kickers - why do you use them?

[say_der]

What is the point to having a kicker motor? Can the combined horsepower of a main motor and kicker be greater than the boat's limit?

[TUMBLEWEED]

Also very nice as a back-up on those
bigger lakes, and high current river
systems, where the battery powered
troller won't get you back to safety...

[kslipsinker]

A kicker is for trolling. They are not to be used in conjunction with the main motor for any purpose. Most of the motors over 50 HP don't troll slow enough, so a kicker with a lower HP is used instead.

[say_der]

I can see it as a safety back up - but why not use a battery powered trolling motor? If you idle a 9.9 hp down to trolling speed isn't it just the same as having a battery powered trolling motor? Just more expensive?

[Chris Haley]

You usually see the kickers on 19 footers or bigger. Some of those big boats get pretty heavy, and an electric won't move them easy in a stiff wind.

[Chris Haley]

The boy's with the big bucks will run both a gas and electric troller on back.

[stephendawg]

Also, my 125 won't run any slower than 5.5mph (GPS). A 10hp kicker (if I had one) would give me a greater range of slow speeds to troll at and save fuel and wear and tear on the big expensive outboard. Many big outboards load up with fuel at low rpm.Why push all that unburned fuel out the exhaust when you can run a kicker at higher rpm, run slower, save fuel and burn the fuel you're using more efficiently?

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...Now, if I only had more time off!...
Dawg