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We will be closed Saturday July 31st and Monday August 2nd to observe the Civic Holiday long weekend
.. We hope that everyone enjoys another great long weekend on the water!
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Many fishermen with larger fishing boats prefer to troll with an auxiliary outboard, or kicker. If you are planning to add a kicker to your boat there are many things to consider.
The most widely used outboard for this application is a 9.9 hp four stroke but these engines come in a wide array of models, many of which are purpose built, specifically for this use.
Its always wise to start with a plan and we hope that this article helps you to come up with one. Will your engine hang on the transom alongside your primary engine or will an aftermarket auxiliary bracket be installed? Is there a swim platform that may restrict the installation? If so, will you modify it, remove it or choose a bracket that works in conjunction with the platform? Once you have determined how the engine will mount, you will need to decide what length the engine should be. Outboards are commonly available in short shaft, long shaft and extra long shaft measuring roughly 15, 20 or 25 respectively from the transom cap to the cavitation plate.
How are you going to start your outboard? Manual start and electric start models are available in most configurations. A 9.9 hp four stroke motor isnt too hard to pull but how accessible will it be a way back there in a pitching sea?
There are many options for steering and controlling your outboard. For smaller boats with an open transom arrangement, a simple tiller handle model just might fit the bill. As boats get larger and deeper, a remote steering/remote control option begins to make more practical sense. Power trim is also becoming quite popular in this segment. A 9.9 four stroke weighs from 80 to 100 lbs. That is a lot of weight mounted in an awkward location to be lifted manually.
If you feel that remote steering is your best route there are still more choices to make. A tie bar can be used on most outboard-to-outboard applications and some sterndrive to outboard installations to allow you to steer the kicker from the helm. Tie bars work the best if your two outboards are mounted on a lateral plane and at similar heights. If your kicker is mounted aft of your main engine a tie bar can be a frustration. If you have a sterndrive engine with power steering then a tiebar might not be a practical choice. Try steering your car with the engine off and you will see what we mean here. You loose the benefit of power assist when the primary engine isn't running.
Gaining in popularity are a wide variety of electric or hydraulic remote steering devices. This equipment can offer you the ability to move about the cockpit of your boat and steer your kicker with a wired (or wireless) joystick style control. Garmins Nautimatic TR-1 Gold system offers an autopilot feature for your auxiliary engine for the ultimate in control in a heavy sea.
We may not have answered many questions or solved all of your trolling motor installation concerns, but we hope that we have given you some background information to allow you to take a look at your boat, consider your needs and priorities, and help you decide what type of kicker would best fit the needs of you and your boat.
If a full width swim platform is installed on your boat, consider an auxiliary mount that is designed to install to the horizontal swim platform surface. Some mount above and others hang under the swim platform. The height of your swim platform above the water will determine the shaft length that you will need for your kicker.
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