posted 01-14-2004 01:19 PM ET (US)            

I have a Outrage 23 same hull as the conquest 23, the only difference being the weight of the cabin. I have a 15 HP kicker that will push the boat at 6 knots according to my gps. I have never had to put the throttle more the 2/3 of max when trolling and the day we did the current and wind made the lines so difficult to control we gave up after about and hour. Overall I have been very happy with my 2000 15hp Mercury four stroke. Starts easy and sips gas. I do have a t-top on my boat, that acts just like a sail when the wind blows. I would imagine that the windage that both boats present is very similar.

My 2 cents

posted 01-14-2004 10:53 PM ET (US)            

My 15hp kicker is attached to the main fuel supply. It works great. just a split line with a bulb. I do have an easy steer so I can control direction from the console. The rest is done the old fashion way by hand. That is the way the boat has been set up by the pervious owner. On the list of thigs to add would be trim tilt, throttle and starter from the console. That would be very nice. Would I go to a 25 hp, no it would be oaverkill for an outrage. I sure someone can look up defference in the weights between our boats and do a little figureing. I do know that the 255 conquest that I covet two rows down from me has a 15hp(really kool yamaha with the tilt and throttle) I do not really know if he catches more fish than I do, I just know he is a hell of a lot warmer than I am. :-)

The only reason I can think of to go with a larger kicker was if you were planing to troll in heavy seas on a regular basis. I have never had crank the 15 as sated in my previous post rarely do we go above half throttle. Frankly most times the motor is putting a long. I try to usually fish between 1.8 and 3.3 depending on species. With our currents we are usually just tring to set the action of the bait and about a 35 to 45 degree angle on the downrigger wires. Puget Sound is realy very protected so wind and current aer our challengs, for the most part not heavy seas.

These are merely my opinions and some information on how my boat is setup and how I fish. :-)

posted 01-15-2004 06:01 PM ET (US)            

Thanks for the info that's exactly what I am looking for. How people have put them on their boats, how they perform with their particular boat and if I am buying for the right reason.

The reasons I want one are:
1. Safety- I want to be able to limp home if I am on the Ohio River, Lake Erie or Atlantic Ocean

2. Trolling- I don't want to carbon up the Opti with a lot of idling and I want to be able to go to the slower speeds that the fishing dictates

posted 01-15-2004 06:41 PM ET (US)            

I wrote out a response to you yesterday and then screwed something up trying to post it and lost it, so I'll try to hit at least the high spots again here-

6 knots more or less is about what you're going to get top end with a 9.9, 15 or 25 HP kicker, due to hull speed dynamics, that one of our engineers here can explain to you far better than I can. I have a 9.9 kicker on my "other" boat, a 5000 lb., 25'-4" x 9'-6" cabin boat with 14° deadrise, and it gets 6 knots +/- WOT, and of course trolls all day at lower speeds. I'm about to drop an 8 hp kicker on my Outrage 22. I had been leaning towards a 15 on my Outrage, but became convinced by talking to a lot of folks here on the forum that it would be overkill, and then the Yamaha 8 HP with electric tilt was pointed out to me and I am hooked on it.

It's clear to me that 25 HP is *way* overkill for your Conquest 23, unless you have some other personal preferences that go beyond simple practicality.

About plumbing your fuel line: You should have a cannister type fuel/water seperator/filter on your boat; if you don't, you should install one. Plumb your kicker fuel line from the second port on the cannister filter, and provide a petcock for the kicker right at the cannister. The real purists will plumb the kicker right from the tank with its own cannister, but most of us can get by without that. The point is to have the ability to separate the two fuel systems from each other, especially when you are running on the main motor; then you just close the petcock on the kicker fuel line.

A sort of back-woods marina plumbed the kicker on the boat I referred to above from a tee inserted into the main motor line between the cannister filter and the main motor and the result was that the high pressure fuel pump in the fuel injected 225 HP main motor would suck air back through the carburetor in the kicker at high speeds. It took me nearly two years to figure out what the problenm was, so I hope I can save you that headache.

A dual binnacle mount control is a slick set up if you can afford it; just like twins, except one side controls the main and the other side controls the kicker.

Good luck-

posted 01-17-2004 10:30 PM ET (US)            

I purchased a 15hp 4 stroke yamaha long shaft (105lbs) last year for a reserve motor since I was venturing off shore and wanted some back up to get back home. I have tow boat insurance but having used it once a few years back it would have been quicker rowing back.

I purchased the boat used with a 8hp kicker and it did push the boat but was no match for some sea swells and it kept popping out of the water (not good). I debated the 9.9hp high thrust and the 15 and I am glad I went with the 15.

I currently have my 15hp mounted on a spring loaded motor mount bracket (124lb rated) on the starboard side. I used to trailer the boat with the motor mounted but I the metal fail on the bracket and almost lost my motor while trailering. The bracket company stated never to trailer with the motor mounted (didn't read the fine print). They told me to send the bracket back and they sent me a brand new one "no charge". I now remove the motor when trailering and put it in the truck.

The 15hp Yamaha pushes my boat about 6MPH. I lock 15hp motor straight and I steer from the steering wheel with my Merc 225. I thought I would need a steering connection but I have very good steerage with no connection.

I went with the long shaft manual start (no need for battery if I have an electrical problem). I am glad I purchased the long shaft since in rough seas the motor is well seated in the water even on big swells.

I hooked the fuel line to a shut off valve that is connected to the second connection to the fuel water separator.

Last year I installed a standard horrizon fuel flow meter and had a confusing set up to flow fuel metering both engines. It turns out the Yamaha burns 1 galloon per hour full out (vs merch 18gph) and I went with the simpler connection described above before the end of the summer.