Help educate mechanically challenged kicker buyer

[MooseheadDoc]

Just hoping to learn from the more mechanically knowledgeable...

I am buying a new trolling motor for my ‘93 Adventure 208. (also new bracket, currently has neither).

I have already decided to buy a Yamaha F8 or F9.9 with electric start. As far as I can tell there are only 2 differences between the motors: 1.9hp and $500.

My Question is more “what does the extra 1.9hp get me?”, rather than“which would you buy?” (but kinda both... )
The motor will run the same prop, same RPM range, same gear ratio, same weight, etc. Speed shouldn't be an issue- I lake troll for salmon and togue at 1.5-2mph.

Both motors are in the budget. Half my brain says “more is better”. Also, this motor may follow me to my next boat, so 9.9 seems more versatile. But the other half of my brain asks “why pay for more motor than I need?”

Thanks for any knowledge and opinion..... JB

 

[trapper]

Doc. I have had both as trolling motors, Both with remote trim/tilt and start with steering from main with an autopilot. One extra horse in the barn does not seem to make a noticeable difference in my world of salmon trolling.

 

[Ky Grady]

Only thing I would consider for down the road is possible resell value of a 9.9 versus the 8. Seems like most prefer the 9.9.

 

[MooseheadDoc]

Ironically, just pulled the trigger on a 9.9 with high thrust, power tilt, electric start, fuel lines and prop. Someone else had ordered but backed out, so it was cheap(ish) and available.

Still interested in replies! Trying to get a bit more educated on the whole combustion engine thing...

 

[Bloodweiser]

If your main motor goes down and you have to limp in to the marina that extra 1.9 hp might be cool to have .

 

[Seafarer_Bob]

I put the T9.9 high thrust on my 228. I get just over 6kts in calm conditions, love the electric start, runs smooth and hasn't skipped a beat.

 

[leeccoll]

I have a 9.9 high thrust Honda.
Electric start and trim.
Couldn't be happier, and so will you!

 

[wrxhoon]

Make sure you have a small pitch prop, like 5"-6" so if you ever need to use it as a means to get back you don't kill it.

 

[MooseheadDoc]

By way of follow-up:
I ended up buying a Yamaha T9.9 long shaft dual thrust prop (T9.9LPHB).
Mounted on port transom on a Panther transom mount (55-0410 I think).

Working out great so far. At idle speed, depending on wind direction, this gets me 1.5-2 mph for trolling. At WOT I get 6-7mph as a "get home engine' if needed.

I will be adding an EZ Steer soon. In mild conditions I am able to steer with my primary outboard. I put the trolling motor in a straight-ahead position and the primary outboard works effectively as a rudder. But it doesn't take much wind or current to make this ineffective, and I end up steering the kicker from the stern.

 

[Jzeno186]

By way of follow-up:
I ended up buying a Yamaha T9.9 long shaft dual thrust prop (T9.9LPHB).
Mounted on port transom on a Panther transom mount (55-0410 I think).

Working out great so far. At idle speed, depending on wind direction, this gets me 1.5-2 mph for trolling. At WOT I get 6-7mph as a "get home engine' if needed.

I will be adding an EZ Steer soon. In mild conditions I am able to steer with my primary outboard. I put the trolling motor in a straight-ahead position and the primary outboard works effectively as a rudder. But it doesn't take much wind or current to make this ineffective, and I end up steering the kicker from the stern.

Do you have any pics of this set up?

 

[MooseheadDoc]

Here’s what I have on my phone, which isn’t much help. I’ll post more useful shots when i get off work. Happy to report it is working great, tho I had to play with the detente screws on the EZ-steer bar to get the tension right.

 

[Ted R]

With your boat the 8HP High Thrust should be all you need. I have that motor on my Gulfstream and we troll with it on Lake Michigan for salmon and it works great. It is enough HP for your requirements and save a few bucks.

 

[MooseheadDoc]

Here are more pix. Let me know if there are specific details you’d like to see.
Agree that 8hp would have been fine. I troll 1.6-2mph for togue. This is barely above low idle for this engine. I make close to 7mph at WOT as a “get home” engine, which is good since outboard inventories won’t let me repower this year and my old Johnson is irritable.

 

[Jzeno186]

Here are more pix. Let me know if there are specific details you’d like to see.
Agree that 8hp would have been fine. I troll 1.6-2mph for togue. This is barely above low idle for this engine. I make close to 7mph at WOT as a “get home” engine, which is good since outboard inventories won’t let me repower this year and my old Johnson is irritable.

Oh cool!! I love that set up. I got the panther model 35 which is a power trim bracket. They make a 3” spacer for it which I think I need so that the cowling doesn’t hit when it’s tilted up however they are completely sold out and not expecting them for at least a month. Trying to figure out what my best options are

 

[glacierbaze]

So you're steering with a tie bar now, but the main is centered, and the kicker is hard over. Does raising the main center the kicker, and you steer with the main up?

 

[MooseheadDoc]

Good question. The bar has an impressive range of flexibility. I can move main and/or kicker into almost any positions- left, right, trim up, trim down, mount up, mount down- and the bar will extend or shorten as necessary and the ball/socket attachment on each shaft will rotate as needed. Once I deploy the kicker I turn the wheel hard to port once. This puts both engines lined up in a hard-over position and shortens the bar to its shortest position. Now when I steer, both engines track together. This provides great control since the kicker is now under power and the main acts as an additional passive rudder.
The challenge I alluded to above was setting the resistance on the tie bar connection. There are allen-key adjustments where the rods overlap, and the inner rod has ridges or detentes. The system works by setting the resistance screws tight enough so they rest in a ridge and provide enough resistance to steer, but loose enough that more force (like trimming the motor or raising the kicker mount) allows the rod to expand/contract from ridge to ridge (if that makes any sense). See photo blow-up.

 

[HMBJack]

I recommend you get a bigger and much better security lock. That new Yamaha could easily disappear soon and end up on Craig's List somewhere South of Maine. Today's cordless saws can go through your cable in a few seconds.

The better locks are the ones that can't be cut - like the ones that clamp over the twist on engine mounts. Two locks are are better than one. Just sayin...

Lastly, not sure if you have a fuel line cutoff valve between your Johnson and the Yamaha. You might look into that to avoid fuel delivery issues to whichever engine you are using.

 

[MooseheadDoc]

@HMBJack-

Good points. Thanks! I guess I should probably take the keys out of the ignition while I'm at it . It's easy to take security for granted out here in the boondocks, and a better cable is a lot cheaper than a new engine.
I'll check on the fuel source. I know it was installed to the same filter/water separator as the main, but I don't know if there is a cut-off valve. I have never run them at the same time and haven't run into fuel delivery issues... yet.