Loosing the Kicker motor...

Willywonka

New Member
I was recently at the boat show in Vancouver and chatting with a fella (he has his own Fishing show, Big Coast??). He has twins on his boat and says he ditched the kicker and dials down the rpms to troll on the mains. Alternating to keep hours even.

I am repowering with twin 200’s and the Merc rep says I can troll at low speeds (25 rpm increments.) and it will not harm the engine. Extra maintenance and lots of hours are obvious cons.

I have an extra engine for the tender as a safety as we fish North of Hardy.

What do you all think of not having a kicker when you have twins?? Anyone else set up this way?
Thanks guys!
 
I pull start kicker is a life saver. You can even have them dual manual/remote start. What happens is you are miles from shore with no power? The kicker is a backup. I would personally never be out on ocean without one. Especially offshore.
My kicker is manual and remote start. Can’t imagine not having that option as well!
 
My usual fishing day is 5-8 hours on the kicker, and 30-90 minutes on the mains. Think about what those extra hours on the mains do to your resale value when the time comes, or how much faster the time comes to repower.
 
I pull start kicker is a life saver. You can even have them dual manual/remote start. What happens is you are miles from shore with no power? The kicker is a backup. I would personally never be out on ocean without one. Especially offshore.
Wonder if those portable jump starters might not be an answer. Personally I’d sure look into one if going offshore.
 
Lots of boats are running twins. If one does stop running, you chance of getting back in a decent amount of time is greatly increased. The control when steering at trolling speed is better. Newer engines last a very long time, so its not like you have to repower as frequently, and computer print outs have for years shown us the true work load on an engine. Lots of pros and cons, but I would prefer to have 2 larger motors.
 
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Lots of boats are running twins. If one does stop running, you chance of getting back in a decent amount of time is greatly increased. The control when steering at tolling speed is better. Newer engines last a very long time, so its not like you have to repower as frequently, and computer print outs have for years shown us the true work load on an engine. Lots of pros and cons, but I would prefer to have 2 larger motors.
Yes. But why not twins and a kicker.....?
 
Was at Langara last summer and we fished on a 28 Grady with twin 200 Yamahas. Those 2 engines were running when we boarded at 5:3am and weren’t shut down till 8pm when we returned. Constantly shifting in and out of gear while mooching cut plug. They had over 4000 hours each and ran perfect.
However I have had 3 Yamaha High Thrust 9.9’s over the years and would definitely get another.
I mentioned on another thread here that twins burn 20 to 30% more fuel than a single plus double the maintenance.
Twins are louder at cruise as you do have 2 engines running and even though the rpm’s are synced you get harmonics.
Twins are very nice for docking but other than that more expensive imo.
 
Better to have more running time on the main(s)
I have seen so many boats that have a kicker and don't use it.
In fact without regular use the kicker may not even run when needed.
I agree when fishing offshore it's a safety factor.
 
When your getting stuff at a fraction of the cost is common folk pay then yeah sure why not go without a kicker when you get new engines every season. Pretty sure he only puts 400 hours on both those mains as well last time I saw them for sale on Craig’s. Buy a kicker troll on that it’s disposable not a 25k main.
 
There was talk over the years of 9.9 hp or less for trolling in many places of bc coast.idle free BC
 
I do my best not to run up unnecessary hours on the very expensive to replace main outboard. Even when we come down off plane to check the traps on the way in, I start the kicker which is full remote, very easy to do and only takes a couple of seconds, so as not to put extra minutes on the main while we are running around messing with the traps.
 
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