Looking for feedback on 6hp kickers

Best Day

Hi all, I seldom post here but read the site almost daily.

I am looking for a kicker for my Cape Cruiser 23 which as most of you know is now the C-Dory Venture 23. I am considering the new Yamaha 6hp and would like some feedback from other users of 6hp's as their kicker. I have used the search function and obtained a lot of info from this sight already but still have some questions.

My intended use for this motor is strictly as an emergency backup to my main and I may occasionally use it on my tender. I plan on keeping it mounted on the transom full time and running it every time I launch the boat to get out of the harbor. This will make sure it is working and will make sure that it gets run on a regular basis so when I need it I know it will work. I'm going to tee a fuel line off my main and will connect the kicker to the main with a steering link. With this setup my plan is that in an emergency I can lower the kicker, start it, put it in gear, lock the throttle in place and then steer from inside the cabin. Any feedback on this plan would be appreciated.

Also I would like some feedback from people that have used a 6hp on their 22 or 23. I basically just want to be sure before I buy the 6hp that it is enough kicker to get me home when I need it. My worst case scenario would be I lose my main and need to go uphill into a 2 or 3 foot wind chop. Is this kicker enough to get me home at 4-5 knots?

I've looked around at the available 6hp kickers and I think the new Yamaha is the best one available right now. It has the largest displacement at 8.5 CI's and has the largest prop at 8.5" with a 6.5" pitch. It also has a built in fuel tank which will be convenient when or if I ever use it on the dingy. It does cost a little more then the other kickers but it will match my main. Any feedback?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Bill

sjhantzis · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 5:48 pm Post subject: Kicker

I'm thinking of putting a 5 hp Honda on my 25' so I'll be interested in your responses.

journey on · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 6:14 pm Post subject:

I don't know about a 5 HP on a 23, but I have a 10 HP Honda on a 25. I've used it once as a get me home motor, and I certainly wouldn't go any smaller. If all you want is a safety motor, go for 15 on a 25. If you want a motor for both the boat and a dingy, 10 is the smallest.

Also, Honda is the heaviest outboard made, and it gets harder to lift it on with each passing day/year/eon. Tohatsus are light and cheaper.

Boris

Wefings · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 8:12 pm Post subject:

Do not look at my signature .
Marc

SGIDave

thataway · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 9:52 pm Post subject:

Despite the "Popularity" of the larger kickers--the 6 hp is fine on a 22 to 23 foot boat. The 10 hp to 25 hp are often too large for all but the larges of RIB dinghy motors.

bschell · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:12 pm Post subject:

I CAN HERE IT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF WEATHER AND WAVES, SWEETIE WE ARE GOING TO DIE TODAY BUT AT LEAST OUR KICKER MATCHES THE COLOR OF THE MAIN ENGINE, WOW! SORRY BEST DAY, JUST PULLING YOUR CHAIN! I HAVE A 6HP FOUR STROKE KICKER (TOHATSU) AND BY THE WAY THAT IS ONE HELL OF AN ENGINE, I LOVE IT. A GREAT ENGINE FOR THE TENDER ( WHICH I USE) BUT AS FAR AS PUSHING THE 22'? HAVE YOU EVER MADE A TUNA FISH SANDWICH WITH NO TUNA? THAT'S IT PERIOD, GO A LITTLE BIGGER!

BRIAN SCHELL

Jeff & Mimi · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:40 am Post subject:

We have a 10 HP. Honda on our 22 FT. Angler and I wouldn't consittier going any smaller. The thing about this style of boat is that with the tall pilot house the boat catches allot of wind. I feel if I were running into a 20 knott wind and had to depend on my kicker to keep me out of trouble anything smaller than a 10 HP motor just Isn't going to do it.

Best Day · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:42 am Post subject:

Well I do understand that a larger kicker will be more powerful and I do want a kicker that will do the job. That is why I am asking these questions. I know that several people on this site are using 6hp's as kickers and I would like to know how they feel they perform. People have said that the 6hp's are fine in "some wind and chop". I just don't know what that means.

I do respect thataways opinion. And I have read on prior posts on this forum that people using the 6hp's are happy with them as kickers on the 22's and 23's. I am just looking for some more specifics as to conditions and speeds.

Bschell, have you ever used the 6hp on the 22? If so what were the conditions and what kind of speed did you get?

Thanks,
Bill

T.R. Bauer · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:50 am Post subject:

First and foremost, there is a huge difference between a kicker used for only the purpose of fishing, and one used to get you back. I have a 6 hp kicker (evinrude twin) and it is great for fishing and on the dink. I suppose if conditions were right it might get you back to the dock too someday. But with that said, I wouldn't count on getting there very fast as even in the best of conditions it will only move the boat at about 5 mph at wide open throttle. Is that enough? Probably on most days, but is it enough power on a windy day with the tide going out? I don't think so as on occasion I have trolled at wide open throttle against the tide and wind and gone nowhere according to the GPS. Would a 15-20 horse move you better in those conditions? I think it would as you would have much more control and power, even if you didn't have much more speed.

bschell · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:39 am Post subject:

YES, I BOUGHT THE 6HP FOR THE DUAL PURPOSE, IN THE BEST OF CONDITIONS AT WOT (WIDE OPEN THROTTLE) IT WILL VIBRATE, SO YOU NEED TO THROTTLE DOWN A BIT. I THINK FOR FISHING HALIBUT IT WOULD BE FINE! BUT IN A PINCH (THIS IS THE KEY WORD HERE) AS THE CAPTAIN AND THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHERS ON BOARD, I HAVE NO FAITH IN A 6HP MATCHED WITH A 22' C-DORY AT STANDARD LOAD. I HAVE OVER 1200 HRS ON MY BOAT, I HAVE HAD THAT 6HP HANGING OFF THE BACK FOR EVERYONE OF THEM (THIS IS WHERE I PUT MY FOOT IN MY MOUTH) AND I KEEP TELLING MYSELF GET YOUR BUTT DOWN TO DEALER AND GET A BIGGER MOTOR! THANK GOD, OR WHO EVER FOR VESSEL ASSIST

thataway · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:50 pm Post subject:

I have used a 2.5 hp and a 3.5 hp kicker on both the 22 and the 25 C Dories. They will get you home. The speed will be somewhere in the 3 to 5 knot range, depending on wind and seas. If there are exterme seas, and wind, then you go across wind and waves.

I once lost the transmission on a 62 foot motor sailer (35 tons)--and the first engine I could get in the water was on a dinghy which had a 4.5 hp outboard engine. That would push the boat at 2.5 knots--enough to steer the boat and get us on a safe course. A 25 hp on an inflatable increased the speed to 5 knots!

I have boated many thousands of miles on a 26 foot sailboat, which had as much or more windage as a C Dory 25 with an antique 5 hp outboard as the only power--it will get you somewhere safe.

When you get up to 10 hp or more, the engines get heavy and more difficult to put on a dinghy--if the dinghy will handle it (most dingies used on the C Dory 22 and 25 will not handle this much hp). You can use a Guerhaur davit to lift any of these motors from the bracket to a dinghy--I believe I have some photos in the album of this being done--I do it with even the 3.5 and have done it with a 15 Honda I own. Even though I own a 15 Honda, I have used the 2.5 or 3.5 as a kicker.

If you want to try and buck into heavy seas and wind; then yes, you need a good 8 hp high thrust (large prop, lower gear ratio)--but the engine you describe also will fill the bill. A 15 is basically the same engine as most 10's--the 10's "legal" on some lakes where a larger HP is not allowed.
However, bucking into seas and wind with even an 15 hp will be a difficult ride--how are you going to steer it? What is the geometry of the bracket and clearing the main engine--plus weight distribution?

Best Day · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:28 pm Post subject:

bschell, are you getting about the same speeds with your 6hp? 5mph in calm conditions? Have you ever tried it with some wind or chop?

Bauer luckily around here we don't usually have to worry about wide currents. I'm usually in the open ocean. I'm sure you can get tides moving at 3-5knots or more.

I just reread my last post and it sounded angry. I don't want to come across that way. I'm just trying to clarify.

If one day I do have to use the 6hp kicker and can only get 3 knots uphill into chop then I'm fine with that. The rest of the time I'll have a lighter boat and $$$ in my pocket.

Anyone else using 6hp kickers with feedback?

Bill

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:19 pm Post subject:

bschell · Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:48 pm Post subject:

I HAVE A GREAT IDEA BEST DAY? I THINK YOU AND I ARE IN EACH OTHERS BACKYARDS, I WOULD BE MORE THAT HAPPY TO MEET YOU AT A HUNTINGTON BEACH RAMP, AND YOU CAN DECIDE FOR YOUR SELF WHAT THE 6 HP WILL OR WILL NOT DO! OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE GAS, BEER AND THE GIRLS. JUST KIDDING ABOUT THE GAS AND BEER!
WE WILL DO SMOOTH STUFF AND THEN GO GET SOME PACIFIC WATER?