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Posts: 1453
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | Looking at a Ranger 690 with a 175efi and a 15 hp kicker mounted on driver side. It is out of state so I can't easily see it in the water. My concern is that the weight of that kicker plus my fat but on the same side will cause it to list to that side...okay I go about 220 |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | On a boat of that size, it won't effect it. Most guys put the kicker on that side anyhow, right hand dominate you want the kicker on the right side. |
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Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | Different boats have different results from the kicker mounting. My 18.5 Alumacraft with a 15HP 4stroke was a bear to get back on the trailer with the kicker on the drivers side and it sat cockeyed in the water with just me in the boat in spite of the 96" width. It always went on the trailer crooked unless the trailer was fairly tilted in the water. By moving it to the passenger side the boat leveled out and loaded great. Plus with the kicker on the passenger side it was a lot more comfortable to run it for me and let me get my lure away from the center of the boat when I was holding the rod. Tried it passenger side with my Tuffy X-190 and the boat planed cockeyed at low speeds. I had to move it to the drivers side. It didn't make any difference loading the boat or once it hit the pad, just at low speed plane. So, I'd say without actually trying different positions on the boat you're guessing what the actual effects could be for different maneuvers. With a used boat, you would hope that the last owner was smart enough to figure out which side worked best. |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
I would tend to agree with TJ on this one. That boat is large enough that I bet you don't notice it. If it did list to one side while you are in the driver's seat, I would say that is just fine. Where will you and your partner be when fishing? If you are one to fish primarily out of the port side of the boat, it will probably balance quite well.
I have an alumacraft Navigator 165 with a 4 stroke 8hp off the port side. It leans a bit when my wife and I are fishing out the port side, but not enough to be too worried about it. Balance is still good.
Steve |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | No matter what side you put a kicker on, it will lean a little with a person standing on that same side. If you look around, every 690/692 I've ever seen with a kicker has been mounted on the starboard side.
B-Good, as for loading, as long as one has a bunk trailer, you won't have issues loading. I'm betting you had a roller trailer on your Alumacraft? Or, you were putting the trailer in too deep, a very common problem with a lot of people. I put my trailer in a lot less than most, you can always let the truck slide back a bit if you need to.
Another thing you can do if your having loading problems, when your about to hit the trailer, you stand up, and use your right hand to load the boat. By doing this, it will help even out the weight. I even moved heavy items like tackle boxes to the center of the boat. This WILL make a HUGE difference. I had a 175 Alumacraft Magnum with a Shoreland'r trailer, this trick worked EVERY time after I learned to do this! |
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Posts: 34
Location: west allis, wi | not sure how that compares in size to my ranger reata 1850 (18'-6" x 8' wide), i have a 9.9 kicker on driver side and with just me (about 180-190bls) in the boat it does list to my side but certainly not anything uncontrollable but i do notice it in rough water on lake michigan more than on an inland body of water....it balances real nice when my friends are in the boat.
also of note - my main battery and oil reserve are on my side of the boat also, trolling motor batteries, fuel tank & live well are centered |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | I have a 15hp kicker on the drivers side. Once you get on plane you will never notice the difference, When I troll I sit in the back on the drivers side. This allows me to run the kicker with my right hand, and see all the electronics that I have on the console. Also helps keep the boat level when we are all casting off left side which is the way I usually fish.
To me the right place to have a kicker is on the drivers side, I'd never put one on the passenger side.
Doug Johnson
Edited by dougj 2/26/2010 4:59 PM
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| I just purchased the same boat and motor with a 15hp kicker on the drivers side. I go 295 pounds and have no problems at all with tilting. |
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Posts: 15
Location: East Central WI | I have a Crestliner TS 202 w/ a 9.9 kicker on the drivers side. It only lists a little when I'm sitting flat in the water or when I am trailering it. I'm 235lbs. Is it a big deal? No. It still goes on the trailer straight/even. Maybe it is the 10 kajillion baits I have up in the bow?  Doug J. makes good points about convenience, watching graphs, etc. I suppose the noise level would be about 1 decible lower if it were on the passenger side vs. the driver side (something I'd only think about in Feb/March) |
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Posts: 726
Location: Eau Claire, WI | My 692 had a 15 4stk mounted starboard side and I moved it. I felt it listed a little bit at rest. I didn't really notice on plane. I like it on the port side now but farther to go to kick it out of gear when I'm trolling. I don't have any controls for it at the console. I use a connector bar to steer with both engines from the console as there is not enough rudder just using the kicker. At least for me there wasn't. Not bad for long fairly straight troll runs but sharp turns weren't that great.
Jono
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