust kickers from yamaha or mercury?

[chumbucket]

I had the High Thrust Yamaha 9.9hp Four Stroke on my Grady. Tied directly into the main tank. Also had electric start. Pushed the 22' walkaround very nicely. A lot of nuts for a small motor. ;)

definitely decided on a 4-stroke - less hassle to hook up and better on gas...

now comparing comments and writeups I find on the web and scrounging around for prices - think about going with the 9.9 or 15 HP version of something...

btw - the way, rain has been coming down here lately in Galveston, I'm thinking about dropping the anchor from my boat parked on the trailer in my backyard... :-/

[chumbucket]

9.9 is more than enough HP for a kicker for a V20/V21. ;)

[Mac_Attack]

During May and June here in Michigan the animals were gathering in pairs waiting to get on V20s.

I have a 1985 Merc 9.8 that I just put on my boat it pushes my boat along real well. Bill Mc ;D

OK... Heres how I see it:

9.9 vs 15

Neither one is gonna plane off a v20.

So you will be moving thru the water as a displacement hull.

That means top speed for a v20 will be about 6 mph.

A 9.9 will do that unless heavy seas or a current.

I am familiar with evinrudes ... so a 9.9 and 15 hp rude have about the same displacement. That is where your torque or thrust power is coming from. So a 15 is not gonna give you any more power that you might need in seas and/or current. The 15 gets the extra 5 horsepower by spinning an extra 1000 rpms at high throttle. That ain't gonna happen as a v20 kicker.

If you want more torque or thrust from a 9.9 you should go with one of the Yamaha or Mercury high thrust motors. I am considering this, myself. You may even be better off with a Yamaha high thrust 8hp than a conventional 9.9 for use as a v20 kicker.

Chipde, I know some of your speedy fish like kings and wahoos like a fast trolled bait. Is 6mph gonna be fast enuff for them? Get a kicker, anyway.

Mac, I know those Great Lakes can get rough as an ocean, and even have tides. Do you ever get any significant currents?

[Mac_Attack]

The Western Basin of Lake Erie is shallow around 32' max. This shallowness leads to some very rough water conditions. The only noticeable currents are where the rivers empty out into the lake, Detroit river being the largest and fastest. Bill Mc