First and foremost, using a kicker motor helps you save on gas. Trolling with a kicker offers great gas to time ratio, which helps save on the gas you would have been using with your main outboard. Along with gas, they help prevent putting unwanted hours on your main outboard.
Is a kicker motor worth it?
If that idle speed is too fast for you then a kicker is going to be very beneficial. If that troll speed is slow enough for you, then save the kicker money and put the $4k into a good sonar system. A kicker motor will burn less gas than your main engine.
Why do fishing boats have kicker motors?
Fisherman typically use a kicker instead of their main motor when they want to troll for fish at slower speeds while boaters with larger rigs who run farther offshore like to have them as a back up in case their primary motor dies on them.
Do you need a kicker to troll?
If your main motor trolls slowly enough you don’t need a kicker. But kickers do make it easier to make small adjustments in speed and provide a back up if the main motor fails.
Why do fishing boats have two motors?
Compared with all three other propulsion systems that basically have an engine in the boat, using multiple outboards makes the boat faster because of a beneficial power-to-weight ratio and, in most cases, the outboards are more fuel-efficient.
Can I put a kicker on my boat?
Sailboaters also use kickers when sailing is impractical. One way to carry and use a kicker is with an auxiliary outboard bracket, such as the Garelick model 71091, which is built especially for heavier, high-torque four-stroke motors.
What is a kicker bracket?
The Kicker Bracket can be used for single and double-sided walls in swimming pools, basement walls, man holes, retaining walls, biomass tanks & reservoirs and many other applications. Columns can also be erected with ease.
What is a boat kicker plate?
The kicker plate is designed to make it easy to add an additional trolling motor to the rear of your boat that is convenient and dependable.
What is easy steer?
EZ-Steer is a simple portable hands-free steering system for all vehicle models, old and new. • The EZ-Steer system turns the steering wheel for you by combining a friction wheel and a drive motor, which is commanded indirectly by an output from the guidance display.
What is a kicker motor for a boat?
Kicker motors, also known as spare outboards, are motors that sit next to a bigger, main outboard and can serve a couple of different purposes. They typically are seen in the 10hp or less range. The simplest use for a kicker is as back up.
Why are most saltwater boats outboards?
The outboard has also become favored over the inboard in saltwater because of the ease of engine replacement and repowering ability. When dealing with saltwater and a lot of use of your boat, the outboard is much easier to replace when it comes to that time.
How fast can a 300 hp boat go?
When equipped with 250-hp or 300-hp outboards, these types of aluminum fishing boats can typically have a WOT of 55 mph to 60 mph, or a bit more with two people aboard.
Why are outboard motors so popular now?
Why are outboards so popular today? Many boatbuilders point to the enhanced versatility provided by outboard power. Unlike inboards, they can be trimmed for optimal performance or to allow users to venture into shallower waters and raised right out of the water when not in use to reduce corrosion in salt water.
Is my outboard mounted too low?
You can often tell that an outboard is too low if you are experiencing sluggish speeds, poor handling, excessive spray, porpoising, or even water pushing up into the cowling. That’s a very brief, basic accounting of symptoms, but you’ll usually find at least one of these symptoms if your motor is too low.
How do you convert an inboard to outboard?
How to Convert a Boat From Inboard to Outboard
- Turn off the fuel valve and disconnect the battery negative cable.
- Install the engine hoist and pick up with it just enough to keep the slack out of the chains.
- Install the motor bracket to the transom.
- Lift the bracket back into position and install the bracket bolts.
Can you put a kicker motor on a pontoon?
Installation is super easy and the universal-fit design ensures the TOON KICKER is the right choice for any pontoon. Will the TOON KICKER fit on my pontoon? In almost all cases, yes.
How do you hook up a main fuel tank to a kicker motor?
one would have the fuel line going to your main motor. You can add a fuel line to the other (basically, screw out the plug, screw in a fuel barb, add a line with fuel bulb then a connector on the other end to connect to the kicker).
What size outboard backup do I need?
Tips for selecting the right size hp for portable outboard motor for your boat.
| Motor HP | Boat length (feet) | Boat length (metres) |
|---|---|---|
| 5hp – 15hp | 8′ – 14′ | up to 4.2m |
| 9hp – 20hp | 11′ – 16′ | up to 4.5m |
| 20hp – 40hp | 13′ – 18′ | up to 5.0m |
| 40hp – 75hp | 14′ – 20′ | up to 5.5m |
Why do walleye boats have two motors?
The gasoline kicker motor provides the primary forward propulsion and does so while only drinking a few ounces of fuel per hour. Meanwhile, the wireless electric motor is used to tweak and dial in trolling speeds, maintain a specific course or to navigate to known waypoints and routes.
How do I keep my outboard motor straight while trolling?
The cord also keeps the motor straight while trailering. This may sound dumb but don’t most outboard motors have a collar at the pivot point of some kind that can be tightened in small increments until a small amount of resistance is felt which should keep it straight while trolling and still allow good steering.
How do you control a trolling motor?
Grab the tiller and turn it clockwise to increase speed, or turn it counter-clockwise to reduce speed. Turn counter-clockwise beyond the tiller’s starting point, to go into reverse. Some trolling motors have a number of speed settings, and you’ll feel a click in the tiller handle as you move up through them.
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