62_Kiwi
Lieutenant Junior Grade
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2002
- Messages
- 1,159
I recently added a 8hp 2-stroke kicker to my 19' F/G CC boat and have since used it on several boat trips. I now realise that there are a number of issues, pros and cons to having a kicker and thought that listing these might be useful to anyone considering adding a kicker to their boat.<br /><br />The kicker I'm using is a 1988 Tohatsu 8hp 2 stroke which I bought through the local "Trade & Exchange" for NZ$650 = US$275. My local boat shop fitted the auxilary bracket for an all-up cost of NZ$150 = US$65. The main motor is an Evinrude V4 115hp. The kicker will push the boat at 5 knots when fully loaded and 4 adults on board, whereas the main motor reaches 35 to 40 knots. I liked the Tohatsu as a kicker because of it's light weight (under 60lbs), it's reliability and it's well supported by my local boat dealers. So far the engine has performed well and started first pull, every time.<br /><br />The pros are as follows (and pretty much what you'd expect)...<br /><br />1. I have a backup motor in case my main one fails for whatever reason. There are many possible causes of motor failure, some of them are hard to guard against. I find that I'm now not as concerned about the possibility of engine failure when out on the water.<br /><br />2. Better (safer) operation in very shallow water. I found this useful the other day when launching at low tide on minimal water depth. The kicker doesn't need as much depth. It's also a less expensive motor to risk damaging on the bottom.<br /><br />3. Trolling. The kicker is a lot quieter than the main engine and you can also operate it at relatively high revs for trolling - so as well as not scaring away the fish, you don't carbon up your motor.<br /><br />The cons, while not major, are these...<br /><br />1. Towing the boat on the trailer - you notice the extra weight on the transom. This causes the boat to tend to swing from side to side a little more than previously. The balance of the boat & trailer is now different - lighter at the front because of being heavier at the back. An adjustment to the boat's position on the trailer was required to shift the centre of gravity.<br /><br />2. The extra weight on the transom also changes the balance of the boat on the water. Weight at the back is obviously not too useful when you're trying to do a quick start and your bow goes up in the air. Also, it's weight is on one side only (the left on mine), which is slightly noticable. I'm now used to this and have resisted the temptation to try the boat without the kicker... <br /><br />3. Fuel is a hassle on my boat because my main engine is a 2 stroke with a seperate VRO oil tank - so I don't normally have pre-mix 2 stroke fuel on board. I have to have a separate small tank for the kicker with pre-mixed 2 stroke fuel. My solution is to only mix up a minimal amount of 2 stroke to leave in it's tank and keep another tank of unmixed in the boat as well as a pack of 2 stroke oil. That way I can use these in whichever motor needs it and means I also have spare fuel (& oil) on board for the main motor.<br /><br />4. The kicker is tiller controlled, so it's a bit more difficult to see where you're going from the back of the CC boat. It's more difficult to manouvre in and out of boat ramp areas than when on the main motor. Still, for that purpose it's just a backup so that's OK (better than nothing).<br /><br />5. I would hate to have to rely on the kicker in rough seas... It's fine in calmer waters - but rough seas would cause the boat to lift up and down at the stern so much that the leg of the kicker would at times lift well out of the water. Also the power of the kicker would probably not be enough to hold course in high swells...<br /><br />6. It's an expensive decoration. Most of the time it doesn't get used - it just sits there. When you've just spent a lot of money buying one, you quickly realise you're not going to see much action for your cash.<br /><br />7. There is extra hassle. After use in sea water you've got to flush it out with muffs, the same way as your main motor. You have to make sure you run the motor regularly (as you need to do with all petrol motors) and that the gas doesn't go stale. The kicker also needs it's regular servicing just like any other outboard. This is all extra hassle and responsibility.<br /><br />8. The cost. Of course it's extra money to spend and you might not ever need it. You do of course buy some extra peace of mind - just like an insurance policy.<br /><br />Conclusion...<br /><br />Overall, I'm glad I added the kicker. I think the peace of mind and extra safety is worth the cost and extra hassle - even if my main outboard never fails. The other uses like shallow water and trolling also add to the equation...
