Kicker advice

I have a Parker 2320, with an open transom and a 250 Evinrude E-tec on the back of it. Because of the open transom and the 250 HP, what size kicker would be the best choice? I think with the open transom, weight would be an issue. What would you go with for a troll motor and a motor to steer you towards home while waiting for Vessel Assist? 10-15 HP?

Thank you

Stay with the etec family

Great kicker made for heavy boats
15 h.o. Hp weight won't be an issue with the lighter two strokes

I have a 2320 with the same transom as you. I have a 200 Ocean Pro which is a little lighter than the ETEC (my future motor more than likely) you currently have. I also have an 8hp Yamaha kicker motor which weighs about 66lbs. Being completely honest, if I had your newer ETEC I would take off my kicker. So far I haven't needed it but my Ocean Pro is older technology and I don't 100% trust it which is why I keep the kicker on. When I do replace the motor, I'm done with it. Your (and my) boat is not designed for that much weight. I know this because a few times, in snotty weather or backing down on a fish, water has gotten 6" deep on the deck. I love my boat but the transom is just cut too low, definitely wish it was up at least 5". My point being is, yo do not want to add more weight back there and you will actually probably never use the kicker, I haven't.

Lastly, if you were to add a new 15hp ETEC it would add 181lbs to your transom (the 10 is about 100lbs), 3 times what mine weighs.

MadGar":xpfbiirv said:

I have a 2320 with the same transom as you. I have a 200 Ocean Pro which is a little lighter than the ETEC (my future motor more than likely) you currently have. I also have an 8hp Yamaha kicker motor which weighs about 66lbs. Being completely honest, if I had your newer ETEC I would take off my kicker. So far I haven't needed it but my Ocean Pro is older technology and I don't 100% trust it which is why I keep the kicker on. When I do replace the motor, I'm done with it. Your (and my) boat is not designed for that much weight. I know this because a few times, in snotty weather or backing down on a fish, water has gotten 6" deep on the deck. I love my boat but the transom is just cut too low, definitely wish it was up at least 5". My point being is, yo do not want to add more weight back there and you will actually probably never use the kicker, I haven't.

Lastly, if you were to add a new 15hp ETEC it would add 181lbs to your transom (the 10 is about 100lbs), 3 times what mine weighs.

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Are the newer Etecs that dependable?
I just bought the boat, and I did read a lot of nice things about the etec, mine is a 250 2012, not sure if that would be considered "newer"

I have that gate across the back, but I'm going to take it off so I can wash the decks and have it flow out around to 200 qt Engel cooler, might even lift the cooler up an inch. I'll have it tied down across the splash-well. I'm thinking some water can pass in and out, but the cooler should block massive amounts from washing in.
With your Ocean Pro and kicker, do you take much water in, in a following sea?

Where do u live because vessel assist is not in Northern California

kidfreediver":2vr3x1f9 said:

Where do u live because vessel assist is not in Northern California

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95% of my fishing will be in the Monterey Bay, I know there is a VA in the Santa Cruz Harbor and the Coast Guard in Monterey if it gets real dire.

San Francisco also has VA but Half Moon Bay is kind of dependent on the VA to the North and South.

So I fish out of tomales and the only thing there is coast guard which does me no good in rough conditions if fishing on the beach or reef. The big engine we have are great for reliability but I like to have mine around for a long time. I have 326hours on the big motor and it's a June 2014 motor. The kicker is a June 2015 motor with 387 hours. You see what I'm getting at!! The big motor alone could have 700hours on it but with the kicker I spread out the use so I don't have to replace the big motor rather then the small motor. Weight wise they have all ready taken and replace the big heavy 4 stroke that was on it original and drop the ass probably by 100lbs if your concerned with the ass being heavy possible see if weight can be added to the bow and or bigger trim tabs. Kicker is a must where I fish and a great deal of comfort especial when the kicker burns .3 liters and hour comparatively to .3 to .4 gallons an hour. This engine Also can be utilized on other boats and has electric start and trim. Bought it for $3300 brand new

Most of the kickers that I have seen on 2520's have been 9.9hp 'high thrust' which are made for that purpose.
I would think the same motor would be fine on a 2320.

KFDiver made a good point that I was not thinking of, where are you using your boat? I am not experienced with Ocean fishing and stay in the Chesapeake Bay and nearby rivers. If you are in a place that you wouldn't feel comfortable waving someone down or getting someone out to reach you, that's a problem I don't have.

As for my motor and my kicker, If I have full tank of gas (150gal) and only 3 people on board, I am probably going to get a wet deck if the weather and tides are not just right. There are more than a few reports on this website of that happening with your boat (2320 motor mounted on transom). Personally, I feel you have a great motor and if I had that motor on my boat I would remove the kicker, immediately, but again I feel comfortable in the waters I fish in.

These boats need no extra help with weight on the back and if I had a closed transom like KFDiver, I would probably leave the kicker on but my deck gets wet quickly and often when things are not right and I have it weighed down. Also, I primarily fish in Oct-Jan and that water is cold at that time so I do my best to prevent this from happening.

Lastly, I wouldn't remove the "gate" you have back there either. If you do I would make it so it can easily be put back on quickly and leave it up front. Also, I have the Yamaha 8hp high thrust motor and it will push my boat about 5.5mph in normal weather (not dead flat but not snotty bad either)

Good info, thank you.

If I do go for a kicker I think I'll forget the 15HP and look towards a light 10HP, Ill wait and fish without it for a season and see how the boat performs in rough water. But I would rather troll with a kicker, especially when we motor mooch.

I once saw a molded splash well that bolted onto the two side compartments, I might explore that also. Maybe add some big scuppers to it.

Yes motor mooching is easier with my kicker cuz I have a rpm toggle that increases or decreases the speed by 1/10 of a mph. I don't even have to move the throttle. I can keep my speed against the current without shifting in and out of gear keeping the lines straight down.

kidfreediver":o2msw3vs said:

Yes motor mooching is easier with my kicker cuz I have a rpm toggle that increases or decreases the speed by 1/10 of a mph. I don't even have to move the throttle. I can keep my speed against the current without shifting in and out of gear keeping the lines straight down.

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And best of all, you can use J-hooks instead of the dreaded Circle Hook.

Yes absolutely double hook rigs if u like cuz we're considered trolling

MikeMarkCA":13xducqu said:

Good info, thank you.

If I do go for a kicker I think I'll forget the 15HP and look towards a light 10HP, Ill wait and fish without it for a season and see how the boat performs in rough water. But I would rather troll with a kicker, especially when we motor mooch.

I once saw a molded splash well that bolted onto the two side compartments, I might explore that also. Maybe add some big scuppers to it.

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It used to be, in the two-stroke world, that the 9.9 hp and 15hp were the same motor, just different carbs and up-rated. Same weight.

Also, Evinrude or Johnson used to make a sailboat kicker (SailMaster?). High torque and power, low speed.

I have no idea if these motors are still made. My sailboat days are way too far back in the rear view mirror.