I currently have the original kicker on LilBit.....a 1985 mercury 7.5 two stroke.
Though this motor seems good.....I have had more difficulty in the last few years finding parts. That, coupled with my desire to have the most reliability in a motor when sailing if it is needed, has led me to search for a newer iron sail.
I have located a low hour merc 9.9 el which I feel is a good candidate. It looks like the dry weight of both motors is within a few pounds.....I have a plate on both sides of the transom for support......both are 20" long shaft so motor mount position should be fine.
This motor offers electric start as well as throttle controls I can mount in the cockpit. With an alternator, I could solve my charging issue at the same time. The part that has me a bit baffeled is this newer unit does not have a tiller control. There is a SS rod that apparently is designed to attach to some sort of helm wheel.
I obviously am not mounting wheel on a 22 so I was wondering how someone might have handled this in the past. Does one simply clamp the motor on a 0 degree attitude and use boat's tiller for all manuvering? I sometimes cheat with the tiller on my 7.5 when manuvering at the dock as you need very little speed to adjust and align to the trailor.
Second question would be shifting......Has someone come up with a remote shift lever, or just hang over the transom like I do now for direction changes?
Thanks in advance...
Fair Winds
Sailinnsc
S/V Lil Bit 2
SK # 10659
Though this motor seems good.....I have had more difficulty in the last few years finding parts. That, coupled with my desire to have the most reliability in a motor when sailing if it is needed, has led me to search for a newer iron sail.
I have located a low hour merc 9.9 el which I feel is a good candidate. It looks like the dry weight of both motors is within a few pounds.....I have a plate on both sides of the transom for support......both are 20" long shaft so motor mount position should be fine.
This motor offers electric start as well as throttle controls I can mount in the cockpit. With an alternator, I could solve my charging issue at the same time. The part that has me a bit baffeled is this newer unit does not have a tiller control. There is a SS rod that apparently is designed to attach to some sort of helm wheel.
I obviously am not mounting wheel on a 22 so I was wondering how someone might have handled this in the past. Does one simply clamp the motor on a 0 degree attitude and use boat's tiller for all manuvering? I sometimes cheat with the tiller on my 7.5 when manuvering at the dock as you need very little speed to adjust and align to the trailor.
Second question would be shifting......Has someone come up with a remote shift lever, or just hang over the transom like I do now for direction changes?
Thanks in advance...
Fair Winds
Sailinnsc
S/V Lil Bit 2
SK # 10659