Hi all, new Grady owner here

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Harleyfxdl

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I just sold my 1985 17' Montauk and bought a 2002 208 Adventure. Has anyone hooked up a kicker to this hull? I assume on the starboard side due to the ladder on port. Any pics form those that have? I would like to get some ideas about a kicker.

Thanks, Kevin
 
I've found in the past, a kicker offers a piece of mind. I don't need one but better to have and not need than need and not have.
 
You need a fairly large kicker to be effective with that hull. The weight of the kicker then presents problems with kicker brackets and such.

It's probably cheaper to pay for good tow insurance than to mess with a kicker.
 
I have a 9.9 HP Merc 4 stroke kicker on a 25 ft. Sailfish. I use it trolling for salmon. It will also get me back to the dock at 5 - 6 MPH.

You have basically two choices for mounting bracket. The stationary bracket has a set back from the transom which allows the kicker to be tilted up before planing with the big engine. The second type is adjustable with as much a 14 inches of verticle travel.

Check out the Garelick site at http://www.garelick.com/obmb.html
 
My buddy has a 25 ft Parker with a single F225, now added 9.9 yamaha electric start, wants to keep bow to wind in a dead F event and make some way home while awaiting Seatow, about same speed reported above.

I put a 9.9 2 stroke on a 20 ft Mako, was pushing it real well when I ran out of gas one day for the Johnnie 150 V6.

Get the Seatow orTowboat US insurance too, whatever your pleasure is.
 
I have a 9.9 Yam 4 stroke on my 208 and it pushes it just fine. The bracket is a Panther Lift model 35

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I've never had a 208 but have had a similar 22' WA OB in which i had a kicker.

I recommend T9.9 Yamaha or T8 with 25" leg, either will push the boat to a max of 5-6 mph. Be sure to get the electric start and power tilt options.

If you go with a HD adjust. bracket such as the Garelick HD model, you will run into the problem of tying in the kicker to main OB. nice to have in windy days. The bracket does not allow a front tie bar to connect the 2 motors, instead you likely need an EZ steer rod set-up (does job OK, but ugly and cumbersome).

An adjust./drop bracket will also eventually wear out or break down (the initial HD Fulton bracket did not make it even one season, and after 2.5 seasons the Garelick shows definite wear.)

I would go to a fixed bracket (have a local shop fab one up and get it powdercoated and bolt it to the transom). If the bracket is mounted so that both engines are the same height at the steering ram, then you can tie them together.

also, if you are using it for auxilary and emergency power, tiller config will be fine.

If you troll or plan to use it frequently you should go remote or similar set up with the main engine tied together with the kicker such as EZ steer (sucks balls and ugly but does the job ok)

You can also consider TR-1 Gold system to control and pilot the kicker.

Many options, sorry for being long winded. :oops:
 
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