Looking for input on Kicker

[ericmic1]

Background: I have a 1996 Tracker Targa 18 WT.  60hp merc 2str as main motor.

I like to troll for walleye and had previously been using a 55lb transom electric for going <2.0 mph which is the recommended speed per the old guys on my lake.  I was thinking about upgrading to a 4 stroke kicker of maybe 6 or 8 and was wondering your guys/gals thoughts.  I know the 6 would have 1 cylinder, but would also move my rig fine as a 1974 broken Johnson 4hp moved me 4mph easy...but that died and is unavailable.

Any guidance would be helpful.

-ericmic1

[filetandrelease]

First nice boat , Almost all small motors are made by one company , any four stroke and having a little extra power doesn't hurt , look for hold over motors you can get some good deals , bass pro would be a good place to check , and there maybe some rebates or sales out there on others ,I would say go larger less stress on your kicker and they burn almost zero fuel just my .02

[Rugburn]

X2 F&R. Also the ability to keep batteries charged, especially when running electric downriggers, radios etc. is a big plus.

[Mac Attack]

2 cylinder outboards run smoother than single cylinder outboards typically.
Go with the 8
Be sure to get it with an alternator.
Larger is always better typically, except on a kicker.
Too big and you will be at an idle to troll slow enough for walleye.
Of course you can always modify the prop to get higher RPM at slower speeds if needed.
Mac

[ericmic1]

Thanks for the info and advice.  I think I am going to go with the 8hp.

I am poor or is it cheap?  Anyways I have a bunch of Cabelas Points and giftcards so it will be very little cash from me...and looking at the Tohatsu 8hp long.  It doesn't have the alternator but that can be added later for 150...

I would like electric start but....as I said I am cheap and still youngish also my fishing partner = electric start. 

I looked into prop selection and there is high thrust version for the 8 if I need.

Thanks again for the advice and push towards the 8...

-ericmic1

[boondox]

bigger don't hurt either you can drag drift  socks while trolling....  "drift socks" is what they call them those will slow and really stead out your speed. my brother had a 26 foot Carolina classic charter boat he used those on... for this very reason with his main motor just get a smaller set to use with the smaller kickers if needed... by the way less stress on the motor if running more then one cylinder... same with the four cylinder versus a v-8 engine it balances it out better...   

[jeffmac85]

It's surprisingly hard to steer using drift socks or buckets, especially in a light 16-18ft aluminum, your brothers 26' ft Carolina has a heck of a lot more mass to pull the sock to turn.  They do work, but at that point might as well just run your main motor with a sock and save the $, only problem is you are running a 2 stroke but add a little ringfree to your gas, go 1 heat range hotter on your plugs and always bring a few spares and it would get the job done as well

[boondox]

It's surprisingly hard to steer using drift socks or buckets, especially in a light 16-18ft aluminum, your brothers 26' ft Carolina has a heck of a lot more mass to pull the sock to turn.  They do work, but at that point might as well just run your main motor with a sock and save the $, only problem is you are running a 2 stroke but add a little ringfree to your gas, go 1 heat range hotter on your plugs and always bring a few spares and it would get the job done as well

why go outside the specified heat range for the motors spark plugs? most of all if it is burning the fuel normally?? for one detonation of the park plugs  can occur  when you change heat range of the spark plugs or timing of the ignition system like advancing it...socks are easy to pull up, buckets are not. if done right socks are real easy to pull up if you need to know how just ask....that will help with the turning probably wont even need drift socks with that 8 hp motor.. the socks where just a suggestion if he needs to...which is lot cheaper then selling the motor lol's he is planning to buy...   

[jeffmac85]

Going one heat range hotter will not cause detonation.  If you were to go say 2 or 3 maybe I could see that happening due to severe overheating of the plug.  But one heat range hotter simply allows the plug to run slightly hotter than the stock listed plug.  Motor companies test the plugs and tell you to run the plug they feel runs the best across the rpm and speed range, but it might not perform very well at low rpm and speed (trolling), hence you run a hotter plug when you are at low rpm because they have more insulation and therefore run a few degrees hotter which aids in burning off the huge carbon deposits of a 2 stroke motor (another reason I said to run ringfree).  If you really want to get nit picky then I suppose you could keep a few different heat range plugs on hand, and just change to the hotter ones when trolling and swap out for the ride out and back.  But who wants to go through all that work lol

[jeffmac85]

Pulling a drift sock up every time you wanted to turn doesn't seem very fun either if you are being bounced around in 2-3 ft seas, constantly recorrecting your heading while trolling.  Lol, I can think of a few days I've been out, especially years ago trout and salmon trolling with my father, that the drift sock would spend more time being pulled in than being dragged.  Moral of the story?   I think you are going in the right direction with a 4 stroke kicker, 8 hp is more than enough for your size boat,  and do yourself a favor and add the alternator as soon as you can afford it.  Just for peace of mind that you can run all of your electronics, and maybe even some music lol and not have to pray to god that there is enough juice left in the batteries to start the main motor to go home.  I don't know how many have had to paddle back in due to a dead motor or batteries or gas etc., but I have and trust me it makes for a REALLY bad end to your day, and sore arms for a few after lol

[boondox]

Going one heat range hotter will not cause detonation.  If you were to go say 2 or 3 maybe I could see that happening due to severe overheating of the plug.  But one heat range hotter simply allows the plug to run slightly hotter than the stock listed plug.  Motor companies test the plugs and tell you to run the plug they feel runs the best across the rpm and speed range, but it might not perform very well at low rpm and speed (trolling), hence you run a hotter plug when you are at low rpm because they have more insulation and therefore run a few degrees hotter which aids in burning off the huge carbon deposits of a 2 stroke motor (another reason I said to run ringfree).  If you really want to get nit picky then I suppose you could keep a few different heat range plugs on hand, and just change to the hotter ones when trolling and swap out for the ride out and back.  But who wants to go through all that work lol

that 26 foot Carolina classic  had twin diesel engines and glo plugs and was under the main flooring deck which is hard top reach when under way... you also need a u.s. coast guard captains license to pilot a twin screw boat by the way that weight over 12,000 pounds dry ...  not sure what your getting at as to need to change out spark plugs like on which motor???  the other motor is a 8 hp that probably will be running at half to 3/4 throttle to push the aluminum boat in this topic around which is a lot lighter of a boat like said and the drift sock would help steady it out  no questions asked.  but still don't think he will need it .. but it is only a suggestion any how just encase .... and that 8 hp was only to be used as a kicker motor when trolling not for zipping back and for like water skiing lol's as far as I know of lol's ... so which are you talking about???  lol's      

[jeffmac85]

I was referring to the original posters motor which is a 60 hp merc 2 stroke, very simple to change the plugs on that motor.  Not sure why you'd think I'd be referring to changing plugs on your brothers boat?   Like I said in my original post, I could see using the drift sock in a giant 26' Carolina, it probably weighs 4-5 times what this guys tracker weighs lol.  More mass means its much easier to pull the drag of the drift sock through the turn.  A little 18 ft aluminum boat really struggles to pull a drift sock through a turn, and this leads to lots of over compensating through turns which can lead to tangles, especially if you run long leads like when walleye trolling.

[jeffmac85]

And BTW, half to 3/4 throttle with that 8hp motor in calm seas will probably push that boat well over 5 mph, not sure if he's trolling for mackeral in that tracker lol.  Only reason i know this is because my father has a 16 ft Lund with 60hp merc 4 stroke and Honda 8hp kicked that's loaded to the teeth with gear that I would bet money is right around the same weight as the OP'rs tracker and full throttle 3 weeks ago on lake Erie in fairly calm weather the Honda pushed us at 10-12 mph, and this is with a lower pitch prop than stock for trolling slow, with stock prop I bet would have been closer to 12-13 mph steadily.   So with an 8 hp at about 1.8 mph he's looking at more like 15%-25% throttle at most which is pretty low rpm, and trust me (I didn't think so either) but even 4 strokes will load up running too close to idle for long periods of time

[greensider]

do not buy a small 4 stroke they do not run well on the ethanol gal stay with a 2 stroke

[filetandrelease]

I have been running a 9.9 pro kicker on my 2025 now for 8 yrs and yet to have a problem with it loading up , but I'm only running non-E fuel 91 octane , I run speeds for eyes from 1,2-2.5 depending what is necessary  , far as drift socks , my last boat was a 16' tracker with a 40 horse 2 stroke and had to pull drift socks to slow it down and did it for 7 years and never had a problem steering , and I ran 4 rods without tangling , you just needed to make wider turns is all , and far as fuel back then I ran 87 Octane with stable and Strartron in the fuel and it ran just fine , the 30"bags helped keep the RPMs  up so no loading up , IMO that 18' targa will do just fine with a 8 four stroke , I have a bud that is a licensed merc mechanic and he answers all my stupid questions I may have ,everyone has their own way of doing things so if it works for you keep doing it ,
Tite lines guys and have a safe and fruitful season