Trolling Motor

What Side is the Kicker Mounted On ? Here the question pops up, describe what a Kicker Motor is? Here is the definition off the Internet. Kicker motors, also known as spare outboards, are motors that sit next to a bigger, main outboard and can serve a couple of different purposes. (1) The simplest use for a kicker is as back up. (2) They are used as a trolling motor (3) both the above. They typically are seen in the 10hp or less range.

But I have not found anyone who can tell me where that name actually came from.

If you happen to live in different geographical areas, the meaning may vary. In the US Pacific Northwest, they are primarily used as trolling motors. On the East Coast, as backup motors for the main motor and could be larger size, even up to equal to the main motor, thus being twins.

Have you ever looked at different boats and wondered who is right or wrong, or does it really make a difference? Different boat lengths may require different mountings, as a 15'er compared to a 20 or 22'er.

There can be many reasons, for one it may depend on the manufacturer, or the dealer and their ideas. I know that in 2008 when I was at the Hewes-Craft factory, to order a 20' boat with the transom cut out on the starboard side to accept a kicker, called for a special built boat and they were not sure what they would have to do other than mounting a motor on an existing boat to see what was entailed.

Other reasons could be for better balance of the small boat when fishing and with how many passengers. Another reason could be where the fuel tank or batteries are placed, again the balance may be the issue. Then it can depend on the style of fishing you do, whether you fish alone much of the time, or whether your boat is a console/helm control steering or a tiller unit. Using a TR-1 can also be a determination as compared to a manual kicker operation. If you have a helm steering, most fishermen seem to prefer the kicker mounted on the port side, but if your main motor that is tiller operated, then having the kicker on the starboard has it's benefits.

Somewhere I saw where the transducer (for optimum performance) should be mounted on the starboard side because of the water disturbance of the prop. This would in turn determine which side the kicker motor was mounted on, because it would be about impossible to mount both on the same side. You will note that the word "Optimum" was used here, whereas in actuality, most of us may never be able to tell the difference.

Or it could just be what the fisherman has become accustomed to, either by purchasing a used boat that way, got used to it being that way and never thought about it being any different.

OK, for a few of you not so dedicated boaters, where I describe Port or Starboard, PORT, (4 letters) LEFT (4 letters). Starboard in old Norseman language meant steering board, (hence the steering was on that side which later became standard on the right, or starboard). Starboard = Steering Wheel. And as an aside if you can not remember the color of your bow navigation lights "Port wine is red", which can then be related to Port and Starboard.

Port Side ; It could be that the owner may be fishing alone most of the time and if the boat has a remote steering station forward behind a windshield, which will always on the starboard side, he may prefer the trolling motor on the port side, again for balance. And he can see it better from the helm with it on that side of the boat.

On some of the larger boats, of say 26' with a rear door leading to the offshore step or motor bracket, about the only place to mount the kicker is on the Port side.

Port side trolling motor mounting

Starboard Side ; When talking about small boats (20' and under) you seem to have a lot more reasons for it to be on the Starboard side than the Port. Most smaller motors seem to carry over from years gone by that the tiller handle is on the left side of the motor. With the tiller on this side, when you mount the motor on the Port side, if you try to make a sharp LH turn, parts of your body may be hanging over the gunwale somewhat.

If you are the skipper, with the kicker on the starboard side, you will normally run motor with the right hand, so you either need to be left handed or learn to operate your rod that way. Some right handers that do it a lot this way, have gravitated to a left hand reel. So you can put rod under your knee and reel with the left hand while running motor. However I just adjust the motor's pivot tension so it stays where I put it. But again that is why they make rod holders.

If you use this same principle but your main motor is tiller operated as in many jet sleds, that is used mostly on rivers where you need almost immediate control from one motor to the other, with it on the starboard side, both tiller handles are close together and readily accessible. You will therefore see many river guide boats set up this way.

It may also make a difference if you have remote controls on the trolling motor and have them in tandem with the main motor controls, where routing of the cables can be an issue, therefore easier to install on the Starboard side. However I have a friend who has his mounted on the port, has throttle and speed controls to it, just more cables laying out on his offshore bracket.

Another more compelling reason if you are right handed, and fish for salmon alone and have to net solo, with the kicker on the starboard, you can net with your right hand off the starboard side AND at the same time, manipulate the kicker with your left hand to place the fish where it gives you the best advantage for a netting job..

I have a little different reason, as I am blind in my right eye (have a prosthesis actually). When trolling (unless it is a windy rainy day), I like to sit on a swivel chair in the center in front of the main motor. If I have the trolling motor on the Port side, that places me facing straight forward, but my blind spot is from about 2 o'clock rearward. I have had a few near misses and scowls during tight river / bay fishing conditions. However with the trolling motor on the Starboard, this forces me to sit at a slight angle where I then have at least an equal view on both sides.

Maybe not ideal, but hey I am fishing instead of setting on the bank complaining. Obviously the reverse would be true if the other eye was bad, probably something not many take under consideration.

As a Backup Motor ;   Here, it should be very obvious that RELIABILITY has to be the prime consideration. This Kicker motor has to be able to START almost instantaneously AND run REALIABLY, as getting back to the dock is now your prime objective. This could be only a few miles, to multiple miles, and sometimes over 20.

   I understand this completely, as one day, salmon fishing on the lower Columbia River, on a day that I should have really not have been there. This time I owned a convertible topped 17' Glasply, powered by a 50HP Johnson and my kicker was a 9.9HP Johnson. I met my son-in-law and grandson at Illwaco at daylight. It was raining and about a 15 mile per hour wind was blowing from the south. Before launching, I looked things over, trying to decide to go or not. Right then the rain stopped and there was a hole in the clouds to the south that I could see blue sky. OK, let's go for it. I should have used my first thought and gut intuition.

   For the first hour or so the weather was not that bad, then the wind picked up, waves in the river were CLOSE TOGETHER and up to probably 6' in height at times. We were upstream, off the piling breakwater to the Chinook entrance, trolling into the wind, but being pushed downriver (our lines going under the boat).

   This small boat being light, bounced around like a cork and trying to head in to the wind/waves, more than once, with the waves that close together, my bow had a foot of water over it at times, before we rode up. This water even rode up the windshield AND UNDER the snapped on convertible top, quenching me and the grandson. One wave even knocked off my windshield wiper, which I frantically retrieved and managed to get it back on before the next wave came.

   We were being pushed close to that piling breakwater, and I called it quits. Reel them in. Before long, my son-in-law hollered SHUT IT DOWN, SHUT IT DOWN. OK, what is wrong, "YOUR LINE IS WOUND ON THE PROP". My comment "Get everything in and let's get out of here".

   I start the main motor, but when putting it in gear, it DIES. This was repeated numerous times before I abandoned that idea and lowered the 9.9 and started it up. Thankfully we were now going with the wind. I made it all the way back to the boat launch in Illwaco (estimated at 3 1/2 miles) using my little motor.

   When I got the boat loaded onto the trailer and pulled up into the preparation area, I walked over and kissed that little motor. There was another boat there (about a 26' with Volvo outdrive) that we had been fishing alongside. Two guys were untangling fishing line from the props. One of them saw me kiss my motor and said to the other, "I don't know what I really saw, but I don't want that guy mad at me".

   What I found was the same as the other boat, but the mono around my prop shaft was so much that it put so much resistance that my 50HP could not overcome going from neutral to forward.

   Afterwards, my son-in-law told me, "We need to do that again". My comment was not on your life. It was quite obvious that he had no clue as to the situation that we were in.

Another time, later when I owned a 20' cabin Tiderunner boat powered by a 150 and 9.9 Yamahas. I always start my motors and run them before an outing. The first time out for the summer, our fishing club had an outing at Neah Bay for bottomfish (sea bass and ling cod) and Halibut. My son and I after making the 5 hour drive, launched my boat. With me in the water, tied to the dock, he pulled the trailer up the ramp and parking lot. I untied and back out from the dock.

PROBLEMS -- the main motor steering was seized. OK, I had ran the motors, but neglected to try the steering. This boat being used in salt water and had sat all winter, the steering cable was rusted inside the tubing at the motor.

I was drifting near the main dock with commercial boats tied to. The only thing to quickly fire up the kicker and by sitting on the transom, steer around the boat basin to my moorage. This was not the easiest as with the cabin, not a lot of forward vision, as this kicker was designed to be steered by a link to the main motor. Later, it took a lot of WD-40 and hammering to get that cable broke loose enough to manage it out that week-end.

Another instance but not me this time. One of our fishing buddies uses a 20' fiberglass cabin C Dory with a 90HP Yamaha and a 3.5HP Mercury as a trolling motor. One day I asked him about the size of this kicker. His response was it trolls my boat just fine, so why do I need anything bigger?

Well a few years later, one day at Westport, his main motor died. He was way up North, but he lucked out as to the weather and it only took him 7 hours to get back to his berth using HIS 3.5HP TROLLING MOTOR. Needless to say he now has a 9.9HP kicker.

One thing that I can say in these above instances, is that you need to look far enough ahead to be sure kicker motor is operational and set up so that IF you have to run it using the tiller from the stern, is to be sure that you can/will be at least not be totally uncomfortable until you get back to your berth or the launch.

Conclusion ; After reading the above, it becomes obvious that there is no real right or wrong as conditions and personal preferences or methods of fishing can dictate either one or the other for either side of the motor to be on OR size.

Someone once said that the Columbia river seems to be the dividing line between the Port and Starboard kicker mounting. Being the Starboard side is generally used north of that river. Maybe it is simply the marine dealership where the boats are rigged?