Mud motors

[DanN]

Thinking about getting a mud motor for the coming season. A friend of mine has a Mud Buddy surface drive and it seems to go through anything but have never driven one myself. Any ideas as to what the best value is out there? Surface drive vs. long shaft. What dealers are close to Rochester? I've heard they aren't the most reliable - how hard is it to get them repaired? Any suggestions on the best boat to match them with?

[Tyler23]

if your set on buying a surface drive i would look at a boat that is designed for a surface drive motor. i dont think they will work well on a v-hull boat... there basically just a lawn mower engine with some shafts and bearings. not a whole lot to go wrong i guess but anything can happen.. i ran a 23horse longtail go-devil thats what i wanna get they go threw anything

Goodluck!

[fishingguy]

I'm sure others will respond. But my opinion is probably going to be in the minority. At this point I would not buy a shorty. To many issues with guys I know who have them. Bearings, Tilt and trim, Belts, ect...

Short tails are faster, drive more like a regular outboard. Long tails can handle more of the junk, are slower, and are harder to drive.

I have a small (13hp) beavertail on a 1648 mod V. It runs around 12mph with 2 guys and a reasonable amount of gear. One buddy has a 27 on a similar boat and runs about 22mph with the same load. Another has a 20 and runs about 16mph.

I know of a couple dealers off the top of my head. One is in minnesota city(winona) Big river pro drive. And the other is in hastings, Midwest ? Something, don't remember.

For me it is not speed needed. It is getting there.

Again, just my opinion.

[Gordie]

I havent run a surface drive butI really want one. I have run a long tail mud motor and I havent really heard of to many problems with the surface drives as of yet.

I want one because it has a neutral and a reverse as the long tails do not. I want to use mine for more than duck hunting as I run the river alot for cats. so I think that this would be the best option for me.

[BucksnDucks]

I've got a good friend who I've hunted with that has a surface drive. Elwood hit it rite on the head with the neutral and reverse! I know I wont hesitate one bit to buy a surface drive when my current outboard takes a dump on me. I was actually surprised at the speed the s.d. was able to push a fully loaded boat also. One thing I will note though is that they are not "completly" weedless or weedfree. There has been a few times now where we had to shut the motor down and remove weeds from the prop.

[chub]

Cattails, rice and bullrush will get wrapped up some, but the non-stalky vegitation blows out like a salad shooter.

[RumRiverRat]

I am in the process of machining my own longtail.

Just need to buy a 31hp motor and I will be able to complete the machining on the u joints and a few other things.

I already have the shaft made and the shaft housing made, just waiting for the bearings I ordered to arrive so I can assemble it.

[BucksnDucks]

blows out like a salad shooter.

Nice analogy! Very true!

RRR-Cant wait to see what the mad scientist comes up with after its all done! Been thinking of doing the same myself, doesnt appear that its completly outta the question for a guy with a small shop and some know how, to build oneself! Please post up some pics of your project if you get a chance, would love to see yours!

[MN Greenheads]

I'd rather save the money and take more time off to duck hunt.

[Bassinbob84]

I'm a fan of the surface drives. The ease of use and safety make them worth it IMO. My buddy has a 17' pro drive boat and motor. It will go through almost anything you can throw at it. If something happens and you drop the motor your boat won't flip. Plus they shoot a cool roost

[DanN]

Thanks for the ideas. One that I hadn't looked at was the pro drive. I don't know how it works in practice but their web site talks about a full power reverse that sounds interesting. I've been stuck on a mud flat with my outboard and was pretty sweaty by the time I poled out of there. This thing sounds like that wouldn't be an issue. The Big River Pro Drive has the best web site i've found. I was leaning towards a go-devil but after reading about the Pro Drive I'm going to have to consider that.

I'm sure building your own motor is a way to save money but I'm not that mechanically inclined and it's not an option for me. I know web sites and actual stores can be different but the big river pro drive sounds like they are open during the season to make repairs and they are close to where I do the most of my hunting. I'll probably check out all the stores but they weren't even on my list before fishinguy's post but now they are at the top.

[ironman]

I was going to buy a pro drive myself...until I broke my foot and was out of work for a long time, but I will have one someday. I havnt heard anything bad about them yet. For me this seems like the perfect all around motor to have on your boat...whether its for fishing or hunting. The reverse works in full speed because your actually just turning the prop around instead of actually having a reverse gear. Obviously if this is for shallow water at times it would most likely be on a flat bottom or at least a modified v. Perfect river boat I would think.

[HNTNBUX]

What is the weight comparison between the pro drives and the long shafts? Do the pro drives always spray so much water, etc. I checked out the HSOforum and it there does appear to be some advantages to the pro drive but I am not convinced yet. Price appeared to be about 5000 for a pro drive with reverse what are the long shafts going for?

[Tyler23]

surface drives will always spray a big rooster tail once on plane and wide open.. they are more expensive.. i beleive a 23horse go devil is around 3500 longtail

[Gordie]

75hp harley davidson powered long tail called the preditor out of Ham Lake MN runs for $5800.00

Talk about wicked ride and if I get a long tali this is gonna be the one and with fish fin exhaust at least you would know elwoods in the swamp

[Bassinbob84]

The only problem my buddy has had was the nut for his tilt fell off the pro drive. He had another friend weld 2 nuts together and has not had a problem since. His was one of the first around, Way before reverse. I know he talked to a guy that said he could get his up to 57hp. That would be crazy. I can ask him who if anybody is interested.

[dan z]

there is a guy in marble rock iowa that makes something very similar to these "long tail" motors. and he is quite a bit cheaper. If you go back into the waterfowl photo's and you could see the one on my boat. not the fastest thing but it has got me to were I wanna go and back. for the last three seasons...

[Gator Slayer]

I've owned 3. 9hp BT longtail, 27hp MB mini, and 36hp PD.

The key to optimal performance is the boat. There a a few Mod-v hulls they work well on but very few. In general a flat bottom welded hull is best. Longer is better. I run my PD on a 1754 welded flat bottom. Boat is made by gator tail which is another SDMM MFR.

If you want to STS about 'em or take a look at mine let me know. I live south of the Roch airport. I don't have PM functions so post your email and I'll respond(eventually )

Oh yeah, dealers in the "area" Big water Pro drive (winona) Hillman(sp) Marine (LaCrosse) and Shallow Water Marine (Palo Ia)

[Gator Slayer]

elwoods in the swamp

Likely quite literally with that one. I've heard most that have driven it have been pitched out of the boat by it...

[Gordie]

gator wouldnt be the first time I was literally in the swamp

[DanN]

I know this is an older thread but somebody suggested Big River Pro Drive in Winona / Minnesota City. I drove down there yesterday and found out that they went out of business.

I stopped in at the Go Devil place. I can't remember the name but it's a pawn shop. They had a few boats and a few motors in crates and the guy that sells boats wasn't there.

It was kind of a wasted trip to Winona.

[shedaddict]

I bought a Mud Buddy Surface Drive motor from Harold at Midwest Mud Buddy out of Hastings. Not sure if he is still around or not; his shop is right off of 61.

I no longer have the motor now because the boat and motor were not a fit. Gator said it correctly when he talked about matching the boat and motor. I have an Alumacraft Waterfowler 16; I called up and talked to an engineer at Alumacraft and told him what I was planning and he said it would work no problem. The combination of the boat and motor worked well; when it was just a couple guys in the boat. Once hunting season rolled around, and I loaded the dog, decoys, blind and all my other stuff into the boat, we barely broke 10mph. I ended up selling the mud motor, but would definitely buy another one. The boat was the problem, not the motor. My next boat will be made for a surface drive motor.

Also, there used to be a guy out of Janesville, WI that sold them as well.

[Gordie]

I'm looking at buying a surface drive in the next few weeks so I think I better call the boys at pro-drive and see what would be a good fit for my boat. thanks for the tip Shedaddict I may just go to a longtail insted of the surface drive

[Feathers Rainin]

I already have the shaft made and the shaft housing made, just waiting for the bearings I ordered to arrive so I can assemble it.

So since you told me you won't be able to get out much this season are you making it for me?

I would love to have one but if you hunt smaller water I think a lot of ducks get spooked out of the area by the noise they kick out..especially if there is more than one yahoo running around with one. If you aren't concerned with speed you can get a 3hp evinrude made around 1950. (other makes and era's are junk in weeds) We have at least 5 of them in the shack and we rarely have motor problems. They burn right through rice or any other weed like nothin. We hunt a lot of rice and shallow lakes/rivers so they are money for us. They don't work in mud to well tho.

[Maxxed Out]

I'm a boat novice as well, but just purchased a Long Shaft Beavertail with a 16 hp honda motor 2009 so I can start doing some water hunts. I made the purchase mainly for the motor, but it came with a 16 ft vhull lund and trailer. I haven't even had the chance to take it out, the guy who sold it to me said it would go 22 mph loaded up with 3 guys and gear.

Boat experts what do you think of this set up, what can I expect?

Thanks