Kicker Question

[ccflyer]

I've got the new kicker "sort of" installed - except I cant turn to starboard!

I've posted photos to my album. The problem is that I have to raise the tiller to steer to the right and, with the bracket in the running position, the motor is so far back you can't raise the tiller to steer without "almost" leaving the boat.

The dealer has ordered a tiller extension which has a gimbal joint. She "thinks" this will work for me.

This can't be a common problem - can it?

Any suggestions gratefully accepted. And please no cracks about just keep turning left and I'll eventually get where I need to go.

Phil

[flapbreaker]

Well a Retriever that only goes one way isn't any good. This problem is not unique. The extension with gimbal will be your cheapest solution for sure. I do a lot of trolling with mine so for me the cost of a TR-1 Gold autopilot was worth it. My kicker is mounted on a little different bracket so it's not as far back as yours is. You might take a peek in my album for comparison. There's a few close ups in my "modifications' folder.

P.S. You must tell me where you got your volt guages at and how much.

[thataway]

You may not need to have the motor down as far as you do. If it is up, you will have the head closer to the boat, and more clearance for the handle. At displacement speeds, as long as the prop is in the water and not cavitating, the kicker will work fine.

Some of use also use the main motor as a "rudder" to steer. The extension will help in both the down and up circumstances.

[Cutty Sark]

An e-z steer or equivalent would work too, but then you have to steer from the helm. Add that and a raymarine auto pilot s1000( I think), and you're set almost as good as a TR-1.

Sark

[C-WEED]

In looking at your pictures the swim step was on the port side initially. I feel the best mount for the kicker (for steering movement) is on the starboard side and swimstep to port. This makes a big difference because the tiller handle is already mounted to port on the kicker. And then you mount it next to the port side of the boat and walla! no room to turn...

I imagine that your batteries are to starboard and to offset the weight the dealer chose to put the kicker to port.?? My batteries are to starboard. I just offset the weight with other gear on board or full fuel in port tank and burn off starboard tank.

Different mounts work for different folks and situations/needs.

A few possible drawbacks of the hinged kicker mount is that the kicker is placed further aft making it hard to reach. The tiller extension is still going to have to raise up and over the corner of the boat in order to make a turn. And the increased chance of vibration to kicker and mount if there is any play in the bracket while trailering (pounding down the highway) isn't good on bracket, kicker or stern.

I don't fish much. But I do enjoy running the kicker in the outdoors of the cockpit in nice weather. No steering bar needed or wanted. Check my photos for the "mini-jacker" mount. A lot of folks here have them and I think is now the factory solution. It is a fixed mount and when mounted to starboard allows good steering in both directions. It allows the kicker to clear 10 x 12 trim tabs as in my case.

If you don't want to invest money in the TR-1 ($$$$) or other add on's you might consider moving kicker to the starboard side. This would help the steering problem but it would still be mounted far aft. Soooo, maybe consider the mini-jacker? I know.... Try not to worry about it....The holes can be filled....

We always cruise with two big dogs. I like your cruising platform. They love to see where they are going! And barking at other dogs on other boats is a plus.

[ccflyer]

Maybe moving the swim step was a mistake.

The thinking was, I'm usually the only one on the boat - except for the retrievers. I weigh 210. Add that to the 75-80 pounds for the kicker and bracket and you've got close to 300 pounds extra on the starboard side.

My batteries are in the center of the stern between the two fuel tanks.

I don't trailer the boat so I'm not too concerned with the extra stress on the bracket.

I was thinking there might be a way to rig up a quick release coupler of some sort whereby I could steer the kicker from the helm and when necessary, like to put it in reverse, go back and do that from the stern.

I expect I'll just have to see how the gimbal jointed tiller extension works and maybe I can steer from the helm using the Honda 90 just as a rudder.

Phil

[Cutty Sark]

Phil,

You can do that, thats what an EZ steer does, look in my photo album under first cruise and pics, pic # 12, that is a tie rod similar to an ez steer. Works great, and that model is pretty inexpensive, look here
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/255525/10001/401/222/6

or here
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/standard-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21276-cat21322&rid=&indexId=cat21322&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=1&parentType=index&parentId=cat21322&id=0000930

And why you're at it you might look at these

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?id=0030614&navCount=10&parentId=cat21372&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=MainCatcat21276-cat21372_TGP&parentType=index&indexId=cat21372&rid=

anyway lots of directions to go, I would avoid drilling more holes personally. Good luck.

Sark

[ccflyer]

Hey thanks Sark

Looks to be just what I was thinking of - I guess I won't be heading down to the patent office

Once I get it rigged and tested I'll post a pic.

Phil

[C-WEED]

Phil,

I can't see the front of your kicker too well. But you might be able to fashion a long "L" shaped bar for a tiller. Make it so the short part of the "L" runs parrallel to the front of the kicker. Drill a hole in it and attach up under your current tiller at the pivot point just like the steering rods do in the links posted above.

Basically the new tiller would stick out between your kicker and the main engine. You would then leave the stock tiller tilted up and still use the throttle as normal. Might be a cheap solution to your situation and still allow steering out back.