This has come up a few times but personally I think if you're going to sea on a motor that concerns you enough to need an aux, you're doing the wrong thing.

aux motors are a waste of time.

if you have doubts over your motor then you need to buy a new one.

Pretty much as till said. What you've had over a span of say a few decades is that in general motors have gotten more reliable and other safety equipment (available, required and used) has also increased.

Sure you'll still get motors breaking down, but it would happen less often than several years back (in general). Plus, now, everyone would be required (and should be aware due to mandatory skippers tickets) to have flares, radio, epirb, etc, so contacting someone is pretty easy in case you get stuck. If you have an unreliable motor, you're not going to be stuck out there.

If you have a new or well maintained motor nowadays, it's going to be pretty reliable, so the fact you have to lug around heaps of extra kilos all the time is just not really worth the very small chance your motor would break down, because its such a rare event.
If your motor breaks down every third trip, then perhaps consider a aux motor (or perhaps just a reliable motor in the first place :P)

Though..... you'll still get people with poorly maintained motors who dont know how to use them, so you'll still get people needing to be rescued. Though, if you're concerned enough to want an aux, you should be keeping a well maintained motor anyways.

Keeping a well maintained motor goes without saying. However, I suppose all the people that have broken down also had confidence with their motor prior.

Hlokk responce was more on the mark with the probability of breaking down in the first place being slim and the ease of getting help if required these days versus the disadvatages of carrying an auxiallary.

It was a while ago and fishing out from port lincoln in some fair seas we had our engine die, think it was a fuel pump in the end.  I remember sitting on ores whilst we waited a few hours to have sea rescue come out.  Next day we had the motor repaired, 2 days later another pump went (yes it was early 90's, but was a relatively new motor).  So since then we have always had an auxillary.  Had a couple fo different boats and motors since, all enw, last boat was fine, then the new one with a 150e-tec, that then started playing up 60km out from perth.....  fortunately the engine kept going, but it is nice knowing when you have broken down that you have a backup. 

Then on another note, mate had a brand new boat in sydney recently, mid way through the day and the engine died... 

I will agree it is annoying havign the aux on the back - sticks out a fair bit, alters the wight distribution as well, adn yeah, we have not had to use it (was when we didnt have it that we wanted it!!!)  is handy for slow trolling though, usually use it when the salmon are on as you can sit at the back and control the boat!

i think if your in a remote area or you plan to travel with your boat to remote areas its a good idea to have an auxilliary, perth is lucky with sea rescue coverage that alot of places dont have

...all the charter boats had to carry an aux in order to meet survey. This was primarily due to questionable fuel quality (obviously the aux would run on a different batch of fuel) and also you only go a few hundred metres from the ramp and it's too deep to anchor anywhere.

Biggest problem with aux's is that they seldom get used, so when they ARE needed there's a very good chance they won't work. If I were that concerned about the welfare of my motor, would probably invest in twins instead. Properly balanced, used and serviced regularly, if you do any work on them yourself you can simply look at the other one if you're wondering how to put it back together, and should one konk out the other will be more than capable enough to get you home.

Aux motors are not a waste of time at all , we have a brandnew motor in our boat n still take our aux motor out with us not because of lack of confidence but because its always better to be safe then sorry , and if in a sticky situation you can get yourself instead of drifting miles n waiting for rescue while stuck in whatever situation , bad weather etc . 

yeh i have had to use the auxillary motor , coming in before the storm was very calm , motor blew storm front was kicking in alot faster then expected , swells picked up dramitcally quite quickly and down went the auxillary an we putted in of 10 knots , very lumpy an hairy ride but we made it and saved others coming out to get us , saved us drifting around for hours , and what happens if your in 150metre plus of water ? and on a big swell anchoring is not recomended. yes majority of people dont own them but i do soley for the fact that if i ever do hit engine trouble i dont have to drift round , anchor or call sea rescue to come help which could be hours away, i can simply let them no im coming in on auxillary and ill be on stand by if i need further assistance, i trust my boat and motor , but out of the blew engine problems do and can occur at anytime. i think it is just best to be on the safe side.

An Auillary motor gives you control over your own destiny .

Certainly a handy thing to have should you need it in some of our more remote areas.

Maybe not needed so much in the metro area ,as you can always get help with the radio or flares .

aaasnapper ........if you feel more comfortable having it available and being able to get yourself out of the shite , then thats the only thing that matters. 

IMO having the money to buy a spare motor would be better value being spent to purchase a top quality VHF radio and aerial not a 27meg. The extra weight, different fuel?, inconvenience of it hanging off the stern or having to lug it out and fit it, plus the risk of it not starting after all.

If you happen to break down call Sea Rescue and let them know before you do anything then look at getting it started. You can always cancel you call if you get it going and they have a head start in finding you with out having to wait what could be hours before you finally give up and call them. Once you have called them drop your anchor so they don't have to go looking for you unless your drift is towards where they will be coming from.

One thing to remember, if you are fishing in deep water you MUST have enough rope to anchor at your position, this is one thing that is being conveniently forgotten by boaties. How many have enough rope to safely anchor where you fish?