T-8 Thrust Capability

[Sparky]

I have another boat so, the rigging journey starts allover again.
I am trying to find out if the T-8 is capable of handling a 7,000lb.
boat for trolling? I have a 27' Sea Ray Amberjack with twin 350 Chevy engines. I have heard that they use the Yamaha High Thrust kickers in the Northwest to troll with on boats up to 35'. I was wondering if anyone else had heard of this and is it a reasonable application for the T-8? It would sure save a lot of hours on the main engines. I would hate to make the purcahse and then find out that the motor couldn't handle what was being expected of it. I have enjoyed using my HT9.9 Yamaha and TR-1 to troll with. I would like to continue fishing this way with a T-8 and TR-1 on the larger boat.

[mlc]

Hi Sparky. I live in the Seattle area and have never seen a 35 foot vessel trolling with a T8.

The T8 is a great unit. I troll and position with one on a 17.5 heavy aluminum Deep-V that weight almost 4000 lbs. The T8 will handle most of what comes my way. I have to deal with wind and strong tidal currents when fishing salt water and there are times when I wish I had the 9.9.

I do not see, and this is strictly a personal opinion or observation, how a vessel in the 35 foot range could be well served by a T8 unless it is a perfectly calm day with flat water, no swells, zero wind and zero current. I am looking to pick up a larger boat before retirement so as to extend my fishing range. I would not even consider a T8. In my opinion only a 15 Hoserpower unit would work.

Take care,
mlc

[Sparky]

My boat is 27' long. I had just been told that they used the HT9.9 on boats up to 35'. I have a T9.9 now but, was looking to get a unit with power tilt and trim. I probably wasn't too clear on that. I will try and find out if Yamaha makes a High Thrust 15hp. unit. Factory reps at the Detroit Boat Show told me that the T8 has more thrust for moving a heavy boat than a 15hp engine has. If you want to run a small boat at higher speed the 15hp is a good choice. But, for moving a larger boat at trolling speeds the HT units are better. I would like to find out a little more before committing to a purchase and then discovering that it won't work. That would be an expensive mistake. Thank you for the response. Maybe someone else on the west coast has used or seen a setup like this.

[mlc]

Hey Sparky. I agree with you that the HT models are the way to go unless you need the extra speed.

My T8 does not have power trim and tilt. I added a Panther 35 and purchased the Canadian version of the T8. If the HT option is important you can always mount the 15 or 9.9 hp unit to a Panther 35.

How does your 9.9 handle the job?

mlc

[Sparky]

My HT9.9 is currently mounted on a 21' Smokercraft. It does a great job on that boat. I heard reports of the HT9.9 being used on boats 27' and larger. I was trying to find out what size I'd need to get for a 27' fiberglass boat. The factory rep and autopilot people felt that the T8 should do the job. I'd like a little more information before committing to that expense. It would be disturbing to purchase the motor and autopilot just to discover it wasn't up to the task.

[Kodiak]

Check with the motor dealer to see about loaning or renting a T-8 on the boat to try it out before purchase. Make it a tiller and there should be no extra rigging for the trial.

[Sparky]

I didn't even know that was an option. Thank you for the idea. I'll check with the local dealer about it. A friend at work suggested to mount my current HT9.9 with TR-1 and see if it does the job. That way I won't be out for a new motor if it doesn't work. If it works, I can then pruchase a Panther bracket, buy the T-8, or try one on "loan" to verify capability. Thanks again.

[Shawn]

I had this conversation with a guy that owns a 5,000 lb. Wellcraft. Whether or not the smaller motor moves the boat is only part of it. The question is whether it moves the boat efficiently. A T-8 will run higher RPMs and use more gas than a larger motor at less RPMs. It will also work better in wind...

[Sparky]

I called out to the west coast today. They told me of boats larger than mine running the HT9.9 for charter service. I just might pull that puppy and try it on the new boat. If it doesn't work, I'm out a Panther 35 and a set of remote controls. It might be worth a few hundred for the experiment. It should be OK for at least 85% of the trolling I do. The motor might be marginal for some windy days. If I get it put together and working I'll repost in the future about the outcome. I still don't know how to get the remote controls into the boat without an ugly hole.

[Bo]

Hi Sparky, just an observation. Make sure with the Panther 35 that you have enough clearance for the motor. On most larger boats (23' and up), we have found that you need the wedges for better clearance. Just a thought! Have a nice evening, Bo #582

[Sparky]

I would be mounting it on a swim platform. When we go for the sea trial in spring, I am going to have the surveyor check the platform supports to verify that they are strong enough for a kicker. If not, I'll look into beefing it up. I'm also wondering how long a shaft I'll need to keep my prop in the water.