Kicker for 1965 13' whaler - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Whaler Performance
  Kicker for 1965 13' whaler

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Kicker for 1965 13' whaler

Rodeath posted 04-22-2009 03:40 PM ET (US)
My 1965 13' whaler has a 1996 mercury 4 stroke, 40 HP motor on it. I want to by a new or newer 4 stroke to use as an emergency motor and a troller.
What would you recomend as far as HP? How low can I go?
Thanks, Dave.
Tohsgib posted 04-23-2009 11:05 AM ET (US)
As low as you want but an that is gonna be a lot of weight on that 44 year old transom.
AZdave posted 04-24-2009 12:24 AM ET (US)
I was quite satisfied with a 2hp Honda. It was great for trolling on larger lakes which had more wind and waves. It was kind of loud at full throttle because it's air cooled, but sounded like a sewing machine when trolling near idle. Dave
R T M posted 04-25-2009 07:24 AM ET (US)
I used a 35lb. '66 3hp Johnson on my 13 footer for the brief time I had a '98 25hp 120lb. Johnson on the boat. Maybe I had the wrong prop on the kicker motor, but when the main motor broke down it took forever to get back to the ramp. Now I have an '08 25 Merc 4 stroke on it and I sold the Johnson kicker and bought a 40lb electric troller which pushes the boat much faster that the old Johnson kicker. If I had to, using the two batteries aboard, I could run the electric troller for 8 hours.
Like Nick says, whatever kicker you use, your going to have a lot of weight on the transom with a 40 hp 4 stroke.
rich/Binkie.
Sal DiMercurio posted 04-29-2009 09:33 AM ET (US)
That 4 stroke 40 horse will troll all day & all night just fine.
Why would you need another engine to troll with?
You only have about 3 - 4" of freeboard now, why add more weight to serve no purpose?
Absolutely no need for a trolling motor on that boat, with the 40 horse 4 stroke.
Sal
skred posted 04-29-2009 11:52 AM ET (US)
I agree with Sal. Trolled all day with my 40 Merc 4-stroke on my 13 - used it for 4 years. Never a problem.
elaelap posted 04-29-2009 05:43 PM ET (US)
Rodeath specified that he wants a kicker both as a trolling motor and as emergency back-up. He lives in Seattle, BTW, and perhaps on occasion faces somewhat challenging conditions in his little 13. I'm using the same aircooled four stroke 2 hp Honda AZdave mentioned as a kicker on my Sport 15 CC, only as an emergency back-up (I troll with my F60 4/s), and have been pleased with it so far. It's amazingly gutty for such a tiny, lightweight (~28 lbs) motor, and might someday just allow me to limp home or keep me off the inshore rocks. Great buy as well--around $750-800 street, new.
Tony
Sal DiMercurio posted 04-30-2009 11:06 AM ET (US)
Tony, it's not a matter of him wanting any thing, it's a matter of safety.
That 13' is not much bigger than a bath tub, & has "MAYBE" 3" of free board at the stern.
Putting 2 motors on it, is not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, even if it ( kicker ) weighs 10 lbs.
If he feels he needs a kicker on that little 13' dory, he's going in water "FAR TO BIG " for his britches.
Kickers belong on boats over 17 ft., not a boat that shouldn't be on the ocean, such as a 13 footer.
I've spent plenty of time fishing the waters off Washington ( the whole coast, from Canada to Mexico, including the sound ) , & I've seen the weather go from dead calm to 20 - 35 mph in a matter of an hour, & that 13 footer doesn't belong on the ocean in a 20 mph wind & 2 engines on it's transom.
That's how people die, & others wonder why.
What he needs is a bigger boat to put 2 engines on.
I've got a 15' Sport with maximum hp ( 70 hp Johnson, 1996 ) on the stern, & sure, I wish I had a kicker on it, but there's really no room, & the extra weight back there,..... even if it weighs 27 lbs, would be not a very smart thing to do.
Just possibly trying to save the guys life, as a 13' is for "SOME" lakes, & back sloughs, not the ocean, or big rivers.
Sal

Rodeath posted 05-01-2009 01:52 PM ET (US)
I can assure you that I am not planning on crossing any oceans. I use the boat primarily in the relatively protected waters of the puget sound, most often in the San Juan Islands around Orcas. Furthermore, I never venture too far from any land mass, I fully understand the limitations that my "bathtub" presents.
The Irony of your safety rant is that my primary reason for wanting the second motor is to limp back to shore, should I lose the big motor. And yes, I also want a troller as my 40 horse sucks gas at any speed.
I understand the difficulty in adding any more weight to the transum, perhaps a lighter, high power electric.
I have found a new 4 stroke 3.5 horse merc at 37 pounds for a steal.....thoughts?
NewportMe posted 05-01-2009 02:41 PM ET (US)
Rodeath

I troll an outrage 22'WD with a 6 horsepower motor. I think anything less than that will be fine. You know the waters and your boat, it's your boat and your money do what pleases you.
Bruce
R T M posted 05-01-2009 03:05 PM ET (US)
I didn`t read where he was going out into big water with his 13 footer. While I agree that a 40hp 4 stroke and a 4 stroke kicker would be a lot of weight. I run a 25hp. 4 stroke Merc.(157 lbs.) and a 40 lb. rear mounted electric trolling motor, I have enough freeboard in the stern that I feel safe. I don`t run in big water, but mostly in the back bays in Central Fl. Breaking down in an isolated spot may not be a life and death experience, but it could be a hell of an inconvenience. Its always good to have another source of power besides a paddle.
rich/Binkie
Sal DiMercurio posted 05-01-2009 08:17 PM ET (US)
I can see your not a very experienced boat person.
I have fished ( sport & commercial ) in the exact area your talking about, & if you even think for 1 second your 13' "BATHTUB" is enough boat for that area, your very badly mistaken.
Hey, I'm not making fun of your boat, but open your eyes & look around, that isn't some calm lake, it's the "Straights of Juan De Fuca, & the Puget Sound, for which you can't see land on the other side.fOR you guys that live 3,000 miles from there, & have never been on that water, don't encourage him telling him his 13' boat is enough, because I've been there in the fall in the calmest time, & had my commercial 32 footer, be caught in a whirl-pool at Deception Pass, that spun me around, & around, until I put twin 3208 turbo charged Cats, full bore to get out of it.
This is part of the Pacific ocean, not the back bays of Florida, or some lake.
But I've only been at this work for over 50 years, so what the hell do I know.
Go for it.
Buy an electric motor & see "how far" you get, bucking 5 - 6 mph tide ( current), or wind.
You will be in forward gear, going backwards 1 mph @ wide open throttle, for about 1 hour, than your battery will be gone, unless you put in the right battery to run that electric motor, but it weighs another 65 lbs on top of your 40 hp battery that weighs 40 lbs.( 105 lbs of batteries ) but the kicker is "ONLY" 27 lbs. so that makes it ok,....right?
If your 40 hp., 4 stroke uses to much gas as you say,.......hmmmm, that motor should get 10 mpg ( 60 miles on a 6 gallon tank ) or you better bring it back to the dealer, as that engine should run all day on 4 gallons of gas trolling, leaving you 2 gallons to go at least another 18 - 20 miles, but you say you only fish not very far from shore,....hmmmm, than why do you "THINK" you need a kicker?
I'm not trying to be a smart a$$, ( really ) but you need to understand the limits of a 13 foot boat, & there are many, many, many.
Just because it's a Whaler, doesn't mean you can go anywhere, & do as you please, because it's only 13' long & "AT BEST", " ONLY "3" ( yes "THREE INCHES" ) above the water at the stern, & aft sides.
With your attitude, & the help of some of the guys on this site, their gonna find your boat, but not you, until 5 days later, when it comes up..... sorry to put it that way, but trying to get your 100% attention.
Sorry to be so blunt, but your 13' boat is just not enough for that big of water.
I'm trying to help you, not make fun of you, but if you think you know so much, go for it.
Sal.
20dauntless posted 05-01-2009 09:19 PM ET (US)
Is your primary motor well maintained and reliable? If the answer is yes, I wouldn't bother with a kicker. I spend a lot of time in the San Juans and points north in all seasons with a single and have never had a problem. I keep spare plugs, fuel filters, prop, etc on board in case of an emergency. I also have a good anchor with lots of rode and a Boat US membership. If your engine isn't reliable, consider investing in a new engine that you can trust. I find kickers a real pain. In fact, I had one on the Whaler for 10 years and it was a constant problem, so much so that I sold it.
R T M posted 05-02-2009 06:49 AM ET (US)
The classic 13 foot Whaler was designed for a motor of 125lbs. or less. That is roughly the weight of a 40hp outboard of that era. You need to keep that in mind when deciding how much to overload the transom. It is a fair weather boat and should be treated as such. The boat is overloaded with more than two people. You shouldn't`t get so far from port that you can`t return before the weather turns nasty. It is not a boat to "ride out the storm", and if you feel you need a large enough anchor to do that, you are in way over your head. Running into a 2 foot chop will beat you to death, and soak you to the skin, even off plane. The boat will ride better with the interior moved forward 4-6" and the rear seat screwed on top of the seat clamps, so that the fuel tank and battery live under the seat. This has been proven over and over again, especially with modern heavy outboards.
Its a great boat within its limitations.
rich/Binkie
Tohsgib posted 05-02-2009 09:52 AM ET (US)
I gotta agree with Sal a bit on this. First I have a 40 Suzuki at 240+lbs so I am maxed out on transom weight. 2nd my engine will run like 5 hours+ trolling on ONE gallon of fuel, that is not thirsty. My 13 is for lakes and rivers only, anything more and I would have at least a Montauk(I have a 19 Revenge). My back would not be able to handle it, nor my neck or hips, etc. 13's are for kids for God's sake...not 40+ year olds or any open waters.
R T M posted 05-02-2009 03:38 PM ET (US)
(My back would not be able to handle it, nor my neck or hips, etc. 13's are for kids for God's sake...not 40+ year olds or any open waters.)
I guess I`m just a 71 year old kid, still beatin around in a 13 footer, and a raceboat. I never made a living sitting at a desk, and now its payoff time. LOL
rich/Binkie
Sal DiMercurio posted 05-02-2009 08:13 PM ET (US)
Keep doing what your doing Rich, that's what keeps us young.
I will be 71 June 4th.
Sal
elaelap posted 05-03-2009 01:37 AM ET (US)
And I'm gonna quietly, respectfully, disagree with three of my favorite CW pals--each of whom has much more Whaler experience than I--regarding this matter. Binks, Biggie, Sal--there's nothin' much wrong that I can see with a little feather-weight kicker hanging off the stern of a 13. Nor is there much to complain about if Rodeath wants to push his little skiff a little further than any one of us might feel comfortable with in his home waters.
I agree--'cause I do it myself--that trolling with his 40 hp 4/s is the way to go...maybe a couple of gallons of fuel at the most all day, and no need for a kicker here. But I see absolutely nothing wrong with having a back-up motor in Rodeath's situation; in fact, just the opposite. And 20dauntless, again with the greatest respect--Yep, kickers are sometimes a pain in the butt, but it's sure nice to know that they're there, whether or not you've got a brand new main motor. Redundant motors, VHFs, GPSs, all kinda tools and parts onboard you'll never use, an extra jug of gas, some bottled drinking water and energy bars, all the boring USCG safety stuff including a fire extinguisher, a stuff kit full of small stuff, marline, duct tape, two or three knives scattered around the boat, a tow line, a boat hook...what am I forgetting? This kind of preparation, if one is boating on a turbulent river, large lake, or on the ocean, makes for pleasant dreams at night rather than nightmares, IMO.
Tony
R T M posted 05-03-2009 12:22 PM ET (US)
Tony, I think you might have misunderstood me. I`m all for alternative power on any boat. Its good to be self sufficient. I have a problem with the heavy 4 stroke 40hp, and a kicker. If you want 40hp, go with a 2 stroke.
The problem I have found with even a small short shaft kicker is the foot will drag in the water at some speeds unless mounted on the actual transom or on a ridiculously high bracket. That's why I went with the electric trolling motor.
Here is the stern of my boat with a 25 4 stroke (157 lbs,) and still heavy with an electric trolling motor, and another with a 125 lb. Evinrude 35hp antique, and a 3 hp Johnson trolling motor. The boat will run the same speed with both setups.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/floridaboy2053/ Whaler%20with%20Mercury/WHALER3.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/floridaboy2053/kicker%20bracket/ kickerbracketwhaler2.jpg
rich/Binkie
high sierra posted 05-03-2009 02:08 PM ET (US)
That little 3 horse is the best small motor ever designed by any mfg. Twin cylinder as smooth as glass, one carb and runs forever on a tank of gas.
Rodeath posted 05-03-2009 06:38 PM ET (US)
Well, Thanks, for all the advice. I tell you, all this talk about 40 hp 4 strokes trolling efficiently has me wondering about mine. It's a '96 and as I stated before burns through gas pretty good. It's in the shop for a tune up at the moment, hopefully that will help.
Thanks, Dave.
Tohsgib posted 05-04-2009 11:53 AM ET (US)
Maybe the carbs are that much more inefficient. All 3 of my 4 strokes have been suzuki EFI's.
Binks I will be 40 in August and still own my riginal 13 I got when I was a kid. However I do not and will not take this thing out unless glass-like conditions. They ride like hell but what do you expect from a 13' boat. If I was running offshore I would rather have a 16/17 Whaler with that same 40 than the 13'.

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Kicker for 1965 13' whaler
Rodeath	posted 04-22-2009 03:40 PM ET (US) My 1965 13' whaler has a 1996 mercury 4 stroke, 40 HP motor on it. I want to by a new or newer 4 stroke to use as an emergency motor and a troller. What would you recomend as far as HP? How low can I go? Thanks, Dave.
Tohsgib	posted 04-23-2009 11:05 AM ET (US) As low as you want but an that is gonna be a lot of weight on that 44 year old transom.
AZdave	posted 04-24-2009 12:24 AM ET (US) I was quite satisfied with a 2hp Honda. It was great for trolling on larger lakes which had more wind and waves. It was kind of loud at full throttle because it's air cooled, but sounded like a sewing machine when trolling near idle. Dave
R T M	posted 04-25-2009 07:24 AM ET (US) I used a 35lb. '66 3hp Johnson on my 13 footer for the brief time I had a '98 25hp 120lb. Johnson on the boat. Maybe I had the wrong prop on the kicker motor, but when the main motor broke down it took forever to get back to the ramp. Now I have an '08 25 Merc 4 stroke on it and I sold the Johnson kicker and bought a 40lb electric troller which pushes the boat much faster that the old Johnson kicker. If I had to, using the two batteries aboard, I could run the electric troller for 8 hours. Like Nick says, whatever kicker you use, your going to have a lot of weight on the transom with a 40 hp 4 stroke. rich/Binkie.
Sal DiMercurio	posted 04-29-2009 09:33 AM ET (US) That 4 stroke 40 horse will troll all day & all night just fine. Why would you need another engine to troll with? You only have about 3 - 4" of freeboard now, why add more weight to serve no purpose? Absolutely no need for a trolling motor on that boat, with the 40 horse 4 stroke. Sal
skred	posted 04-29-2009 11:52 AM ET (US) I agree with Sal. Trolled all day with my 40 Merc 4-stroke on my 13 - used it for 4 years. Never a problem.
elaelap	posted 04-29-2009 05:43 PM ET (US) Rodeath specified that he wants a kicker both as a trolling motor and as emergency back-up. He lives in Seattle, BTW, and perhaps on occasion faces somewhat challenging conditions in his little 13. I'm using the same aircooled four stroke 2 hp Honda AZdave mentioned as a kicker on my Sport 15 CC, only as an emergency back-up (I troll with my F60 4/s), and have been pleased with it so far. It's amazingly gutty for such a tiny, lightweight (~28 lbs) motor, and might someday just allow me to limp home or keep me off the inshore rocks. Great buy as well--around $750-800 street, new. Tony
Sal DiMercurio	posted 04-30-2009 11:06 AM ET (US) Tony, it's not a matter of him wanting any thing, it's a matter of safety. That 13' is not much bigger than a bath tub, & has "MAYBE" 3" of free board at the stern. Putting 2 motors on it, is not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, even if it ( kicker ) weighs 10 lbs. If he feels he needs a kicker on that little 13' dory, he's going in water "FAR TO BIG " for his britches. Kickers belong on boats over 17 ft., not a boat that shouldn't be on the ocean, such as a 13 footer. I've spent plenty of time fishing the waters off Washington ( the whole coast, from Canada to Mexico, including the sound ) , & I've seen the weather go from dead calm to 20 - 35 mph in a matter of an hour, & that 13 footer doesn't belong on the ocean in a 20 mph wind & 2 engines on it's transom. That's how people die, & others wonder why. What he needs is a bigger boat to put 2 engines on. I've got a 15' Sport with maximum hp ( 70 hp Johnson, 1996 ) on the stern, & sure, I wish I had a kicker on it, but there's really no room, & the extra weight back there,..... even if it weighs 27 lbs, would be not a very smart thing to do. Just possibly trying to save the guys life, as a 13' is for "SOME" lakes, & back sloughs, not the ocean, or big rivers. Sal
Rodeath	posted 05-01-2009 01:52 PM ET (US) I can assure you that I am not planning on crossing any oceans. I use the boat primarily in the relatively protected waters of the puget sound, most often in the San Juan Islands around Orcas. Furthermore, I never venture too far from any land mass, I fully understand the limitations that my "bathtub" presents. The Irony of your safety rant is that my primary reason for wanting the second motor is to limp back to shore, should I lose the big motor. And yes, I also want a troller as my 40 horse sucks gas at any speed. I understand the difficulty in adding any more weight to the transum, perhaps a lighter, high power electric. I have found a new 4 stroke 3.5 horse merc at 37 pounds for a steal.....thoughts?
NewportMe	posted 05-01-2009 02:41 PM ET (US) Rodeath I troll an outrage 22'WD with a 6 horsepower motor. I think anything less than that will be fine. You know the waters and your boat, it's your boat and your money do what pleases you. Bruce
R T M	posted 05-01-2009 03:05 PM ET (US) I didn`t read where he was going out into big water with his 13 footer. While I agree that a 40hp 4 stroke and a 4 stroke kicker would be a lot of weight. I run a 25hp. 4 stroke Merc.(157 lbs.) and a 40 lb. rear mounted electric trolling motor, I have enough freeboard in the stern that I feel safe. I don`t run in big water, but mostly in the back bays in Central Fl. Breaking down in an isolated spot may not be a life and death experience, but it could be a hell of an inconvenience. Its always good to have another source of power besides a paddle. rich/Binkie
Sal DiMercurio	posted 05-01-2009 08:17 PM ET (US) I can see your not a very experienced boat person. I have fished ( sport & commercial ) in the exact area your talking about, & if you even think for 1 second your 13' "BATHTUB" is enough boat for that area, your very badly mistaken. Hey, I'm not making fun of your boat, but open your eyes & look around, that isn't some calm lake, it's the "Straights of Juan De Fuca, & the Puget Sound, for which you can't see land on the other side.fOR you guys that live 3,000 miles from there, & have never been on that water, don't encourage him telling him his 13' boat is enough, because I've been there in the fall in the calmest time, & had my commercial 32 footer, be caught in a whirl-pool at Deception Pass, that spun me around, & around, until I put twin 3208 turbo charged Cats, full bore to get out of it. This is part of the Pacific ocean, not the back bays of Florida, or some lake. But I've only been at this work for over 50 years, so what the hell do I know. Go for it. Buy an electric motor & see "how far" you get, bucking 5 - 6 mph tide ( current), or wind. You will be in forward gear, going backwards 1 mph @ wide open throttle, for about 1 hour, than your battery will be gone, unless you put in the right battery to run that electric motor, but it weighs another 65 lbs on top of your 40 hp battery that weighs 40 lbs.( 105 lbs of batteries ) but the kicker is "ONLY" 27 lbs. so that makes it ok,....right? If your 40 hp., 4 stroke uses to much gas as you say,.......hmmmm, that motor should get 10 mpg ( 60 miles on a 6 gallon tank ) or you better bring it back to the dealer, as that engine should run all day on 4 gallons of gas trolling, leaving you 2 gallons to go at least another 18 - 20 miles, but you say you only fish not very far from shore,....hmmmm, than why do you "THINK" you need a kicker? I'm not trying to be a smart a$$, ( really ) but you need to understand the limits of a 13 foot boat, & there are many, many, many. Just because it's a Whaler, doesn't mean you can go anywhere, & do as you please, because it's only 13' long & "AT BEST", " ONLY "3" ( yes "THREE INCHES" ) above the water at the stern, & aft sides. With your attitude, & the help of some of the guys on this site, their gonna find your boat, but not you, until 5 days later, when it comes up..... sorry to put it that way, but trying to get your 100% attention. Sorry to be so blunt, but your 13' boat is just not enough for that big of water. I'm trying to help you, not make fun of you, but if you think you know so much, go for it. Sal.
20dauntless	posted 05-01-2009 09:19 PM ET (US) Is your primary motor well maintained and reliable? If the answer is yes, I wouldn't bother with a kicker. I spend a lot of time in the San Juans and points north in all seasons with a single and have never had a problem. I keep spare plugs, fuel filters, prop, etc on board in case of an emergency. I also have a good anchor with lots of rode and a Boat US membership. If your engine isn't reliable, consider investing in a new engine that you can trust. I find kickers a real pain. In fact, I had one on the Whaler for 10 years and it was a constant problem, so much so that I sold it.
R T M	posted 05-02-2009 06:49 AM ET (US) The classic 13 foot Whaler was designed for a motor of 125lbs. or less. That is roughly the weight of a 40hp outboard of that era. You need to keep that in mind when deciding how much to overload the transom. It is a fair weather boat and should be treated as such. The boat is overloaded with more than two people. You shouldn't`t get so far from port that you can`t return before the weather turns nasty. It is not a boat to "ride out the storm", and if you feel you need a large enough anchor to do that, you are in way over your head. Running into a 2 foot chop will beat you to death, and soak you to the skin, even off plane. The boat will ride better with the interior moved forward 4-6" and the rear seat screwed on top of the seat clamps, so that the fuel tank and battery live under the seat. This has been proven over and over again, especially with modern heavy outboards. Its a great boat within its limitations. rich/Binkie
Tohsgib	posted 05-02-2009 09:52 AM ET (US) I gotta agree with Sal a bit on this. First I have a 40 Suzuki at 240+lbs so I am maxed out on transom weight. 2nd my engine will run like 5 hours+ trolling on ONE gallon of fuel, that is not thirsty. My 13 is for lakes and rivers only, anything more and I would have at least a Montauk(I have a 19 Revenge). My back would not be able to handle it, nor my neck or hips, etc. 13's are for kids for God's sake...not 40+ year olds or any open waters.
R T M	posted 05-02-2009 03:38 PM ET (US) (My back would not be able to handle it, nor my neck or hips, etc. 13's are for kids for God's sake...not 40+ year olds or any open waters.) I guess I`m just a 71 year old kid, still beatin around in a 13 footer, and a raceboat. I never made a living sitting at a desk, and now its payoff time. LOL rich/Binkie
Sal DiMercurio	posted 05-02-2009 08:13 PM ET (US) Keep doing what your doing Rich, that's what keeps us young. I will be 71 June 4th. Sal
elaelap	posted 05-03-2009 01:37 AM ET (US) And I'm gonna quietly, respectfully, disagree with three of my favorite CW pals--each of whom has much more Whaler experience than I--regarding this matter. Binks, Biggie, Sal--there's nothin' much wrong that I can see with a little feather-weight kicker hanging off the stern of a 13. Nor is there much to complain about if Rodeath wants to push his little skiff a little further than any one of us might feel comfortable with in his home waters. I agree--'cause I do it myself--that trolling with his 40 hp 4/s is the way to go...maybe a couple of gallons of fuel at the most all day, and no need for a kicker here. But I see absolutely nothing wrong with having a back-up motor in Rodeath's situation; in fact, just the opposite. And 20dauntless, again with the greatest respect--Yep, kickers are sometimes a pain in the butt, but it's sure nice to know that they're there, whether or not you've got a brand new main motor. Redundant motors, VHFs, GPSs, all kinda tools and parts onboard you'll never use, an extra jug of gas, some bottled drinking water and energy bars, all the boring USCG safety stuff including a fire extinguisher, a stuff kit full of small stuff, marline, duct tape, two or three knives scattered around the boat, a tow line, a boat hook...what am I forgetting? This kind of preparation, if one is boating on a turbulent river, large lake, or on the ocean, makes for pleasant dreams at night rather than nightmares, IMO. Tony
R T M	posted 05-03-2009 12:22 PM ET (US) Tony, I think you might have misunderstood me. I`m all for alternative power on any boat. Its good to be self sufficient. I have a problem with the heavy 4 stroke 40hp, and a kicker. If you want 40hp, go with a 2 stroke. The problem I have found with even a small short shaft kicker is the foot will drag in the water at some speeds unless mounted on the actual transom or on a ridiculously high bracket. That's why I went with the electric trolling motor. Here is the stern of my boat with a 25 4 stroke (157 lbs,) and still heavy with an electric trolling motor, and another with a 125 lb. Evinrude 35hp antique, and a 3 hp Johnson trolling motor. The boat will run the same speed with both setups. http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/floridaboy2053/ Whaler%20with%20Mercury/WHALER3.jpg http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c191/floridaboy2053/kicker%20bracket/ kickerbracketwhaler2.jpg rich/Binkie
high sierra	posted 05-03-2009 02:08 PM ET (US) That little 3 horse is the best small motor ever designed by any mfg. Twin cylinder as smooth as glass, one carb and runs forever on a tank of gas.
Rodeath	posted 05-03-2009 06:38 PM ET (US) Well, Thanks, for all the advice. I tell you, all this talk about 40 hp 4 strokes trolling efficiently has me wondering about mine. It's a '96 and as I stated before burns through gas pretty good. It's in the shop for a tune up at the moment, hopefully that will help. Thanks, Dave.
Tohsgib	posted 05-04-2009 11:53 AM ET (US) Maybe the carbs are that much more inefficient. All 3 of my 4 strokes have been suzuki EFI's. Binks I will be 40 in August and still own my riginal 13 I got when I was a kid. However I do not and will not take this thing out unless glass-like conditions. They ride like hell but what do you expect from a 13' boat. If I was running offshore I would rather have a 16/17 Whaler with that same 40 than the 13'.