The boat has a SeaStar hydraulic cyclinder. It does not have any type of electric pump, and the engines do not have to be running. The reason they don't think the connecting rod will work, is because of the offset of the kicker motor. The transom area of my boat is a little unique. It has two swim platforms on each side of the engines. The engines are kinda tucked up in the middle of the two swim platforms. So the kicker will be mounted on the starbird and offset quite a bit. I'm thinking of having someone custom bend me a stainless steel tie rod and have heim joints threaded on the ends for lateral movement to raise and lower the drive.

That is unless you guys convince me that the Panther Electro Steer is the way to go. I don't mind spending the extra money, as long as it is a good and effective system. I just don't want to end up with something that I don't like. I am attaching a couple of pictures of the back of my boat, so you can see what Im up against.Kicker Rigging-transom-jpgKicker Rigging-boat-jpg