Light weight kicker motor

G

Gene&Mary

New member
We use a 1992 Evenrude 15hp kicker for both our C-Dory kicker and for a 14' aluminum Lund. This past week we had used the Lund because our C-Dory is in the shop.

I guess old age is finally setting in because in moving the kicker around I strained by back.

Does anyone know the lightest outboard available to drive both the C-Dory and my Lund. I was surprised to see that a Honda BF9.9 X type (25" long shaft) was 107 lbs.......well out of my ability to move it between boats.

thanks
 
I have used the same motor in the Johnson version for about 20 years.

Its the lightest, and fairly common 15hp that I know of. There is an older Chrysler 15 that may weigh in at about 55 lbs. That may save 14 lbs or so. I have no knowledge of the performance of an old Chrysler. The Johnson is a great running motor.

I did use a Honda 5hp on a heavy 25 footer quite a few years back and it worked just okay and I switched to the 15 hp. The Honda 5 would not handle the wind.

For our 12 foot Gregor or our inflatable, I will use both the 15 Johnson and a 3.5 Merc, 4 stroke. Big difference in performance. For smaller lakes the Merc is okay and works well but at larger lakes, I use the 15 Johnson.


Good Luck.
 
That's a tough one as I'm guessing you want to plane in your Lund, and may want electric start (?). On the other hand, for the lightest dinghy engine (presuming you are willing to give up planing), something like the Honda 2 (or Suzuki equivalent) comes to mind. It's hard to think of an engine that would do both, plus be light.

The Tohatsu 6 is a fairly light, no-frills kicker (last time I checked) and weighs in at 60 lbs. But that might not be enough for the Lund, and may be more than you need for the dinghy (given that light weight is an important criterion).

Traditionally, 2-strokes (the old fashioned type) were (and still are) often used for sailboat/cruiser dinghy engines, where the criteria are lighter weight and planing ability for a small dinghy. Say 9 hp or so. But again that might kind of be a "middle ground does neither well" engine for your uses.

So... what are your expectations for the Lund in terms of speed? How light is "light" to you for a dinghy engine? Are you wanting to plane the dinghy? Perhaps two different engines would be the way to go: Then you could optimize for each purpose plus not have to move them (as much).
 
You might consider what I have done. This is a Garhauer davit for the C Dory, mounted in the cockpit so it will allow handling the 15 hp in and out of the C Dory. I made a mount for the Garhauer davit on the side of a heavy duty outboard wheeled stand, so I could pick an outboard up with the davit and transfer it to the stand, and to other boats. (I had a 15 hp honda ES short shaft I used this rig with.

The davit allows you to transfer heavy items to the boat--the outboard stand can be modified to also be a dolly to carry heavy items…

You are going to be pressed to find a outboard lighter than the 15 hp Johnson (74 lbs.) in the 8 to 9 hp. you are still over 80 lbs in today's motors. Stick with the 15 hp.
 
Thanks for your replies.......maybe I should explain better.

This motor would be used either as the kicker for my C-Dory or on the 14' Lund. I have a small 5hp Mercury for my dingy on the C-Dory....besides this motor needs to be a long shaft because the C-Dory needs it and the Lund is the one with the higher freeboard.

Sunbeam, you are right I would like to plane in the Lund but its usually used for getting between Center Island and the Hunter Bay dock. I guess if I have to choose between my back or planing, my back wins out.....particularly now that retirement is on the horizon.

You also make a good point about 2 stroke vs 4 stroke. I Goggled 2 stroke Tohatsu (I have heard that Tohatsus are good engines) and found this....

Tohatsu gives boaters exactly what they need in mid-range portables: more power and less weight! All of these truly portable models offer an incredible horsepower-to-weight ratio, led by the Tohatsu 9.8 at just over 26 kgs. (57.3#)

In previous threads I've read that a 9.8hp will drive the C-Dory but how about getting the Lund on plane?

Sorry to be so long winded but what does everyone think?

Thanks
 
Hmmm, thought comes to me.

Back strain and retirement nears. Why not keep your present kicker on the C-Dory and get a kicker for the Lund ? Sure there is some cost, but strained backs can cost a lot of doctor bills and enough pain to not use either boat.
 
5 hp will push the C Dory fine. As I have posted a number of times, I grew up on a boat similar to a C Dory 25, (had a keel and mast, but freeboard, and hull bottom very similar, plus more weight--and we had a 5 hp outboard) There are several ways to use a short shaft on a C Dory 22. One solution.

You are gong to have to find a 2 stroke Tohatsu--I don't believe that they are sold new in the US currently.--same engine as Nissan and yes they are good engines. If it is 57 lbs (Long shaft; may weigh 3 lbs more), your weight savings is 14 lbs. I can attest to if you are having problems, you want to keep the motor weight you are lifting to 30 lbs or less.--and that is the reason I suggested the davit--and cart to move one motor between the two boats. 57lbs will probably too much in 5 years if you have back issues now…but you never know. The worse thing you can do for the back is bend over to maneuver a motor on or aft a mount on the C Dory stern.

Many 15's (including the Johnson 15) are the same motor as the 9.9, but with different carburetors or restrictor plates, and some with different reed valves. But with much weight in the Lund, the 9.8 may not plane it where the 15 might have enough oomph to get it up on plane. You would have to try it out.
 
Though not all have "double duty" for their kicker, for those that do, this is a
problem to consider before deciding against twins for the C-Dory plus another
OB for the other boat. It might behoove to purchase a dedicated OB for the small
boat to save your back and skirt the davit issue.

It shouldn't be surprising; more toys, more money.

Aye.
 
Foggy":1h6zzm76 said:
Though not all have "double duty" for their kicker, for those that do, this is a
problem to consider before deciding against twins for the C-Dory plus another
OB for the other boat.
Click to expand...

'Twins on the C-Dory and a separate motor on the Lund' in some ways would be similar to 'main-plus-secondary-engine on the C-Dory and a separate motor on the Lund.' Either way, it's three engines.

I can see the appeal of having one fewer engine (to purchase, maintain, and think about), and making one do double duty (i.e. the subject of the thread), but I'd probably end up going one of the three-engine routes too, just to avoid moving one around. The multiple uses of the davit could be a nice side benefit to that route.

I'm trying to decide whether to keep my Honda 8 (because of weight), so I can relate to the issue (although, no Lund... darnit :D)
 
Thanks again for your replies....

Thataway- could you elaborate on the ways to use a short shaft on a C-Dory? My kicker bracket is fixed. Would I need to change the bracket to one that hinges up and down? Once it is down, is it hard to steer......does the handle then hit the stern of the boat?

Any other ways?

For example the Honda comes in 15", 20" and 25". Do you consider the 15" or the 20" a short shaft?

Thanks
 
I have used the "up and down" type of bracket with the short shafts, to get them clear of the water. I sometimes use a tiller extension, which articulates near the motor handle. However, often one can use the main as a rudder to steer the boat--and lock the kicker straight ahead. This depends on how tight the quarters are, and if you need to do sharp turns.

Do you use the kicker as a "get home", or as a trolling motor?

Here is a tiller extension with a "U" joint:

51TXq-xdZAL.jpg If this is necessary, it will allow you to move the motor much more easily from a comfortable position in the boat.
 
Since I don't have a tie bar on my Honda 8, I tried just what you suggested (while I was on Powell. That is, I just locked the Honda 8 in "straight ahead" position and then steered with the main. It worked quite well. I'm sure if I were docking I'd run back and just take the Honda 8's tiller, but it was fine for general purpose steering. It wasn't quite as snappy as a sailboat rudder with locked outboard, but surprisingly good.
 
FWIW, I've used a 6 hp Suzuki 4 stroke for years as a kicker on my previous big boat (an Arima), as well as a 14' Duroboat and 9' Achilles dinghy. For me it has been the perfect balance of light weight and sufficient power. With one person and gear it easily planes the Achilles topping out around 17 mph and also planes the Duroboat (a deep-V aluminum) and tops out around 13.5 mph. At anchor on the Arima, I've transferred it from the kicker bracket onto the Achilles many times without issue. Weight is 55 lbs for the short shaft, 57 for the long shaft. I previously had an 8 hp Honda Classic, which was much heavier and didn't give much better performance on the small boats. Compared to the Honda the 6 hp Suzuki feels very light, with no issues lifting it at all, and I'm also a person with a history of back problems.
 
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