is 4 horse enough to do trolling

[maouser]

hey guys this my second year and am in the need of kicker for trolling. so i got a 16 foot fiberglass with sleeper seats so will 4 horse be enough?

[Gope]

when i was testing my 4horse out, put it on my dads boat 28 ft and 10ft beam, and at 3/4 throttle was able to push it fairly well 3 or 4 mph

[boatdoc]

is a 4 hp enough ? depends on what you want to do , just trolling on a small protected lake ,then yes. If you are going out on big water or open ocean and want your trolling motor to do double duty as trolling motor and saftey backup for your main motor it might not be enough. Just add wind speed and tide flow and ask yourself if it would get you out of trouble?

[Sitkaspruce]

is a 4 hp enough ? depends on what you want to do , just trolling on a small protected lake ,then yes. If you are going out on big water or open ocean and want your trolling motor to do double duty as trolling motor and saftey backup for your main motor it might not be enough. Just add wind speed and tide flow and ask yourself if it would get you out of trouble?


Just like Boatdoc says.

I used to have a 16' Silverline and I used an old 4hp for trolling on the big lakes around Fort St. James, and only when the wind was not too strong. Once the wind came up, went to the big motor. Steering is tough with the little 4hp in a wind and it just does not have the ummmph to push it in an emergency. Add in curent and wind and you have very few choices on how to get out of it.

Go with an 8 or 9.9 for a kicker. Doubles as a kicker and emergency back up motor.

Cheers

SS

[Poguebilt]

get a 9.9 merc or honda much better of for the lil extra $$

[maouser]

thank you guys thats what i figured just thought i would get more input

gunna go look a 9.9 later hope everything in good order. the 4 horse was messed up anyway guy said it was good one but when we droped in water could here a bad bearing noise so i said no thank you and brought it up to him. he said he cant hear it.

[spreerider]

a 4 would work but its better to have a bigger motor just in case on a 16 i would get at least a 7.5 but would prefer a 9.9

[riflebuilder]

I have a 3.9 HP merc for my 14' fiberglass, good for the small lakes here in the EK but on the big water I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a 9.9 HP.

[SAVAGE300]

personally I wouldn't settle for anything less than a 9.9 ( 4 stroke preferred). For one thing it would not have to work as hard and will have a longer lifespan, 2nd you would still have enough power to get off the water if you main engine packed it in in a reasonable wind, 3rd would make a great engine for a 12/14 foot tin navy. just my 2 beans

[dougan]

i bought a 82 7.5 merc for 200$ i use omni not opti oil you can mix 100to1 no smoke no stink and she fishes like crazy on my 18.5 campion wouldnt trade her for anything

[Sitkaspruce]

personally I wouldn't settle for anything less than a 9.9 ( 4 stroke preferred). For one thing it would not have to work as hard and will have a longer lifespan, 2nd you would still have enough power to get off the water if you main engine packed it in in a reasonable wind, 3rd would make a great engine for a 12/14 foot tin navy. just my 2 beans

I agree to a certain degree, but you better make sure your transom can handle the extra weight, you will need a heavy duty kicker mount and you will need a space to carry the extra gas tank. My boat could not carry the extra weight of my 9.9 merc 4 stroke. With the 90 hp main and the extra weight of the kicker, I was a$$ heavy and in a following sea, it was pretty wild at times. Went to the 4 hp, and no problems for weight, just too small for what it was needed for. A good 8 or 9.9 2 stroke will fit better for weight and you can plum it into your main tank. (that is if you already have a 2 stroke for a main).

4 strokes are great, just make sure your boat can handle them.

Cheers

SS