new to me boat, looking for advice with kicker

[tsquared]

I got a new to me boat. It is a Lund Genmar 2450 and it has a full swim platform on it. I would like to put my 8 horse kicker motor on the boat and I was looking to see if anyone has experience with a mount for a kicker on the swim platform or if it is better to ditch the platform and mount the kicker to the transom.

I would like to hear some opinions.

As soon as I get everything set up I will be able to make it over to fish again.

Troy

[layer]

I had a platform on the old boat and didn't mind it at the time.... good place for the cooler. New one doesn't have one and I like it way better that way. I, personally, would be scared to mount a kicker on a platform unless it was molded into the hull. If you think its solid enough, and have decent insurance, go ahead.

Edit, I should add I saw one mounted on a platform once so that it was actually bolted to the transom at the same time. It looked sturdy that way and had I put one on I would have done it that way. Hard to explain here though.

[RedRider]

What kind of material is the platform?

Do you have room for the cooler in the boat?

What about splitting the platform,leaving one side for the cooler and using a direct transom mount for the kicker?

[wigglebutt]

My guess is the swim platform is mounted to the transom with a little L bracket on the corners, a small tubular L bracket app. 1' in and tubular "legs" toward the middle. I would not mount a Kicker to that. If you have to have a Kicker, I would suggest cutting the swim platform and re-use the mounts on the end you cut to re-attach it to the stern. (You mat want to leave the side with the ladder on the boat.) My .02

Randy

[tsquared]

The swim platform is like wigglebutt described. I have a kicker from my last boat because I had two outboards. I trolled with the little motor and used the big motor to get in and out to fish. My new boat is a 4.3 liter mercruiser i\o. I could just use only it, but I always liked having a back up. In the 15 or so years that I have been fishing Lake Michigan, I have had to drive in on the kicker once due to a problem with the other motor. I also think the kicker would save alot on gas.

I am still debating if I should just leave it off.

[BFG]

Figure out a way to put that kicker on that boat. In my opinion, swim platforms get in the way of most things involved with salmon fishing.

Remove the platform, mount the kicker, make another small platform on the opposite side for the cooler, and enjoy not spending all that extra money that you will save by not feeding the big motor while trolling (not to mention the safety element of having secondary power).

You are ahead of the game here...most guys try to figure out if they should buy a kicker or not. You already have one....use it.

[rightturn]

i concur with gobucks

[northshore]

You don't need much muscle to hold up a 8hp kicker... how about re-inforcing the section of the swim platform you intend to mount to (with marine plywood or additional metal bracketing) and leaving everything else stock?

Is 8 enough to push a Genmar around at 3mph into medium seas with a headwind?

I have a 2350 Bayliner Ciera that I'm thinking of putting a kicker on, but was thinking I need 15+ for that especially if I wanted it to serve as backup-into-port-power. What advice does the audience have on max vessel wt/length for a 8 horse 4-stroke?

[clam2]

The concerns I personally see with mounting a kicker on the actual swim platform are pretty much the same as Clark (and Matty) ------- a kicker protruding out even beyond the platform doesnt bode really well for effective fishing.......she is gonna stick out a bunch!


Notice hard far the kicker sticks out when mounted to the swim platform on this boat example (no matter what the main engine type happens to be)

One of the first things I decided on for the new boat (besides outboards) was that I would try very hard to make sure I would be able to mount the kicker directly to the transom as opposed to having even so much as a kicker mount (or worse having to mount it to a swim platform).......Anything I can do to make it easier is a major plus with outboards....


Maybe a better setup on this example boat (regardless of main engine type) --- the platform removed and a better mounting area for the kicker with a fish box still outside the boat on the other side.....

One piece of advice I would offer would be to really think out whatever decision you make in terms of fishability......Having to steer fish around cables from riggers that are already getting some blow back with the rigger arms already extended out to possibly a full 53 inches (to clear the platform and kicker) not to mention the distinct possibility of having a fish or cable wrap in the kicker prop while also trying to net only in certain very small areas of the stern is no picnic.......

I think Clark's idea of removing the platform for the mounting of a kicker and mount is a very good one.......That way you can still mount a smaller platform one on the other side and still place the fish box outside of the boat if desired.....

I hope you are able to get it the way you want without too many issues! Good luck to you!

[ejb]

8hp may be a bit small for a 2450. I have a 15hp bigfoot on my lund 2150. I orderd the boat from mr outboard & the 15 is what they reconmended, but that was in 99, the newer kickers may be better ? The 15 tops out at 5-6 mph.

[littlebluelund]

I was in the exact same place you are only a few months ago. I am still going through it and hopefully I can save you some headache. I dont believe that the kicker will save you the fuel you think it will. You will save some but I'm not saving what I thought I would have. But I really wanted a kicker to keep the hours of the main.
How are planning on steering the kicker? The EZ Steer has not performed like I hope it would have. I dont recommend it but your options going I/O to kicker are limited.

Have you reached out to Reid about having Terry look at your boat? Terry "Green Machine" can fabricate anything you would need to mount the kicker and his prices are amazing.

I run a 24' Sea Ray on a 10hp 1984 Honda kicker with no problems whatsoever.

Here what I would do if I could do it over again:

1. Mount the kicker
2. Buy an auto pilot (how did I fish without one)
3. Buy all the 00 orange dodgers I could find and see them for double the price....

You dont want to use a kicker on rough days and on calm days the sterndrive will serve as a rudder and you can steer with the main off and only the kicker running.