Kicker Decisions

[salmonite]

So i want to get a long shaft kicker. I have a couple options and hopefully get some other opions

 

Brand new:

 

2011 8hp honda - manual start 5 year warranty 8amp charging unit 1920.00 plus tax

 

2013 9.9 Yamaha - manual Start 5 year warranty, no charging unit 2113.00 plus tax

 

2014 8hp Tohatsu - electric start 5 year warranty charging unit 1800.00 delivered to my front door. (factory direct)

 

used

 

2012 9.9hp mercury electric start with roughly  25 hours. charging unit 1500.00

 

-so my concern about tohatsu is there a few and far between dealers and sevice if i need it. I know bayside on i bay services tohatsu but i also think he is out of business or on his way out. since they are the same as a merc will a merc dealer work on them?

 

- good prices left over on the honda's and yammys but is a warranty and the quality of the japanese motors worth it?

 

- i was also told that even though the honda has a charging unit it doesn't work, only if it has electric start it works. is that true that only electric start kickers provide the charge to the batteries.

 

So what would you do?

Edited February 4, 2015 by salmonite

[bandrus1]

2013 9.9 Yamaha - manual Start 5 year warranty, no charging unit 2113.00 plus tax

[lrg355]

Back in Sept 2013 I ordered a T9.9XPA Yamaha from my local dealer in Pa.  Paid $2700.  25 in shaft high thrust with remote control, power tilt.  It was a good choice.   Probably could do a similar deal today.

[salmonite]

found a merc manual for 1729 plus tax and electric for 2149 too

[bandrus1]

merc    

[Sk8man]

Tohatsu (Nissan) makes most of Merc motors especially the small ones.

[salmonite]

Yep, that is why I was wondering if the merc dealers will work on tohatsu and all parts are interchangeable?

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[mr 580]

Regarding charging systems on manual start kickers- I currently have manual start Yamaha 9.9 and 8 hp kickers with charging systems that work.  I've also owned a Honda with a manual start and charging system.  I've found the little four strokes to be very dependable and other than oil changes have used few parts over the years.  Charging system for me is a must have.   

[laker1]

I have a 4 year old Honda 8hp long shaft. I like the charging system. It starts first or second pull every year and I just go fishin. Every fall I change the oils and filters and baby it as much as I can. The motor has saved my bacon a couple of times when the main power plant has failed.

Both gas tanks have interchangeable gas lines. I like Yamaha too. In making a decision I would consider the local dealer network, can you get service locally and what is their reputation? We just like Hondas after using for years ALL the other engines. Hondas run and run and if serviced properly never need to be fixed because they just don't fail. We have Hondas on all of our boats.

Just my thoughts. Good Luck !

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[Tim Bromund]

I just bought the Tohatsu 8hp elec start.  Now hoping I can find an AP that will work on it.  Unless the Merc model works since it's really a re-badged Tohatsu anyway, the TR1 Gold doesn't have a model for that engine specifically.

 

Pretty sure I can add the Panther electro-steer if I have to, but that's not really an AP, just a remote steering system.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Tim Bromund

[salmonite]

anyone else have a opinion on kickers and good deals?

[Sk8man]

I think Nissan makes both Tohatsu and Merc motors but I'm not sure they are identical. I seem  to remember noticing some specs someplace and was of the mind that the Tohatsu's were lighter weight for the same horse power which signaled potential differences to me at the time....I may be wrong but you may want to check it out further.

[L&M]

Actually Tohatsu is the parent company that makes the engines for both Nissan & the smaller Mercs. Any weight differences would be for the high thrust models on the Mercs  or some variations specified by the others. Basic power heads are the same.

[Sk8man]

I stand corrected   Thanks Hank....and they say memory is the second thing to go...guess I'm screwed

[Frogger]

age..... its creeping lol,  serious question though, with my 2 stroke 6hp evinrude on the back, scared to go to a 4 stroke 8hp or 9.9 due to the weight on the back, rumor has it that the 4 strokes 6hp are less than the 2 strokes, anyone have any experience with a 4 stroke 6hp on the back of a 19 or 20 ft aluminum for trolling?

[Blue Heron]

Frogger

 

I had a 6hp Tohatsu 4stk on my 16' lund - there were no issue - however I believe most 6hp 4stks are single cyl engine so they are not as smooth running - I eventually went up to a 8hp and it was definately smoother

[Frogger]

That's what I hear Blue, that the single cylinders are ratty.  Did you see much of a difference in weight on your boat when you went to the 8?  Did you go to the 8 because of the lack of power or the vibration?

[vetting]

I looked into getting a kicker for my 25ft boat that weights in at a smidge under 5,000lbs unloaded.  Usually I put around 800 miles a year on the boat running to spots, trolling, and river cruises.  Even at 2 mpg, the cost savings just didnt add up.  So other than a backup if you main engine fails, does it really make sense to run one on a larger boat?

[Blue Heron]

The 8 was smother and also had Elec Start

[scobar]

Salmonite, If you have an outboard (main power) now I would match that motor. I assuming you don't, so with that said I would get the motor you like best. A couple hundred bucks over many years won't make a difference. I have a 19' w/johnson OB 115, so I put a 8HP long shaft manual start 4stroke johnson to match. It works great on my setup. I did talk with a mech. at the dealer about adding a charging system to it, it can be done but he told me the output is so little that he would not recommend spending the money for it. So he just pushed a sale away from his shop so I have to believe it.

[hawkeye625]

Frogger, I ran a 9.8 4stroke tohatsu off a 19.5 sea nymph fish and ski with no issues.  The tohatsu replaced a 9.9 2 stroke.  I didn't notice any difference in weight.  I did put the 3.5 gallon fuel can on the opposite side of the boat but also did that with the 2 stoke engine. 

[Frogger]

Sounds good Hawk, thats what I was wondering.  Ive got a 6hp 2 stroke now and like you put a 3.5 on the opposite side.  Im wanting to go to a 4 stroke with a little more HP.  The 8 seems to be the ticket.  Last year I redid my transom and realized how low the boat sits when loaded.  Might have to check to see if ive got a wet foam syndrome going on with added weight in the boat thats not helping me.  Thanks for the info.

[Miss em]

Tohatsu makes the smaller evinrudes now too.  Identical to the Mercs as far as I can tell.  I have a 5 horse Evinrude on my 17 footer tiller, single cylinder.  Paid an extra $400 for the Evinrude paint job essentially.   Didn't buy the smallest two cylinder for the extra weight, then I went and lost 40 pounds.  would have been a wash.  Works good for walleye and spring brown trolling.  I just run the big motor when I have a full spread of salmon gear out because of all the drag from the gear.  I put a couple tennis balls under the cover and it keeps it the noise down from the cover rattling.  Engine has performed great for me for the 3 years I have run it.