Kicker on Alumacraft Classic 165 CS?

i have an opportunity to get a 6hp evinrude at a steal of a price from a family member. i have a Alumacraft Classic 165 CS with a 70 HP suziki on it. anyone have any experience putting a kicker on this boat? i dont need one but it would be nice for trolling and as a backup motor in case something happens to the big motor. Is this boat too small for a kicker in the back? Ive read other places that the boat will ride differently with the kicker on it and some dont like that.

My buddy has that motor as a kicker on his 17.5′ boat, so it should be plenty big for your 16.5. It does work as a kicker, but it’s not ideal. The steering can be a struggle for him if it’s windy because it’s a short shaft. The other issue is the 2 stroke exhaust can get pretty miserable for the guy on the tiller after an hour or so if there’s no wind. Monster headaches, irritated eyes, balding testicles…

But if the motor is cheap enough and you don’t plan on trolling much, it might be a good short-term solution. That motor would be easy to sell on C-List worst case scenario.

I had an 03 Navigator 165CS with a Johnson 70 4 stroke. Basically the same rig.

I had a 5hp honda 4 stroke that I used as a kicker. It works great as long as you have a decent trolling motor to steer with. My new boat has a 9.9 pro kicker and I steer with my xi5, I hate trying to maneuver a boat with a kicker, you can never turn tight enough.

I still have that 5hp honda sitting in my garage. Should probably do something with it one of these days.

As far as steering… The short shaft, if that is what it is won’t help, but I use the bow mount for all but the biggest direction changes…. works well at about 1/4-1/3 power.

I put a T9 four stroke on the back of my 17…. as far as it changing much on the ride, think of it as a light person sitting in the back. Changed it yes, but not enough to matter.

If your Suzuki is a two stroke, depends on fuel… you may be able to use the same feed, if not a second fuel source is a consideration.

As said, if it is cheep enough, you can always sell it.