What Size Auxiliary / Kicker ?

[Waterjack]

I have just purchased an 18 ft, 2200 lb. Herreshoff Harbor Pilot with a 1974 Westerbeke 4-91/W30 25 hp diesel. I'm not too sure of the hours on the motor (hour meter reads 1984 but that seems quire low for 37 years of use) but I'm also not wanting to tear into it and fix something that doesn't seem to be broke. (The boat was used this past season.) So I've been considering buying an auxiliary outboard for use in case I ever have problems with the old diesel.

Could anyone give me a ballpark idea of the size of kicker/auxiliary I would need for a boat of this size and weight?

Jack

Boat pics are at: 1974 Herreshoff Harbor Pilot - Jack's Albums - Powered by Phanfare

[Hud3]

I used to have an ODay 222 sailboat that displaced 2,200 pounds, dry. It moved along nicely with a 6 hp two stroke Johnson OB.

Nice looking boat you have there!

[emeraldsea]

Cool little boat )
8-9.9 high thrust, long shaft, or extra long shaft. You will want to check the weight rating your outboard bracket as they often are not made for the heavier 4 strokes.
New heavy duty ones are not cheap, but the only other option is bolting a custom aluminum bracket to your transom. Then you might have to get the engine with hydrolic lift, and if your going that far, you might as well run a steering cable and controls. Otherwise a tiller extension will work.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by emeraldsea

Cool little boat )
8-9.9 high thrust, long shaft, or extra long shaft. You will want to check the weight rating your outboard bracket as they often are not made for the heavier 4 strokes.
New heavy duty ones are not cheap, but the only other option is bolting a custom aluminum bracket to your transom. Then you might have to get the engine with hydrolic lift, and if your going that far, you might as well run a steering cable and controls. Otherwise a tiller extension will work.

+1

J24s around here (24 feet ~30000 lbs) run anything from 3-5hp as kickers just to get off the moorings and such. 3hp suckie - 5 knots calm, 2 knots chop, 5 hp "ok" - 5 1/2 knots calm, 4 knots chop.

If you are looking for power that will stand duty for the 25hp for any appreciable time and there is any chop, you will be happier with 9.9. However, you should check as the some motors weigh in the same for a range of hp. If the 15hp model is the same motor, weight etc. and just rerated you may as well get 15, except for the cost of course...

Either way 5hp too small imo...