3 HP kicker motor is it enough?

[chiefalen]

I don't want to get towed again, so i have a 3 HP air cooled sears old pos.

Great shape, brother bought it new. Sat in his Texas garage 25-30 years.

Anyway i made a mount for it. Didn't cost me a nickel.

Gonna only use it in an emergency and when not in use wrapped up in my cuddy.

Will it push my 19' boat? Don't want to test the old kicker cause it never tasted salt water.

Maybe i'll never need it.

Don't want fast just 1-2 mph?

 

[mylesm260]

Re: 3 HP kicker motor is it enough?

Hard to say

I have a 21' boat, and I used to have a short shaft merc 7.5 HP (2 stroke) and it pushed me "okay"

Now I have a honda long shaft 7.5 ( 4 stroke) and I can actually move at a pretty good clip (easily double the merc's short shaft speed)


There was one occasion with my short shaft 7.5 when I was in a slow flowing river when it wasn't enough to push me up-stream.

I don't imagine your boat being much smaller than mine, (mine's an open bow)
I would say 3 HP is fine for still water, but if you have some head-winds or some currents, it might not be enough mojo.

Also consider where the kicker came from. Was it used as the main motor for something small like a dingy? if so, it may be way over-propped for your boat. The wrong prop can turn a 3hp into a 1 hp really fast (I think my short shaft merc was over-proped aswell)


Mind you though, a 3HP is still much much better than a paddle!

 

[Bondo]

Re: 3 HP kicker motor is it enough?

Ayuh,....

Depending on the Wind,+ the Current,....

It might Possibly push you in the direction you Want to go,.....

 

[Fishermark]

Re: 3 HP kicker motor is it enough?

Just a reminder - you will need a separate gas tank with the mixed gas for that old motor. If you forget to store that then you will be out of luck and still needing a tow. (Assuming it is a two stroke? )

 

[chiefalen]

Re: 3 HP kicker motor is it enough?

Got a 3 gallon small gas can already. Should fit neat and nice in one small hole i have empty. The motor itself will be wrapped up and tied down in my cuddy.

Thanks guys now that i have the setup i won't need it. Thats how it works sometimes.

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

Re: 3 HP kicker motor is it enough?

I have a 15hp on my 22' and with a little wind on the lake, no current I top out at 5mph on gps. I'd say you're a litte underpowered unless you have no wind and no current. On a 19ft I would go with a 9hp min. I realize that you are setting this up for an emergency situation, but you don't want to find out at the wrong time that you don't have enough power. I would think about offering it for trade with a little cash and get a bigger engine. At the very least, try it out in the worst real world scenario that you can when you have the main engine in case it doesn't work out.

 

[1970 Chieftain V]

Re: 3 HP kicker motor is it enough?

Another thing to think about is having a chain to be able to attach the motor to the boat while putting it on the kicker plate. Sure would suck to lose the motor overboard when you need it.

Jason

 

[mylesm260]

Re: 3 HP kicker motor is it enough?

I would at the very least take your kicker on a test run, make sure that everything works out. Like everyone said, it would really suck to find out when you actually needed it that something's wrong.


And yes, DEFINITLY tie it to something while you install it. Even though it's only a 3hp and it's probably pretty light, you still don't want to drop it in the drink while your trying to mount it.

My 7HP honda kicker is heavy, and really tricky to mount while already out in the water.