Kicker size

Orion

Member
Hey guys just was wondering what size kicker would be good for my boat. It's a 1952 Bayliner with a drop down kicker bracket. I'm thinking 8 hp 4 stroke high thrust. But am unsure as to shaft length. Any info would be great. Thanks
 
Hey guys just was wondering what size kicker would be good for my boat. It's a 1952 Bayliner with a drop down kicker bracket. I'm thinking 8 hp 4 stroke high thrust. But am unsure as to shaft length. Any info would be great. Thanks

How big is your boat?
 
I have a 9.9 merc 4 stroke on my campion 622 and it pushes it along real nice, the boats 23.5' and about 4000lbs if memory serves me right
Tim
 
I've got a 21 Ft 4000 lb (loaded) boat. 8 HP Yam high thrust pushes it along at 4-5 knots full out, trolls nicely at 2-3 mph all day long on a couple of litres of fuel. Great motor...
 
Thanks for the info guys. That helps a lot. Pescador that is exactly what I wanted and was hoping to hear.
 
I've got a 8 hp on a 23 ft Hourston(#6500) and no problems yet. great for trolling
 
I like the extra long shaft but a long shaft will work good also. 8hp will push your boat like nothing up to 5-6 mph no problem.
 
6hp yami with an 8 prop.. ran this on my 2102 trophy, tweak the linkage a lil and you get an 8 ...and save 300 bucks
 
Remember to check the weight rating on the bracket high trust 4 strokes are heavy and the high trust puts way more force on the bracket than say a 9.9 2 stroke.
 
Suggest Yamaha 8 long shaft, plenty of power and lightest 4 stroke avail.
I had the same model boat 15 years ago (a 1994 1952 Capri cuddy) with a Honda 8 longshaft and was perfect
Hook up the EZ steer and away you go!
GA
 
Size 9 with steel toe for when you need that extra Ommph! ;)

But a 7.5 honda pushes my 22 foot 1800 lbs sailer nicely even into wind and or current. Ya I"m a freak I fish out of a sail boat. LOL!
 
well- if you ever spent 4 hours in thankfully calm sea and sunshine getting back to port with a 9.9 4 stroke--you will never want to do it again--therefore my new boat has twin 150's - but if you need a kicker- try an electric start 30hp- not much more money and usefull for more than fishing IMO.
 
well- if you ever spent 4 hours in thankfully calm sea and sunshine getting back to port with a 9.9 4 stroke--you will never want to do it again--therefore my new boat has twin 150's - but if you need a kicker- try an electric start 30hp- not much more money and usefull for more than fishing IMO.


i thinks his boat is a 18.5,, no way would he be able to run a 30..... a feature i will never go without tho is a kicker with electric start as well as a pull, this in conjunction of course with an alternator.
 
My kicker is electric start and I really wish it had pull start as well. Good call trophywife.
 
well- if you ever spent 4 hours in thankfully calm sea and sunshine getting back to port with a 9.9 4 stroke--you will never want to do it again--therefore my new boat has twin 150's - but if you need a kicker- try an electric start 30hp- not much more money and usefull for more than fishing IMO.

X2 on thinking you are going to run-in very far on a kicker! If you think 4 hours is bad, wait until you are 29NM offshore and your GPS tells it isn't hours, it is in how many DAYS it will take!

i thinks his boat is a 18.5,, no way would he be able to run a 30..... a feature i will never go without tho is a kicker with electric start as well as a pull, this in conjunction of course with an alternator.

X2, on the electric and pull start, plus alternator!

The boat is stated to be 18.5ft. with a Mercury 3.0ltr i/b (believe that is actually an I/O), with a drop down kicker mount.

If it idles down to desired trolling speeds, it probably doesn’t even need a kicker? However, if one is wanted just for trolling and want to save hours on the main, yep the 8HP will do the job. Get the longer shaft, as it will help keep the kicker engine from going underwater in following seas and swells. I also, hate hearing those short shaft kicker props coming out of the water all the time while in chop and swells.

That is a shallow draft boat and it doesn’t need a lot of “thrust” to move it. The main should, and ANY kicker will idle down to trolling speeds. If wanting something to get back-in on, go with the additional “horsepower,” not the additional "thrust" (e.g. 15-20HP). Both will idle down just fine; however, the additional horsepower will get you in faster! The “horsepower” will give you additional speed, if and when needed to run-in on that kicker! Thrust = moves boat. Horsepower = moves boat faster.

FYI... That inboard/outboard is probably already stern heavy? So, WATCH HANGING ANY ADDITIONAL WEIGHT off that stern, as you just might find those scuppers going underwater. Scuppers underwater = scupper gets debris in it = scupper sticks open = boat takes on water!
 
I thought you were limited to 'hull speed' with a planing hull http://www.sailingusa.info/cal__hull_speed.htm no matter what size motor you used unless said motor can plane the boat.

I think that calculation example shown is correct if referring to a “displacement hull”? But, we be talking about very small, light weight, shallow draft, fishing boat, with a planing hull. That really has no need for that additional “thrust” to get it moving. It certainly does need horsepower if one wants to move it faster and if in strong winds even control it. The planning hull and displacement hull would be two completely different animals. Just might need that additional thrust to move a heavy displacement hull.

The “Hull speed” is getting a little off track from the thread? It would take quite a large “kicker” to get his boat to plane; however, it wouldn't take much "horsepower" to increase the boats speed. To plane, it is all about the power-to-weight ratio. If any kicker was to ever plane a boat, I really wouldn’t worry too much about Hull speed:

Hull speed, sometimes referred to as displacement speed, is the speed of a boat at which the bow and stern waves interfere constructively, creating relatively large waves, and thus a relatively large value of wave drag. Though the term "hull speed" seems to suggest that it is some sort of "speed limit" for a boat, in fact drag for a displacement hull increases smoothly and at an increasing rate with speed as hull speed is approached and exceeded, with no noticeable inflection at hull speed. Heavy boats with hulls designed for planing generally cannot exceed hull speed without planing. Light, narrow boats with hulls not designed for planing can easily exceed hull speed without planing; indeed, the unfavorable amplification of wave height due to constructive interference diminishes as speed increases above hull speed. For example, world-class racing kayaks can exceed hull speed by more than 100%[SUP][1][/SUP], even though they do not plane. Semi-displacement hulls are intermediate between these two extremes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_speed

The concept of hull speed is not used in modern naval architecture, where considerations of speed-length ratio or Froude number are considered more helpful.

When it is at rest, a vessel's weight is borne entirely by the buoyant force. At low speeds every hull acts as a displacement hull, meaning that the buoyant force is mainly responsible for supporting the craft. As speed increases, hydrodynamic lift increases as well. In contrast, the buoyant force decreases as the hull lifts out of the water, decreasing the displaced volume. At some speed, lift becomes the predominant upward force on the hull and the vessel is planing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planing_(sailing)#How_planing_works

Displacement; the hull is supported exclusively or predominantly by buoyancy. They travel through the water at a limited rate which is defined by the waterline length. They are often heavier than planing types, though not always.
Semi-displacement, or semi-planing; the hull form is capable of developing a moderate amount of dynamic lift, however, most of the vessel's weight is still supported through buoyancy

Planing; the planing hull form is configured to develop positive dynamic pressure so that its draft decreases with increasing speed. The dynamic lift reduces the wetted surface and therefore also the drag. They are sometimes flat-bottomed, sometimes V-bottomed and sometimes round-bilged. The most common form is to have at least one chine, which makes for more efficient planing and can throw spray down. Planing hulls are more efficient at higher speeds, although they still require more energy to achieve these speeds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_(watercraft)

Some might need those "high thrust" kickers, if they have a VERY HEAVY boat with a displacement hull (e.g. sailboat or tug); however, most of us sport fishing boats don't have the need for that extra thrust. What we do or might need is that "horsepower" to either control or move the boat faster.

Other than that, don't get caught (like I did once) and buy a 9.9 "high thrust" kicker just to find out it had the thrust; however, it did NOT have the horsepower to control the boat in the winds and currents! :)
 
if you need a kicker- try an electric start 30hp- not much more money and usefull for more than fishing IMO.

I had the exact same boat until last year. For sure a 30 is way too much for it. I had a 9.9 merc four stroke. It was the last of the heavy ones and was damn near 130lbs. they got lighter the next year around 95 lbs I think. I found the 9.9 to be way enough power to push the boat and control in the wind. I Found that motor to be heavy hanging on the corner and boat would lean to port side with a passenger. For what it is worth I always said I should have gone smaller.I too had to make the trip from Bamfield to port on the 9.9 and I found the trip to be nice. I now have a 8horse Yamaha high thrust on the 21 trophy and It seems to be all she needs.

All that being said. As a former 1952 owner I would say that 8.0 to 9.9 is the ticket. Look at weight as being a big factor as it will show up on that hull.

A definite X2 on getting the long shaft. Standard will not make you happy. I tried my old evenrude first and it was out of the water as much as it was in.
 
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