Recommend Kicker Mount for 21-EC?

[dloop]

Any recommendations for a mounting bracket for a Tohatsu 5 hp 4-stroke (~55lbs) for my 21ec? It will be used in saltwater.

dave

 

[ac holmes]

Hello dloop,

I am about to take delivery on my 21-EC that I bought in NJ last December. I will be towing the boat to my home port in upstate NY at Seneca Lake and will use it for salmon and lake trout trolling. From what I can conclude without actually ever trying the boat and engine, I will need to install a "kicker" because the 30 HP Yanmar will probably not be comfortable at 2 miles an hour, the speed that we must troll at much of the time. There are many, many choices for mounting brackets but one consideration is how and where the mount will be bolted to the transom as it is a little curved. I would be pleased to listen to any advice about the project.

Best,

Andrew Holmes

 

[SlackwaterJack]

just thinking outside the box... has anyone looked into adapting a "trolling plate" or using a drogue towed behind the boat?.

 

[johnniethek]

I put downriggers on my R-21 EC to ensure I get the right depth for lake trout, chinook and other deep-depth fish-oids. 🙂

I have thought about getting a kicker for the boat, but frankly I haven't had any problem catching fish with the throttle on low. Sometimes I used to have to feather the throttle between neutral and low to ensure I was fishing at the depth I needed.

But then I started using fishing divers, those planing vehicles that take lures to extraordinary depths at a variety of speeds.

Re: kicker mounts, I think a search via Bing or Google would produce beaucoup choices for the motor size you're talking about. Good luck, and lemme know what you finally decide.

Cheers,

J

 

[ac holmes]

I have used drogues (trolling bags) on other boats and they get in the way of rigs and become a real mess with fish on. I don't know about plates with the prop at the skeg. A plate located elsewhere seems more challenging than a small kicker. The larger Yanmars have a hydraulic transmission that can use a "trolling valve" which essentially allows the trans to slip to adjust low end speed. The 30HP does not offer that option, unfortunately. I am also looking at an electric outboard option (torqeedo.com) which is feasible, as it is light enough to mount on the swim platform and is virtually silent but very costly with extra batteries etc.

 

[johnniethek]

I asked Andrew to recommend a mount I could use for a kicker motor on my R-21EC. I told him I also will want to use the motor for my dingy, so it needs to be easily accessible for that purpose.

He recommends using a spring-loaded sea dog outboard bracket to mount the outboard on. Then I can remove the outboard easily and place it on the dinghy. Here's link to one that he really likes: http://www.sea-dog.com/PDF/371510.pdf