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kicker on 16' cruiser

 
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zuunami



Joined: 10 Aug 2021
Posts: 223
City/Region: Fort Bragg
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 16 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Oh Buoy!
Photos: zuunami
PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2022 8:39 pm    Post subject: kicker on 16' cruiser Reply with quote

Earlier this year I posted questions about the best kicker for a 16' cruiser, and got a lot of great advice, as usual. We ended up getting a short shaft 5hp Mercury (our main is a 50hp Merc), and went out for the first time yesterday.

We were running in a river that feeds into the ocean, and went out a bit into the ocean, and the tides weren't that significant, nor was the wind.

The kicker was not very responsive, I'm very glad we didn't go with a smaller hp. I'm not sure if it's the shaft length (the top of the prop blade when in the top position is just exactly at the bottom of the boat), or the fact that it's not a high thrust prop. Although I recall someone saying earlier that a high thrust prop is most beneficial at high speeds, which is not what we want to use it for.

And, we don't want to put it on a plate so that we can submerse it further, or back so that we get more water, it's hard enough to sit back there and use it without it being further back.

Anyway, we're going to get the high thrust prop and see how that does, just wanted to pass on our experience.

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Karen W. and Robert R.- Fort Bragg, CA - Oh Buoy!
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lloyds



Joined: 02 Aug 2005
Posts: 1724
City/Region: sublimity
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 1996
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: undecided
Photos: 1996 22 Cruiser (Lloyds)
PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2022 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't bother changing the prop. The motor is too small for anything other than trolling in calm water. You won't be able to control it in a breeze or fight current. You need a twin cylinder of 8 hp or a little more to be effective.
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srbaum



Joined: 30 Aug 2010
Posts: 875
City/Region: Portsmouth
State or Province: VA
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 26 Venture
Vessel Name: Osprey
Photos: Osprey
PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2022 6:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rober and Karen,
If you desire control and the best performance, at or below 6 kts., the high thrust prop IS the answer. I probably sell on average 20 of the 4/5/6 hp Tohatsu’s (also sold as Nissan, Mercury and 4 stroke Evinrude’), per year. If that outboard is pushing a 12’ aluminum skiff, the standard prop is the best choice, but moving a heavy object, with a lot of windage, the high thrust prop is night a day.
My 24’ long x 18’ wide trimaran has one of these outboards and it pushes it at 5 kts at about 1/2 throttle. Before I had the high thrust prop, I had to crank the throttle to wide open to get the same speed and had very poor docking characteristics.

_________________
Steve Baum
Homeport of Portsmouth, VA
OSPREY (Ex Mister Sea) 2000 22 C-Dory 2010 - Sold 3/19
OSPREY (Ex ADITI) 2007 26 Cape Cruiser 2018
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zuunami



Joined: 10 Aug 2021
Posts: 223
City/Region: Fort Bragg
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 16 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Oh Buoy!
Photos: zuunami
PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2022 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, Steve, we have one on order, we thought we'd give it a try. At least we'll have an extra prop Smile Thanks for all of your past advice, hope you're right about this too (I think you probably are Smile
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thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20778
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2022 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What Steve says makes a lot of sense. 5 HP with the correct prop and gearig will push a boat considerably larger at a decent speed. My father's 26' sailboat, with hull form very similar to a C Dory 25, would run right along at 5 knots with a 5 hp older (1930's) outboard. I rebuilt a very similar motor to be used on a 15 foot skiff, at a summer camp, and it did very well in some bad conditions.

Yes a 8 Hp high thrust will do better, but don't give up on a 5 hp.

I am running a 2 1/2 Suzuki on my 18' catamaran, and it pushes right along.

_________________
Bob Austin
Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
Caracal 18 140 Suzuki 2007 to present
Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
C Pelican; 1992, 22 Cruiser, 2002 thru 2006
Frequent Sea; 2003 C D 25, 2007 thru 2009
KA6PKB
Home port: Pensacola FL
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zuunami



Joined: 10 Aug 2021
Posts: 223
City/Region: Fort Bragg
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 16 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Oh Buoy!
Photos: zuunami
PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2022 3:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, no, we're not giving up on the 5hp, we don't want any more weight aft than we have to. We'll make it work Smile
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zuunami



Joined: 10 Aug 2021
Posts: 223
City/Region: Fort Bragg
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 16 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Oh Buoy!
Photos: zuunami
PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2022 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What we may regret is getting a short shaft instead of long, it sits so high in the water. We'll see Smile
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