Size of kicker

DAVEY · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:20 am Post subject: Size of kicker

Hello, I would like some thoughts from fellow cdory owners. I have a 16' cruiser with a 40 hp yamaha four stroke and I am thinking of a kicker, not for trolling but for emergencies only(keeping one self of the rocks ect:).My question is do you think a 2.5 hp yamaha four stroke would do the trick.

Thanks Davey

JamesTXSD · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:36 am Post subject:

Hi Davey,

We have a 2.5 hp motor for our dinghy. It will also push our loaded 25 at about 3 knots. I would think it would be fine to move your 16 at hull speed. I've used the same motor on a small sailboat (1500 pounds, 15' waterline) and it moved that boat at hull speed.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

Stephen Williams · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:43 am Post subject:

On my 16' Cruiser, I use a 4 HP Mercury and it fits the bill for emergency use if you are not in any seas or heavy current. My use is mainly in the St. John's River and sometimes in the Intercoastal Waterway which are both pretty calm. You're going to need a bracket (I use a Garlick). If you are able to try the 2.5 HP before you purchase it, then you'll know for sure. I can almost get up to 5 MPH with the 4 HP. I would think the 2.5 HP would at least get you going in the right direction. I highly recommend an emergency engine as it provides great peace of mind!! Steve

Cutty Sark · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:05 am Post subject:

I am looking at kickers for my 16 too. I would think a 2.5 could posibbly be underpowered personally. If you just go out in lakes and calmer areas it might be ok but if you're out in the salt somewhere I would want something with a little more ummph, I've been in some pretty heavy currents and stiff winds and with a shallow draft high windage boat like the cdory I think a little more hp would be worth the weight/cost. I'm personally going to get a 5 or 6 tohatsu I think(but I fish), they both weigh in at 55 lbs and have a decent charging output. But a 4 would probably be ok too.

Sark

starcrafttom · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject:

I have a 22 with a 90 honda and a 9.9 nissan. We lost a prop blade this summer and thank goodness for the kicker. we were able to travel 10 miles back to a marina with a shop in order to make repairs. At anything above half throttle the speed was the same. 5 knots. even though I have a kicker I mostly use the main for fishing and would have been just as happy with a smaller kicker. 6 to 8 hp with a bigger hi thrust prop. see if you can borrow a few first and try seveal befoe you buy.

turtleblues · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:16 pm Post subject:

I justs put a 8hp kicker on DVant. I will try it out this weekend to see how it works. I had a 6hp on my sailboat dinghy and was going to use that, but it was 2 stroke and storing different kinds of fuel was an issue. I may have a 3.5 hp Nissan with under 30 hours on it (although it is old. Been sitting in my basement for years). Still not sure if I will need it for a dinghy to get to and from the DVant on its mooring.

bjidzik · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 4:43 pm Post subject:

On our 16' Cruiser "Cachita", we had a Suzuki 6hp kicker with an internal/external fuel tank switch. It worked great.

mjsiega · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 4:59 pm Post subject:

I think 10% of the main engine's HP is a good standard to use for deciding on a kicker's HP.

-Mark

thataway · Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 6:34 pm Post subject:

The 2.5 hp would work fine in most conditions. I once had to push a 25 foot inboard for about 10 miles with a 2.5 hp dinghy motor (on a transom bracket)--that boat had more drag than the C Dory 25 (fixed prop, heavier, keel etc).

As I have noted in the past, I lost the transmission on a 62 foot motor sailor, 65,000 lbs. I was able to push that boat at over 3 knots with a 4.5 hp outboard on a dinghy--with a 25 hp (after I inflated the inflatable) I got the boat up to 5 knots. I have also logged thousands of miles in a 26 foot sailboat with a 5 hp outboard as its only auxillary--again that boat was bigger than a C Dory 25.

Many people are able to idle down the main engine for trolling. Modern outboards are very reliable. But some form of a kicker is advisable.

Flyer · Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 2:08 pm Post subject:

Will the outboard power the boat up a swell and push the boat against a strong wind. If not then add more power.

I know the feeling about wanting a small outboard, this is a case where needs probably dictate a larger kicker.

toyman · Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 2:59 pm Post subject:

I believe that sailors, or ex-sailors can get by with a smaller kicker than some of those who haven't experienced trying to make a boat go someplace that is directly upwind (or current) JMOO.

I have a BF8 Honda that pushes the boat well, but there is no way in Minnesota (according to little Brother, who is up on the iron range, it's the same thing as that other place) that I could muscle it off the Fan-C-Dory onto a dinghy without a davit. It will be replaced !

petemos · Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:57 pm Post subject: Kicker

I bought a 18HP Nissan 4 stroke thinking was going to use it on my 12’ dingy first. Well it was a little heavy for the dingy and somewhat scary with all the torque. I now use it as a kicker on my 22’ plumbed thru the normal fuel system and electric systems. I get 5-6MPH with the 18HP kicker and it has electric start. I think they have gone up a few $$ since I bought it, but I got if from these guys. The ship it UPS and no tax and free shipping.

www.onlineoutboards.com

C-dore · Posted: Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:13 pm Post subject:

I have a 6 hp Suzuki four stroke long shaft on Gizmo it gets it up to 8 knots wide open. Trolls good but I use the main sometimes it is quieter and alot easier to keep straight. I also keep the fuel tank on it full and hooked up the fuel line to the main fuel tank and run off of that mostly.

Jazzmanic · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:47 pm Post subject:

So is the consensus that a 2.5 Suzuki would be just fine for trolling for salmon on my 16' Angler? Even in the chop we get in Puget Sound? Just curious.

thataway · Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:59 pm Post subject:

The only problem with the 2.5 Suzuki might be getting the boat to turn head to wind or "tack" on a very windy day. However the Suzuki 2.5 seems to be a lot of push power--more than many other 2 hp and equal to some of the 3.5 hp's I have owned. (The Suzuki 2.5 is a very good engine).