New Kicker Motors

[Finished Business]

Whats the happenings with new kickers these days?

I'm in the market for a new or used kicker and am curious what people have heard or have to say about the 2014 line-up in <15hp engines?

If anyone was looking into a kicker at the boat show, what was the MFG offering as far as boat show discounts or offers? Any new features that are worth changing brands?
I've heard the new Suzuki kickers are Fuel Injected. Whats the happs there?

Any info is great.

I am currently leaning towards a Evinrude Etec 15 High Output kicker. It heavy but produces the power of a 30hp which would make Tuna trolling on the kicker possible. it has a 6 year warranty and works out to $4500-$5000, taxes, cables, controls and prop included.

Any thoughts folks on whats out there??

Cheers -FB-

 

[trophywife]

tohatsu 20 is what i did last year.. very pleased and price point was the best... breakers marine.

 

[NootkaSounder]

i have been looking for a yammy 9.9 HT 2007 era as you can put new jets in them for a 15 hp power.

talked to Lex at Jones boys at Calgary show and its 3100.00 for new 9.9 control model, manual tilt.

 

[searun]

Dumping my 9.9 yami and going with the new 20 hp Suzuki power tilt remote control unit. Bonus is they are fuel injected, so no more sputtering starts and stalls when u needed that thing most.

 

[Finished Business]

Should have mentioned I'd like to go remote this time.

 

[ComfortZone]

do you still get the troll button feature with the etech if you go remote?? that would be a big seller for me.

Yamaha makes a 25hp high thrust around 200lbs also, I would seriously consider if your looking for power, around $5000 new, ive seen them as kickers on 40ft boats. and stern weight is not a concern on your vessel...

I would be surprised if that etech HO15 or the 25 yami could push you at tuna troll speeds though...I could be wrong... anyone with experience with that??

 

[Finished Business]

do you still get the troll button feature with the etech if you go remote?? that would be a big seller for me.

Yamaha makes a 25hp high thrust around 200lbs also, I would seriously consider if your looking for power, around $5000 new, ive seen them as kickers on 40ft boats. and stern weight is not a concern on your vessel...

I would be surprised if that etech HO15 or the 25 yami could push you at tuna troll speeds though...I could be wrong... anyone with experience with that??

the old 9.9 could do about 5 mph. I figure, though not sure, a 15ho (a few dealers say its equivalent to a normal 25/30hp) could get the extra 3mph necessary to do the job of Tuna trolling. Not its sole purpose by any means, but a purpose I would like to serve with the kicker if possible.

 

[JAC]

I paid about $4000 for a new yamaha 9.9 with controls and rigged so if its 4500-5000 for the etec that seems like a good deal!!

 

[Canso]

You will only do hull speed, 5-7mph depending on your hull. You need lots of hp to get past that.
I went with a merc pro kicker electric start/tilt and remote, and added TR1 auto pilot. Love it. It's few years old now.

 

[ComfortZone]

hull/displacement speed is what Im thinking, you would be lucky push 0.5mph over that with the extra hp...8mph is plowing a lot of water with a planning hull...
the extra hp will help when conditions are poor wind/chop etc. when you need that extra thrust/bite

 

[bigbruce]

ComfortZone is right. The hull/displacement speed is going to determine how fast the kicker will push your boat regardless of it's HP. I see two advantages of more power - the ability to maintain hull speed against current (as CZ has pointed out) and the fact that a higher HP engine won't have to work quite as hard to reach and maintain hull speed than a lower HP engine. In other words, you might have to have your 9.9 wide open to hit 5 kn while you might only need 3/4 throttle on a 15 HP to reach the same speed.

 

[Derby]

Also I would add your boats ability for backing down

 

[searun]

Yup, that's exactly why the new 9.9 isn't as good as the old ones....not enough push. It's not strong enough to back up my boat. The old 9.9 was a 15 hp power head, the new ones are an 8 hp power head so not nearly the same push. That's why I'm ditching my yami and going with the 20 hp Suzuki. So depending on your hull size that 9.9 might not cut it.

 

[Finished Business]

Great point Searun. I had a 2003 yamaha 9.9, pretty sure it was one of the last yearsfor the 15 powerhead.

That thing has some push to it for sure. Im hoping to make my decision before Mar31 when boat show promotions end.

I'd like to hear more about the EFI suzuki 20. Is it a gamble guinea pigging new technology (for engines that size) in its first year?

 

[searun]

Hold onto that old yami for as long as you can. New ones are good, but weak. My boat is sitting at Breakers right now waiting for my new kicker to arrive. Won't be able to provide a report until later this spring once it's installed. What I like about it is light weight plus extra kick with 20 hp and efi for smoother running. Time will tell if all the tech hype is true.

 

[profisher]

2007 was the last year for the 9.9 with the 15 block. Mine is a 2006 and only money for repairs spent has been on fuel pump diaphragms which are a known problem. I plan on running it until it starts to use oil then rebuild it completely back to new. Haven't seen anything new in the market to make me rethink that plan.....yet.

 

[gon fishin]

Whats the happenings with new kickers these days?


FB
unquote

I personally wouldn't put an Etec as a kicker I know of 2 guys who had nothing but problems Some thing to do with carboning up and then not starting One was so bad that he made the dealer take it back These motors are meant to run and run hard and no I'm not an Etec Basher I have a 250 Etec on my 24 foot boat and I love it

I have a 15 HP Honda High trust prop,High output charger, Extra long ,Pull start ,Power tilt and electric start this has been a great motor as well I ended buying it in Port Angeles only because I couldn't find one here or on the main land and it was only a small ferry ride away Had it 2 years and has not missed a beat in 600 hours The last 10 HP Honda I owned got over 4000 hours over 11 years and it still ran great just the flywheel was wobbleing a little LOL
I also know a couple of guys with the 25 Yamaha and they are also very happy but a heavy motor

 

[Finished Business]

Hold onto that old yami for as long as you can.

I would have loved to hang onto it considering a new carb was installed in August. But someone thought they needed it more than me and it was stolen in Mid december.

Maybe I should just go back to my 97 2 stroke merc...lol...it just keeps going!

Gon FIshin - what year were the two people you knew of having problems with the 15HO. (anything smaller than the 15HO is not an etec. Their 9.9 and smaller are four stroke tohatsu motors rebranded). What years did they have problems??

Thanks

 

[gon fishin]

FB
2012 25 hp High output And the problems happened almost from the begining They run good but they are not for trolling all the time only

 

[searun]

No Suzuki 20 hp for me for a few more weeks. Shipment didn't arrive. They are so new, they haven't yet arrived.