Cruising into the open ocean
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PaulNBriannaLynn
New member
[/quote] I would wonder if there is something wrong with the kicker or setup (such as prop) if you can only get 2 mph with 5 hp. As I noted many times I used a boat very comparable to the C Dory25 for many years with only a 5 hp, and we consistently made 5 knots. quote]
Your probably right Bob. It likely will go faster, I was only using it for trolling speed 2-3 mph, but it probably would gain another 1 or 2 mph if I really have it pinned. A kicker is better than nothing and will get you back, just may be after dark or not in the timeframe intended.
I have a friend with a 25' seasport who fishes regularly from Neah bay. They go out to blue dot and beyond in search of Tuna and Kings. One day while offshore there, the cooling system failed on his diesel inboard and a small fire started. They were able to get the fire out thank goodness. He ran his kicker for 8 hours before finally accepting a tow back to Neah Bay. Stuff happens and at least he had a kicker.
We ran over fishing line in our first 22, fouling one of the prop seals on the twin 40s. We spent the next few hours getting back in on the other 40. The way they're propped as twins, you don't gain much speed over a kicker when you run one of them at a time.
Your probably right Bob. It likely will go faster, I was only using it for trolling speed 2-3 mph, but it probably would gain another 1 or 2 mph if I really have it pinned. A kicker is better than nothing and will get you back, just may be after dark or not in the timeframe intended.
I have a friend with a 25' seasport who fishes regularly from Neah bay. They go out to blue dot and beyond in search of Tuna and Kings. One day while offshore there, the cooling system failed on his diesel inboard and a small fire started. They were able to get the fire out thank goodness. He ran his kicker for 8 hours before finally accepting a tow back to Neah Bay. Stuff happens and at least he had a kicker.
We ran over fishing line in our first 22, fouling one of the prop seals on the twin 40s. We spent the next few hours getting back in on the other 40. The way they're propped as twins, you don't gain much speed over a kicker when you run one of them at a time.
As has been exhaustingly written, there are plenty of good points for going with with twins or a single & kicker. I have twin Honda 40’s on our CD22 & don’t take them 50 miles off shore for tuna chasing, but have spent some time in SE Alaska on the Gulf of Alaska side of Chichagof, Baranof & Yacobi Islands along with many trips up & down the Lynn Canal. I would unhesitatingly cruise the areas with a weather watch on either set up, but feel much more comfortable with the twins. Where it’s somewhat true one 40 hp properly pitched for twin running won’t give much more speed then a kicker, it does provide more. Even heavy loaded like we are on our SE Alaska cruises, for short periods it can make 8 to 9 mph & provide more torque for steering control in poorer sea conditions. On the Alaska cruises & heavily loaded, we run 10 pitch x 12” props & this pitch prop as demonstrated on the Yukon River in 2016 with a medium load in the boat would get us on plane on a single with a max speed of 12 mph at over the 5000 minimum rpm required.
In 2007, before retirement, we were making a SE Alaska cruise out of Skagway. On the last day of the cruise, while in Juneau, I developed engine problems with one of the twins. Not making it back to work on time was a poor option, so we made the 85 mile run up the Lynn Canal on a single. I wouldn’t even have considered doing that on a kicker.
Jay
In 2007, before retirement, we were making a SE Alaska cruise out of Skagway. On the last day of the cruise, while in Juneau, I developed engine problems with one of the twins. Not making it back to work on time was a poor option, so we made the 85 mile run up the Lynn Canal on a single. I wouldn’t even have considered doing that on a kicker.
Jay
One other issue not mentioned is bad fuel.. In that case, better to have a separate fuel source for the auxiliary engine. Of course the best course is to prevent fuel problems, by only using non ethanol gas, treating it with stabilizers, and addatives, and drain the system if bad fuel is found. Also getting “unknown” fuel, to look at a small sample in a jar before filling—and or pre filters before in the tank, such as a “Baja filter”.
nordicstallion
New member
Do your vehicles have spare tires? Do you have health insurance,home owners insurance, do you get flu shots? In the open ocean...your on your own..Period!! And..it is scarey with no means of propulsion! No brainer! If you call, I’m not coming out to get you! Nuff said?
Pacificcoast101
Member
I had a Crestliner with an inboard/outdrive and a kicker. I had a lot of problems with the inboard. Once, we were about twelve miles offshore when the motor died. I tried getting home with my kicker but it made no headway against three-foot seas. I eventually had to call Vessel Assist for a tow.
nordicstallion":2ox95i7o said:
These days not all of them do.
Part of the reason for this is money saving on the part of the vehicle manufacturer, but it is acceptable to the consumer because the reliability of auto tires has gone way up from what it was. Also the availability of roadside service (represented for boats by Seatow et. al.).
When was the last time you had to change an auto tire on the side of the road due to a failure?
Pacificcoast101
Member
We have one of the cars that didn't come with a spare. I keep a set of plugs and a tire pump in the vehicle. Sometimes we're a long way from the nearest service.
ssobol":2u1oysnu said:
My three vehicles have spares & when in the Jeep doing remote back country drives or in the truck with either the camper or towing the CD22, I carry a good jack, air compressor & tire repair kit, along with two boat trailer spares. Just last week, I repaired a $300 tire, while out on the jeep. The repair was a quicker & easier process then replacing with the spare, but in the not diastant past on the road I’ve done both. On a Yukon trip towing a small boat over 1500 miles of dirt road in 2002, I repaired or replaced tires, 9 times.
In my opinion having a back up on the open ocean in a small boat, especially in a remote off shore ocean area like the coast of Chichagof or Baranof Islands in SE Alaska or similar even more important than on a remote road trip.
Jay
Query surface area of two 50hp twin props vs one 100hp prop, say for a CD 22.
In the "twin vs single w/kicker" wrangle over the years, I have not yet heard the
above compared. It seems the twins will have "more prop" albeit different in pitch
and diameter than the single larger engine's prop. The only advantage of stated
twin "more prop" rigged vessel is it will be balls out quicker out of the hole.
I had twin 90s (vs a single 200hp) on my CD 26 and it was a jack rabbit from dead
slow - like a street dragster with super wide back tires scream with more "bite".
So, it seems if you want to drag race your boat, get more prop bite with twins on
a CD. Other than that, I can't find an advantage for twins over a single engine
except slow speed maneuvering and the twins certainly win on looks.
Aye.
In the "twin vs single w/kicker" wrangle over the years, I have not yet heard the
above compared. It seems the twins will have "more prop" albeit different in pitch
and diameter than the single larger engine's prop. The only advantage of stated
twin "more prop" rigged vessel is it will be balls out quicker out of the hole.
I had twin 90s (vs a single 200hp) on my CD 26 and it was a jack rabbit from dead
slow - like a street dragster with super wide back tires scream with more "bite".
So, it seems if you want to drag race your boat, get more prop bite with twins on
a CD. Other than that, I can't find an advantage for twins over a single engine
except slow speed maneuvering and the twins certainly win on looks.
Aye.
The only correct answer is making the correct purchase. If you buy a particular single motor that quits on you sometime at the worst possible moment while you’re in the middle of the ocean you should buy twins. But, if instead Of the future troublesome motor you buy a single motor that will not ever quit on you and run perfectly any time and all the time then Twins are a ridiculous waste of money...But they look cool.
Peter & Judy
New member
That was important to me back in High School.
Had twin 35's on a 22' c dory and they were perfect for me. Cheap to maintain, enough power (but just barely) and I could fish all day in the ocean on ten gallons of fuel. Not once did I have that thought in the back of my mind about what will I do if that single engine quits out here at 4 in the afternoon 25 miles out.
DrewbirdII
New member
I like twins when headed off shore, twin boats that is. A buddy system is the best! Takes the pressure off you traveling with two or three boats working together, and increases your catch of tuna. Towing a boat back with bad fuel, no steering, or missing legs from a log strike is not fun, generally done well into the night. Having a buddy escort home makes it a it a lot safer!
Jim.
Jim.
I have fished at Neah Bay 45nm out and may times at Westport 20 - 30. Most of my fishing though is in Puget Sound and my 8hp Kicker runs 5x as many hours as my 90hp Yamaha main engine. Why put all those hours on one or the other of your twins? I bought my Tohatsu 8 as a kicker mainly because of their durability in Salt Water. Just check out all the small sailboats at a saltwater Marina and you will notice a lot of Nissan, Mercury, and Tohatsu. They are all the same engine and those motors rarely get flushed given where they are mounted. Also you can buy the Tohatsu online from onlineoutboards.com. The price is 2/3 the cost of a Yamaha or Honda and they ship for free and in some states no sales tax.
Heading out in the Ocean I also recommend running the kicker on a separate fuel tank with fuel from a separate source just in case the Fuel Dock is in over demand and you get the bottom of their storage tank. This happened a few years ago at LaPush for the Halibut opener and things really got ugly for several boats.
Sorry about the long message but I have been running the Doolittle in the Ocean for nearly 30 years and it is still something I never do casually. File a cruise plan with someone and when at all possible, buddy up with other boats.
Heading out in the Ocean I also recommend running the kicker on a separate fuel tank with fuel from a separate source just in case the Fuel Dock is in over demand and you get the bottom of their storage tank. This happened a few years ago at LaPush for the Halibut opener and things really got ugly for several boats.
Sorry about the long message but I have been running the Doolittle in the Ocean for nearly 30 years and it is still something I never do casually. File a cruise plan with someone and when at all possible, buddy up with other boats.