My current boat is a Fish n Ski and will not allow the transom room for a kicker motor. I have shyed away from trolling because I didn’t want to run the front motor, the 115 won’t troll down below 4mph, and I couldn’t have a kicker. Has anyone used the EM series in lieu of a kicker? If so, can I get one that will push my 1500lb Alumacraft up to 5mph when I fish no-wake lakes?
Thanks.
Ask cabelas they sell them. I know a guy that has one on a 19 ft glass boat on the river and it looks like it works good.
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My current boat is a Fish n Ski and will not allow the transom room for a kicker motor. I have shyed away from trolling because I didn’t want to run the front motor, the 115 won’t troll down below 4mph, and I couldn’t have a kicker. Has anyone used the EM series in lieu of a kicker? If so, can I get one that will push my 1500lb Alumacraft up to 5mph when I fish no-wake lakes?
Thanks.
I’m in a similar situation my 190 Reata is not setup for a kicker mount directly on the transon, but I gott think it’s strong enough to do something like this http://www.panthermarineproducts.com/pmarine/pmarine_detail.php?sku=550010 mounted on the back somewhere, the motor is mounted to the plate and the mount will be mounted to a solid portion of the transom.
Truth be told, I haven’t yet looked into it wither it will work or not, just an Idea I had floating around in my head.
Overall I think a kicker is 100X better than the engine mount TM, There are a bunch of people on Walleye Central that run them (engine mounted tm’s) and love them, I’m just thinking about the weight of the batteries and/or the draw you’d put on them running that through a no wake zone. 5mph might be a bit optimistic too, maybe with a 101# (do they make engine mounts that big?)
You could also look into changing props if top speed wasn’t a huge issue, that would all depend on you, even if you did it for the day that would be cheap(er) and easy.
Then there is alway drift socks, there are lots of ways to slow you down without jumping to a spendier option right off the bat. IMHO.
I have both on my boat and would hate to be without either.In your application,I doubt the EM could really replace the kicker.Especially if wind and or rough water are present,you may really be pushing the limits of the EM.I think it will come very close to 5 mph,but for how long may be the most important question.I have a 36 V system,and have very seldom expired battery capacity.
I was told the Panther engine bracket was not really built for the kicker application, more for small boats and I’m not sure that I’d want my motor bouncing around on it while traveling. As for the Engine Mount TM, I was targeting the 101lb or the saltwater 160lb models. I already have a 24v system for my bow mount TM and enough room to add 1 more battery for 36v. I would, though, have to upgrade my onboard charger from 3 to 4 banks. Or would I be better off with a 101lb Autopilot up front and just run with that? Hmmmm….
I have the EM 80 and love it. 24 volt, 2 – 31 series batteries on a Ranger 618. I can 5 hours at 2.0 – 2.5 on flat to moderate chop. With the wind at my back, it will go 2 full 8 hour days no problem.
The biggest problem you face in an aluminum boat is having the EM motor cavitate out of the water. This happens because your main motor still sits high out of the water even off plane. Whereas on a heaver glass boat, the main motor is quite a bit more submerged.
-J.
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The biggest problem you face in an aluminum boat is having the EM motor cavitate out of the water. This happens because your main motor still sits high out of the water even off plane. Whereas on a heaver glass boat, the main motor is quite a bit more submerged.
This is the biggest problem with them, and the reason I wouldn’t own one. My cousin has one mounted on his 17′ fish and ski boat. They work OK as long as the weather is good, definitely a heck of a lot better than nothing, but get any kind of a wind and chop going, (which seems like ALWAYS where I live), and they quickly become useless. If you’re trying to maintain any kind of a speed in those conditions, you’ll drain batteries in a big hurry. (Any electric will have that problem.) To get anywhere close to 5mph, you’ll have the EM at max, and it won’t last long.
The other factor is that your boat control with them is really poor. You’re limited to the turning radius of your outboard, which just isn’t enough in less than ideal conditions, and, even for trying to get snags loose and things like that, you just don’t have the mobility. On top of that, you have to sit at the steering wheel to control the boat.
Personally, I’d go with a good bowmount with AP hands down. I’ve had this “discussion” lol with a few of the folks over at walleyecentral, and they were quite adamant the other way, but they also were all running big Rangers, and had every other option available to them as well.
Waxy
Great point on the cavitation issue. I had not considered that. Is it true that one needs 13″ total from cav plate to water line? Or is it more? If I have the minimum, will I create a spray from small waves? How will this effect getting on plane?
I don’t know what the min. measurement is, it’s worth looking into though.
I know on my cousin’s boat, the EM starts going in and out of the water or “blowing out” when you get to anything over about 1 footers, 2 footers – forget it. It sprays and splashes and makes a heck of a racket. Your experience might be totally different though, it depends on that measurement and how much your boat rocks in the waves.
No issues getting on plane or with boat handling on plane though, you won’t notice it.
Waxy
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I was told the Panther engine bracket was not really built for the kicker application, more for small boats and I’m not sure that I’d want my motor bouncing around on it while traveling. As for the Engine Mount TM, I was targeting the 101lb or the saltwater 160lb models. I already have a 24v system for my bow mount TM and enough room to add 1 more battery for 36v. I would, though, have to upgrade my onboard charger from 3 to 4 banks. Or would I be better off with a 101lb Autopilot up front and just run with that? Hmmmm….
I hear ya on that mount, I wonder if there is something on the market similar that would work. 
Myself I just use my 80# terrova with auto pilot and the biggest batteries I could find. I can do about 3.2mph with my 80#’er, Though it would’ve been better I couldn’t justify getting the 101 another battery (which would’ve been 3 new batteries can’t just add a good one to some older ones) a new charger and the extra cost I figured it would’ve been a good $600 more.
Well I guess if I could afford a big Ranger I could have everything too. I think the best thing to do is sell my Alumacraft and get something that will support a kicker. Or give up trolling…..
All I’m saying is there are other options to slow you down, and control the boat, I know several people who live and swear by drift socks, Probably the best option for me, easy enough to try. Thus far my trolling is minimal.
There are great options out there to try out, heck you could even grab a couple 5 gallon pales and use those off the sides of the boat, you probably got a couple laying, it would atleast give you an idea if something like that would suit you need before you do anything expensive or drastic.
Can’t judge a person or an angler by their boat, seen plenty of 30 year old 14′ boats with no Trolling motors catch more than those fancy sparkly ones. 
as a side note: half the reason I’d like a kicker is the old boy scout in me that always wants to be prepared, incase I had motor problems I know I wouldn’t have to rely on anyone else to get me back to the landing, peace of mind, I take good care of my stuff, but things can happen.
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