Kicker motor

[corndogg55076]

Tax time is here and I'm looking into getting a little kicker motor for my 1982 16' starcraft. I was looking at a 4hp mercury 4 stroke and the salesman said I need at least a 9 horse or better to push that boat around. What the heck? My electric trolling motor moves my boat I don't see why a 4 horse wouldn't scoot that boat around. What do you guys out there recommend?
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[gdn443]

4hp on an aluminum boat should work. Fiberglass it's maybe too small. Also are you fighting a current? Then maybe go to a 6hp. Fighting current and fiberglass, go for the 9.
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[Tarpon4me]

I'd go for the 9 hp. If you get a motor that's too small, you'll be kicking yourself in the ass. There may be times that the 4 is fine in an older model fiberglass boat. But it's the times that it won't work that will make you wish you didn't skimp on a few hundred bucks, and get what you really needed. I'd never own a motor that couldn't push my boat against current and wind at a decent clip, kicker motor or not.
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[corndogg55076]

It is aluminum and I really don't fish rivers much. I really want it for musky fishing. Electric trolling motor gets me a little upset a few hours into the day. Thanks for the help guys. Hopefully I can keep gaining knowledge here and eventually start answering other peoples questions instead always asking questions.
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[pharaoh2]

[:/]

I always feel terribly inadequet when people use the word kicker motor. I use a 'kicker' as the primary motor in my boat. [frown]
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[DKStroutfitter]

I picked up a used 6 hp for my 16' tri hull.
It is plenty for the fiberglass boat.
You don't need more than that for an aluminum boat.
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[corndogg55076]

Don't worry about that pharaoh2. Its all about being on the water and enjoying what the great outdoors has to offer. And its not the size of the motor or how nice off boat you have that catches fish.
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[albinotrout]

[quote corndogg55076] And its not the size of the motor or how nice off boat you have that catches fish.[/quote]

Tell me a bout it. I use a 15 year old toon to go floating around on. Problem with this is the company is not around and making parts for it any more so I have to manufacture my own. Still have fun with it though.[]
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[davetclown]

I have a 2.5 motor, it is 40 years old,

its primary use was to push my gramps 16 foot deap v around the lake, it did a fine job, and still dose.

now mine I have to fill gas in the top, no injection ports.

A 4 horse will do the job just fine, no your not going to go ripping around the lake with it, but you can at least get it down slow enough for trolling, you get something bigger then you have to start thinking about back boards for your motor to slow your self down.

bigger motors requier higher speads to get enough water up in to the motor to cool them off. As for 4 stroke, we have them in our area and that is all you can buy new any more, what I dont know about them is if they have the same type of cooling system as the 2 strokes.

deffenantly stay away from the brigs 4 stroke, they will rattle you to peices...

the reason aside from sales proffit is that if you are going out 10 miles you may want something big enough to get you back in a fair amount of time.

Personaly, I would stay with the 4 stroke for now because of the amount of weight of the motors, the 4 strokes are 50% heavier than their counter parts, it will be years before they get the weight down the way they did with the 2 strokes...

so be sure to do the math, check what your boat is rated for, if it has a live well, be sure to add 8 pounds for every gallon of water it holds. add the weight of your existing motor your self and your guest, "self and guest = 500 lbs" add the weight of your tackle and coolers. see what is left, and that is the size motor you can afford to have on your boat.

hope this gives you a little more info...
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