10hp or 15 hp kicker?

Im thinking about what size of kicker to run.
How many people if any wish they had a 15hp kicker instead of a 10hp? How fast will a 10hp motor push a 20.5′ Alumacraft?

My only experience is with my 9.9 on the back of my alumacraft 175 sport. Not exactly sure of top speed but if I had to guess I would say around 8-10 mph. Can’t say that I wish I had more power in my kicker. Its function is first and foremost to have a motor in case the big one dies and secondly for trolling. The 9.9 serves both functions as well as a 15 would. It also costs less and may weigh less too

20ft fiberglass here. I have zero reason to have a larger kicker.

I have a 15hp kicker only because that was all that was available and was the last one of those! Would have preferred a 9.9, they only additional benefit is that it has an alternator. It is on an 1875 Impact XS. As you will hear, the motor isnt made for speed but torque. 9.9 is all you really need.

I have a 16ft Sylvan Pro Select. I use a 9.9 kicker since my favorite lake has 10hp restriction. I can’t go fast but I could not use a larger motor. Good luck.

You’re not going to notice a huge difference in top speed, neither will get you even close to displacement speed.

As mentioned, the alternator on a 15hp is usually better.

The biggest thing with either is to get an extra long shaft, especially if you fish big water

10 for tin. Once you hit 22ft in a glass boat with a 400 on the back you might want a 15. But still probably isn’t needed.

Sounds good guys. Now I will try to locate a 9.9 Suzuki. A quick search shows backorder as the norm…

I have thought about getting rid of my 9.9 and going with a 15hp kicker to get fuel injection. 9.9 is plenty for power on a 21′ but it is so cold blooded when it is in the mid 50’s or colder. I thought I had read there may be FI 9.9’s out now, but I haven’t looked into it yet.

Mercury is now offering a 9.9 EFI price is very close to the 15. HP was never the concern in respect to propulsion, it was simply the best option at the time for alternator concerns & power draw. Yamaha continues to only make 9.9 hi Thrust kicker motors.

Jason wrote:

Sounds good guys. Now I will try to locate a 9.9 Suzuki. A quick search shows backorder as the norm…

thats what i have. starter went out on it with very minimal use. fixed under warranty and the mechanic said he almost never sees that happen so might have just been a fluke deal. Have Suzuki for the big motor too (140HP) and have never had a problem

I currently have a 2019 30hp Suzuki tiller on a different boat. I like it enough that I will gladly hang a Suzuki kicker next to my Yami 250SHO. The portable Suzuki’s are all EFI. I was with another guy last year with a new Yami 10hp as a kicker and I hated the vibration that that thing put out enough to not want one for myself.

Whatever kicker you get, buy electric start. You will NEVER regret it. Good luck.

I have a 15hp for a kicker I only had to use it once.But I was sure glad it was 15 hp.

For me the Mercury 15hp ProKicker is a no brainer, and kind of surprising that Yamaha and Suzuki haven’t wanted in on that part of the market with the size and weight of modern boats. They are close to the same price, the same weight, same alternator, same torque and propping, but more horsepower means it runs quieter because I’m not at WOT to go 4mph for muskies or burst out a turn. If trolling at 1.5-3mph for walleyes, I’d still pick the 15hp due to the “get me home quicker” factor if I had a breakdown with the main motor.

The biggest difference I noticed between the Yamaha 9.9HT and 15 was the 9.9HT allowed me to stop much quicker when needed due to the torque and that big flat prop. Starting speed isn’t that important, and forward speed was better with the 15hp. If backtrolling with a kicker (which I didn’t do), that’d argue for the torque and control of the 9.9.

Mercury 9.9 PK: 20″ displacement, 122 lbs, 12A alternator (25″ shaft)
Mercury 15 PK: 20″ displacement, 122 lbs, 12A alternator (25″ shaft)

Yamaha 9.9 HT: 13″ displacement, 93lbs, 6A alternator (25″ shaft)
Yamaha 15: 22″ displacement, 132lbs, 10A alternator (20″ shaft)

Suzuki 9.9: 20″ displacement, 125lbs, 12A alternator (25″ shaft)
Suzuki 15: 20″ displacement, 108lbs, 12A alternator (20″ shaft)