Your Opinon on thePro Drive type motors?

It’s that time of the year where I seem to get the urge to get a different boat. I will not say New because it might not be in the budget.

I love fishing the river and 5a and 6 are the home waters.

I have not ventured into the realm of tourney fishing, and not sure if I will or not.

With that in mind I have considered getting a boat with a Pro Drive motor.

I know that you sacrifice speed and some do not like the noise factor, but I like the go nearly anywhere factor.

Any thoughts, differing opinions and flat out criticism are welcome.

I have been known to be wrong before.

Lastly, does anyone know what is the largest HP of that type of motor out there? I think that the Pro Drive have a 36hp and heard rumors of a 42, but I am not sure.

Again, it would not have to be a River Pro motor, but that style and capability is what I am looking at.

Thanks

Mud motor Haywood? I’ve seen them in action up here on the Mississippi and they are loud (louder than an OB jet) plus the guy hit a rock and looked to be having some real fun trying to straighten everything out. They are way better than a jet around weeds.

To be clear they type of boat would be aluminum, 16-18′, set up for bass fishing and able to have a mud type motor.

Would a person get better speed and most of the benifits from a tunnel hull?

I don’t think I am looking at the Jet type motors, I like the thick weeds way to much. but again that is an opinion without getting first hand knowledge of the jet capabilties.

Best thing going for duck hunting. Would not be my pick for a fishing only motor.

The surface drives are intended to go in shallow water with a softer bottom than rock. But they are made to withstand the hit of logs, etc. They really aren’t that loud, somewhere in the range of your lawnmower. If you fish a lot of shallows, slop, weeds, etc. they’d be the ticket.

my dad owns a prodrive and he is happy there really isn’t anywhere you can’t go as long is there is some water there. i wouldn’t worry too much about speed. Because where you are going you don’t need to beat anyone to. There are several spots that we have gotten to while duck hunting that i see fish busting shad and think to myself, ” no way any bass boat has ever ventured back here” Also yes they are a little loud i would recommend wearing ear muffs or something like it because any longer travel time than 5 minutes at those decibels is tough on your ears. i think they could be the hot ticket. There are some amazing videos online of guys jumping logs and even beaver dams and small islands with them ABSOLUTELY AMAZING
ike

i was unfortunate enough to get caught on the river during a local demo day. i thought it was a helicopter at first. very loud. i was in some backwater that one of the guys in the pro drive said “how’d that guy get back here?”

leave the prodrives for the duck hunters. i’ve always gotten along great with a push pole!

Thanks for the input.
I did contact pro drive and they told me that the 42hp would not be ready for at least a year.
I have seen the online videos. They crack me up especilly when you look at them driving with the beer.