Help with mounting my kicker

[SBH2OMan]

I posted in the "projects" section, but wanted to see if guys could post pictures of their kicker setups, especially on 21' and 23' DV hulls. I'm trying to figure out where to position the bracket & kicker for optimum performance, and I can't figure out a place to put it where it won't be too high, interfere with the trim tab, or require bolting through the transom below the water line....

Thanks in advance for any advice you have!

 

[SBH2OMan]

So this is interesting.... For a group that is usually pretty chatty, no one seems interested in this subject...

I'm completely stymied by how to mount a kicker on this boat without resorting to a 30" shaft sailboat type kicker, which I cannot imagine is necessary....

I have this practically brand new Tohatsu just sitting in my side yard (and taking up one of my recycling cans as a mount!) and cannot seem to find anyone that has mounted a kicker on one of these older style 2320 boats with the Stainless Marine bracket....

Anyone? Help.......

I have. 25" shaft Tohatsu 9.8 and a Garelick 71044 "double" style bracket with 14-1/2" drop.

The problem is that if I position the mount inboard far enough to clear the trim tab, it has to be dropped down really far to be 1" below the water line at the cav plate (basically the bracket has to mount below the waterline and the cowl of the motor looks like it would be dangerously close to the water when running...)

I'm stumped and frustrated, cause I just want to get this particular project DONE so I can troll and also head to the local islands with more confidence....

Thanks in advance!

 

[Brent]

I have a full Armstrong bracket and my kicker mounts to it.

m2cw is to measure the distance between clamp (top of the inside of the clamp) and cavitation plate. The cut a piece of wood to this length and attach to bracket. Position on the transom and check the drop, operate and placement, and mark with a tape. marker or wax pencil

m2cw

best

 

[SBH2OMan]

I have a full Armstrong bracket and my kicker mounts to it.

m2cw is to measure the distance between clamp (top of the inside of the clamp) and cavitation plate. The cut a piece of wood to this length and attach to bracket. Position on the transom and check the drop, operate and placement, and mark with a tape. marker or wax pencil

m2cw

best

Thanks - this is exactly what I did to come up with the "****, I have a problem" situation. :|

I wish I had the full Armstrong bracket - then the solution would be easy - the add-on bracket from armstrong....

I'm tempted to take it to the local shop (who is also a Honda dealer) but unfortunately their work has been pretty sloppy in the past (I've had to re-do 1/2 of the work I've paid them for) and he'd probably just recommend a new Honda motor (though he does have great deals from time to time).

 

[Brent]

Yep and the sweet spot is where the cav plate is below the hull bottom, maybe a inch or 2

 

[Bryan 2530]

What is the "o **** problem situation"?

 

[SBH2OMan]

What is the "o **** problem situation"?

That the position I would have to mount the bracket would put two of the through-bolts below the waterline and the powerhead/cowl of the kicker would be sitting really close to the water when deployed.


Details:

I purchased one of the the "best" looking brackets that Garelick makes (71044) and measured everything out and found a couple of problems:

1) I have to mount the bracket inboard of the trim tab to avoid interference (at least thats what my eyeball tells me).

2) Doing so puts the bracket (and kicker) about mid-way between the port side and the bracket on which the main is mounted

3) This far inboard, at max drop (14-1/2") the cavitation plate will not be in the position recommended by Garelick unless the lower mounting bolts go through the transom BELOW the water line.

4) Also, mounted so far down, I worry that the head unit will get swamped by any larger stern waves that roll in.


So I see my options as either:

a) Find a bracket that has more travel (Garelick doesn't seem to offer one)

b) Figure out a way to mount it farther out to port so that it doesn't interfere with the trim tab

c) Get a ridiculously long shaft motor (like a 30") which I have never heard of anyone having to do with anything other than a sail boat...

or finally...

d) Mount it in a position so that the prop and intake are under the water line but not as far down as Garelick (and engine mfgs) recommend....

I wonder how many out there are running kickers where the prop is *behind* the stern rather than under the stern and I am just over-thinking this whole damned thing.....

BTW, I want the kicker motor for two reasons - first as a "backup" for island trips in case the main craps out on me I can still make way (albeit slowly) while I wait for Vessel Assist and secondly as trolling motor.

Here's the bracket I have:

Here's the stern of the boat:

 

[Brent]

Does the Garelick have a mount with a long drop? or another company?
In other words, how much drop do you need?

 

[Brent]

The other bright idea to convert your bracket to full width by adding top plate the width of the transom. Someone could fab it and kicker goes on side and a ladder on the other side. Maybe Armstrong has done it.

 

[Bryan 2530]

A few things to consider.

I had a similar bracket on my last boat and the lower holes were right at the water line, only used it a few time but never had a problem with the bracket.

Second, when mounting brackets on larger motors the rule of thumb is 1" above the bottom of the boat for every 1 foot you are back from the transom, that may help a little. Plus at the speed of the kicker you probably could push it to 2".

Worth a measurement anyway. How long is the shaft on the kicker you have?

 

[Brian S]

I hope this helps, I do not have a long shaft kicker.

 

[SBH2OMan]

Thanks guys! Here's a couple of answers/comments:

Does the Garelick have a mount with a long drop? or another company?
In other words, how much drop do you need?

14-1/2" drop according to the specs. Garelick has another rated to 15-1/2" but I'm not sure if that extra inch will really make the difference.

The other bright idea to convert your bracket to full width by adding top plate the width of the transom. Someone could fab it and kicker goes on side and a ladder on the other side. Maybe Armstrong has done it.

I talked to Armstrong about this and they don't have anything. My bracket is made by Stainless Marine, and I talked to them, too, but they don't have anything. I really would rather not go the custom route because in my experience, this tends to be expensive and never quite right (figuring out the engineering through trial and error, where I pay for all of both...)

Second, when mounting brackets on larger motors the rule of thumb is 1" above the bottom of the boat for every 1 foot you are back from the transom, that may help a little. Plus at the speed of the kicker you probably could push it to 2".

1" above bottom of boat - you are referring to the position of the cavitation plate, right?

Worth a measurement anyway. How long is the shaft on the kicker you have?

Yea, that is my next step - to bust out some squares and angles and measure things. The tricky part is that I cannot measure the articulation of the bracket without having the motor mounted to it and the bracket mounted to a wall or something... I may resort to that, however.

My kicker has a 25" shaft. What most would consider a "long shaft" motor, I guess.... (Tohatsu makes a 15", 20", 25", and 27")

I hope this helps, I do not have a long shaft kicker.

Thank you! That is exactly where I'd like to be able to mount the kicker, because then I completely avoid the problem with getting the prop down far enough below the hull. The big difference is that your tabs are mounted UNDER your stern and only project an inch or two (or so it looks). Mine stick out a full 12" and the piston and hose are in the way, too...

There is one positive note, however - I went to the boat this morning and eyeballed it a bit more and it dawned on me that the actual water line is about 3" below where the bottom paint starts (duh). I was looking at the bottom paint and assuming that the top of it was the waterline, so I just picked up an extra 3". Now I have to go back out there when its not pouring rain and set up my mock-up stick onto the bracket and take some more measurements...

Thanks again for all the help. I look forward to updating this thread with a solution!

 

[Bryan 2530]

1" above bottom of boat - you are referring to the position of the cavitation plate, right?

Yes.

 

[Brent]

I thought Dale had the same transom motor mount as you and added a teak deck to it.
Maybe I am imagining things again

 

[Bryan 2530]

So did Megabyte but I don't think a swim platform will take the torque of a kicker without extensive modification.

 

[Brent]

thanks
If it could be done you, Dale, Megabyte, and the rest of the Parker Nation could make it happen

 

[Brent]

I saw this while looking at radar arches
http://www.tannermfg.com/motorbrackets.html

 

[SBH2OMan]

Cool - thanks. I just shot them an email (along with Stainless Marine, who makes my existing bracket for my main).

 

[Fishaddict]

Hi everybody
My buddy and I are thinking to put a 8-9 hp kicker motor on 2120 Parker we have. We are doing a lot of trolling and do not want to consume 150 hp engine hours. Can you please, tell me about your set ups ( brand and model for bracket and engine, how do you control your second outboard )? Any kind of suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
Mike

 

[SBH2OMan]

My only advice would be to think carefully about which side you mount it (for weight distribution) and try to mount it as far inboard as possible for the same reasons.

Because of the DV hull, I had to mount our old kicker pretty far off center, and the boat listed BADLY while at rest. I was really happy to be able to get rid of the kicker after buying a new motor. (I only used it as an emergency back up).