Kicker Rigging

[Gradyfish]

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.Attachment 3717Attachment 3718

Check out this link, it is cable kicker steering system made by Seastar. It is designed to be used with their Hyd steering systems.
http://www.seastarsolutions.com/wp-c...ble-single.pdf

Good luck,
G/fish

[Jiga-Byte]

Check out this link, it is cable kicker steering system made by Seastar. It is designed to be used with their Hyd steering systems.
http://www.seastarsolutions.com/wp-c...ble-single.pdf

Good luck,
G/fish

Gradyfish - I aw this when searching the internet for solutions. The only question I have, is if it will work with twins? It looks like it's meant to run through the existing linkage of the main motor.

Do you have this system? Love to hear more about it.

Matt

[WI Walleye]

Personally I would just upgrade your main power to four strokes and be done with it. Your going to spend 5k on adding a kicker and if you look online you get get a set of very nice used motors for 10-12k. Then you can sell your existing motors and get some cost back too.

[wakina]

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.

Panther Marine used to make an extended mount for on the main motor for situations similar to yours. Question is do they still make them and 2nd question would it be long enough if if they do. The part I am referring to would be the connector that goes on the main Outboard the connecting rod attaches to. The connection points used to be made from readily available fittings.

Check out the #12 post in this thread. It may be what you are looking for.

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-...-kicker.html#b

[Gradyfish]

Gradyfish - I aw this when searching the internet for solutions. The only question I have, is if it will work with twins? It looks like it's meant to run through the existing linkage of the main motor.

Do you have this system? Love to hear more about it.

Matt

Matt,
I am currently running the Panther tie bar on my boat but, I have been researching different options. When I came across the Seastar system on the web it looked like it would not work with my configuration, so I contacted them. They replied to me very quickly and gave me the information needed to work with my boat. It appears they have more options available than the website shows. It's probably worth contacting them.

G/fish

[Jiga-Byte]

Personally I would just upgrade your main power to four strokes and be done with it. Your going to spend 5k on adding a kicker and if you look online you get get a set of very nice used motors for 10-12k. Then you can sell your existing motors and get some cost back too.

WI Walleye - that is something that in hind sight may have been a better route. Unfortunately, I've already purchased a kicker. I will say that I got an outstanding deal on it though. Its a 2006 Merc Pro Kicker series that was hardly ever used. The thing is clean as a whistle and basically brand new. It power tilt/trim, electric start, came with the remote and all the wiring. I only give $1500 for it.

[Jiga-Byte]

I use the T4 unit and like it very well. I have never had a situation that I have felt the least bit out of control. Now with that being said there is a slower reaction time involved when steering but nothing that I feel the need to improve on, just take the time to learn its oddities. Learning to avoid places and situations that puts more demand on your equipment than can be reasonably expected out of it is just good practice. So far my T4 has been bullet proof. The T5 is more compact in design and made to fit into a more confined spot where there is not enough room for the longer T4.

I would ask them why they feel the T5 is better suited for you instead of the tie rod. But from what you have stated so far I think maybe the distance from the main out board to the kicker might be to close for the tie rod to work properly, I base that on the fact you have twins and they are mounted off center on each side of the center line leaving a much shorter distance for the steering rod to function. But that is only my opinion based upon a semi-educated guess.

Wakina - Does your T4 have quick connects? I seen on another blog where someone said the T5 does have quick connects. If that is the case, then I could still add a tie rod also having quick connects to the main motors. This would give me the option to use eather system, depending on the situation. If I were in heavy boat traffic or rougher waters, theoretically I could switch to the tie rod and steer with the wheel.

Does this seem possible and practical to you?

Thanks in advance.

[wakina]

Wakina - Does your T4 have quick connects? I seen on another blog where someone said the T5 does have quick connects. If that is the case, then I could still add a tie rod also having quick connects to the main motors. This would give me the option to use eather system, depending on the situation. If I were in heavy boat traffic or rougher waters, theoretically I could switch to the tie rod and steer with the wheel.

Does this seem possible and practical to you?

Thanks in advance.

Yes it may be possible without very much problem! Here are the connecting ends that you will need to make the connections minus the connecting bar. That has to be cut and fitted at the job site. You will probably need 2 different connecting spots on your kicker if you use the T5 steering unit, the angle from the kicker to the main engine would be 2 great to use the same connection post for both cause the kicker will be mounted back from the main engine. You should be able to go from front to front on both engines to get your desired results. You may want to just try the tie bar first without the cost of the T5. That may be all that you would need.

http://www.iboats.com/Kicker-Motor-S...iew_id.163196\

[millerstym]

I'm not an expert on this steering setup but I don't believe the screw type steering box would hold up to the constant correction to stay on a course that the side mount of the kicker would require. I have had very good success with the hydraulic system from Goetz Engineering. It will also let you get away from the helm. Check it out Goetz Hydraulic Steering