what are they thinking??? Rotax underboard motor

[MrShane]

@dubob

@MrShane

In about ‘17, maybe early ‘18, I put that Suzuki 9.9 EFI kicker on my boat. Although it has electric start, it is considered a ‘battery-less’ EFI motor that also has a backup recoil rope starter on top of cowling. Starts immediately with push button starter and twice I have fired it up with rope starter, once at Buckboard while running sonar/radio/electric riggers/and I was culling baby Macs so had livewell pump on all morning ( that is naughty, I know… ) and once in Good Hope Bay when I left some switches on over night on accident. That little Zuke kicks out 12 amps. Knowing I have a rope-start ‘EFI generator with prop’ bolted on to back of my boat has taken 100% fear of dead battery away. Priceless. Don’t forget to get iTroll also! ( Just make sure you turn it off overnight, haha). Good luck with your boat also. Hope to see your’s and Mike’s new boats on the water this year!!

Not all boats are designed/built to mount kicker motors.  My Lund of choice (1775 Adventure Sport) is one such boat.  It is my choice due to some of its features and price.  If I should need to troll with the 115 Max HP Merc 4-Stroke, and the idle speed is faster at idle than what I seek on a regular basis, I have options.  Sea anchors/drift socks and trolling plates work well.  I ran a trolling plate on my old Tracker Targa 16 Deep-V for 11 years with great success.  I won’t know until I use the boat for a full season if I will need an option or not.

As to the iTroll, I had that on my ThunderJet and loved it.  Don’t know at this point if it will be needed on the 115 Merc.  But if needed, I certainly would not hesitate to buy another one.  It mostly depends on how precise the throttle control is for the Merc.

Maybe you should come fish with me after I get everything dialed in.  

Deal!
Sounds like you picked out an excellent boat!!
Currently I run an Ulterra on my boat because I am absolutely in love with the auto deploy/stow mode.
If I ever have to do it again though that Garmin Kraken would be getting some serious consideration.

[AFDan52]

I read the article that Dubob listed and I have to agree that I am not interested in this new Tecnology , my mind sees too many issues , JMHO.

[MrShane]

@AFDan52

I read the article that Dubob listed and I have to agree that I am not interested in this new Tecnology , my mind sees too many issues , JMHO.

Sadly, electric boats are going to be our future.
Then we will all be begging to smell a stinky 2 stroker.

[BearLakeFishGuy]

I can’t believe some engineer thought this was a good idea.  Maybe I’m the crazy one?  But when the powerhead of an “outboard” is underwater, there is inherently something just waiting to happen.  Water detection probe is part of the engine and so is a bilge pump.  But what happens if your battery goes dead?  You get a flooded powerhead.  What are your thoughts??
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