Kicker Motor

[Ted Koski]

Fisherman

I have a 20 ft lowe V hull alum boat with a 85 tiller. I am looking for a kicker motor. I am not sure what size motor I need. 9.9 hp. 15 hp or 18hp. I fish lake Mich for salmon and Erie for walleye. I have a old 57 mercery, 4 hp, motor, but I can't control the boat with it. I use the motor just incase I get into some big motor trouble. The other reason, I want to buy a kicker motor is because most of the smaller lakes have restrictions. I have been told that I need a 15 hp or larger motor to operate my size boat. I have been told that i can change the decals to a 9.9 Hp, because the engines are actual the same except for carborator adjustments. Can anyone help me? what size motor will work with my boat. Can I swap out the decals. Is that easy to do without harming the finish? Also, Does any one know about Nissan Motors. They were less cost then most other motors. Thank You.

[HUSKY MUSKY]

I DONT KNOW WHAT STATE YOU ARE IN I LIVE IN PA A LOT LAKES HERE HAVE A 10HP LIMIT . I KNOW OF GUYS RUNNING 18 HP TOHATSUS AND GETTING CLOSE TO 30 MPH ON A 14FT BASS BOAT THIS HAS NOT GONE UN NOTICED THEY ARE CRACKING DOWN IF A DEALER I CAUGHT MAKING THESE CHANGES IT IS A HUGE FINE YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND A DEALER WHO WILL SELL YOU THE LARGER CARBS BUT USING THE MOTOR AS A KICKER IT IS NOT WORTH THE MONEY OR RISK I OWN A 17 FT BOAT WITH A 90 HP MY ADVICE TO YOU IS TO DO WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO IS PURCHASE A 9.9 FOUR STROKE THIS MOTOR WILL HAVE ALL THE POWER I NEED AND IT WILL TROLL DOWN SUPPER SLOW WHEN I NEED IT TO. BY THE WAY 3 YRS AGO I HAD A LUND 16FT REBEL 9.9 EVINRUDE WITH A 15HP CARB A MINI JACK PLATE AND A SS PROP AND WHAT I GOT FOR MY TROUBLE WAS 4MPH GOOD LUCK MIKE

[water_wolf]

Husky,
Did you research for the size kicker you are going to put on your boat or just figuring for yourself? The reason I ask is because I also have a 17' boat with 90 hp motor and I am going to shop for a kicker motor. Just wondering thanks.

Rich

[cisco]

There's a democratic process used to enact a size limit on motors for certain bodies of water. It then becomes law. You are asking here for advice on breaking the law?

If you are willing to lie about motor size by changing decals, what other lies are you willing to tell?

[Box]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-01-01 AT 01:47AM (CST)[p]We can give him the benefit of the doubt. He's asking about it, not doing it yet.

Anyway, I was Water Patrol Special Deputy (volunteer trainee, in MN) a while ago, and I actually ticketed a guy who put 9.9 stickers on his 25 hp. Of course, they are different style motors, but good patrols will look close, and they will ticket you. (The reason we did is because the lakeshore owners got a HP restriction on their lake, and the local police wanted us to ticket everybody in violation, and it was a lakeshore owner who I ticketed - go figure... plus he outright lied to me when I asked him about it. Most people write their own tickets...)

As cisco said, they put limits on for a reason, and the reason (contrary to some peoples thoughts) are not simply to hassle the public.

Anyway, a 9.9 should push your boat just fine as kicker, as long as you aren't planning on planing...

Box
MN

[Ted Koski]

Reponders,

Thank you for you responce. To answer the question with regards to "who told me of the size motor to use". It was the boat shop, where I have my boat serviced. The owner felt that Lake Mich. was a tough lake and a higher horse power motor would be required to handle ruff water. More power would be better, just encase I needed a back up motor.
With regards to changing out the decals, I was told by many many boat dealers during the fishing shows, that I could just change out the decals. They made it seem this was solution, since the motors are the same (9.9, 15 and 18), except for differant tuning and carboration. The way it was explained to me, even changing the prop on a 9.9 can incease Horse Power. As a matter of fact, the dealers would order the decals for the replacement.It is amasing how many people feel that changing the decal is a solution. If a 9.9 works, then that is the way I will plan to go!!
Cisco!!! For those of you who have never lied, please cast the first stone. I see that Cisco you dont use your real name or is your name Cisco??

[fred]

you should get a new johnson 15hp they will give you the 9.9 decals for it ,thats what we did can't tell the difference.

[Sparky]

Take a look at the Yamaha 9.9 Hi thrust. I have one on a 21' boat and it will push me at around 8 mph loaded with my family, tackle, 4 riggers, electric trolling motor, four batteries, and etc. I also leave my canvas up when I'm there. The good thing is you'd still be legal. I fish Lake Michigan out of Ludington and it handles my boat in that Lake no problem.

Sparky

[rich]

yamha 9.9 high trust only way to go . its got a large prop so you have a lots of control . good luck

[vetspet(ind)]

i have a 9.9 hp evinrude...2 stroke....had a 15 hp on my 21 ft sylvan...offshore boat....the 9.9 pushes my boat very well...my best buddy has a 10 hp merc and it pushes his 21 foot grady white very well...has had to use it in four foot waves when his main motor died...and it did the job...i had a 15 short shaft and if the prop does not extend below the bottom of your boat it will cavitate and will not develop full thrust...the "big foot" motors sound like they would be the ticket...the only thing i did not like when i checked out the big foot motors was that they are geared down much lower..i believe...and its like driving your auto in low gear all the time...sounded like it could be hard on the motor but that was just my speculation...i did not ask the board here as i'm certain these guys know if that would be true...by the way..my buddy had a 15 with a 10 decal...i didn't believe it was a 15 because it was a long shaft and on my small boat seemed about as strong as my 9.9...it took the marine mechanic 5 seconds to tell me it was a 15...it is on the coil so if you are checked and they pull the hood....you've been found out....steve