duck boat and mud mtr

Looking for some feedback on tne following:
I am currently looking for a duck boat. I have found 2 in my area, and plan on setting up appointments this week. 1 is your basic camo 14’Jon; the other is a 15′ w/ a 24hp Go Devil.

I never considered this set-up before, but am a bit intrigued. I have no experience w/ mud motors, and wonder what pitfalls there are.

For instance, are they annoyingly loud? Are you limited in certain situations vs an outboard, if water depth isn’t an issue?

Any other points to be made, are appreciated.

Would not trade my mud motor for anything. Loud, yes. Slower, yes. Go anywhere yes. You will love it.

Would not trade my mud motor for anything. Loud, yes. Slower, yes. Go anywhere yes. You will love it.

I still regret selling my mud motor
It isn’t the quickest, or the quietest, but I went wherever I wanted to with my Beavertail.

I still regret selling my mud motor
It isn’t the quickest, or the quietest, but I went wherever I wanted to with my Beavertail.

What about maintenance on the engine? Do they use Kohler engines?

I heard ‘talk’ awhile back about the possiblity of these motors being banned down the road. Is there any truth to this?

What about maintenance on the engine? Do they use Kohler engines?

I heard ‘talk’ awhile back about the possiblity of these motors being banned down the road. Is there any truth to this?

Beavertail motors are run by Kohler engines. Maintenance is the same as a lawnmower. The only thing I did on a regular basis was to grease the zirks for the shaft. Other than that, just check your oil and fill the tank with gas.

As far as being banned, I have not heard that. Starting in 2008, there are several areas that airboats and hovercrafts will be banned along with adding several slow, no wake zones for other areas during most of the fishing season. The mud motors were not mentioned in the latest USFWS changes to the UMWR management areas

Beavertail motors are run by Kohler engines. Maintenance is the same as a lawnmower. The only thing I did on a regular basis was to grease the zirks for the shaft. Other than that, just check your oil and fill the tank with gas.

As far as being banned, I have not heard that. Starting in 2008, there are several areas that airboats and hovercrafts will be banned along with adding several slow, no wake zones for other areas during most of the fishing season. The mud motors were not mentioned in the latest USFWS changes to the UMWR management areas

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Would not trade my mud motor for anything. Loud, yes. Slower, yes. Go anywhere yes. You will love it.

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I currently am running an 18 ft Go Devil boat with a 31 hp Vanguard—I will not hunt again without a long-shaft. Reliable,Dependable, and make your life so much easier

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Would not trade my mud motor for anything. Loud, yes. Slower, yes. Go anywhere yes. You will love it.

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I currently am running an 18 ft Go Devil boat with a 31 hp Vanguard—I will not hunt again without a long-shaft. Reliable,Dependable, and make your life so much easier

As these guys said.. there is no comparison to what a mud motor can do. I will say they are a bit loud… but it beats getting out of the boat in waders, or trying to push-pole through an area these motors are capable of. If you plan on using the boat to fish, its easy enough to take the motor off and put an outboard on.

I dont own one, but I have been in boats with them a few times. I wish I owned one. I hit stumps with my small outboard lower unit no less than 20 times yesterday, my partners did the same, and broke the shear pin on their older outboard(I got lucky)… we were doing less than 2 mph. I wouldnt call mud motors slow compared to this because they would have bounced through without a problem in the 1′ of water at higher speeds.

The DNR is running them in the same area I am hunting.

As these guys said.. there is no comparison to what a mud motor can do. I will say they are a bit loud… but it beats getting out of the boat in waders, or trying to push-pole through an area these motors are capable of. If you plan on using the boat to fish, its easy enough to take the motor off and put an outboard on.

I dont own one, but I have been in boats with them a few times. I wish I owned one. I hit stumps with my small outboard lower unit no less than 20 times yesterday, my partners did the same, and broke the shear pin on their older outboard(I got lucky)… we were doing less than 2 mph. I wouldnt call mud motors slow compared to this because they would have bounced through without a problem in the 1′ of water at higher speeds.

The DNR is running them in the same area I am hunting.

Well, that mud motor was on a boat that would not work for me, after talking to the owner.

If anyone has a lead on a newer 14-16′ jon boat w/ a S.S. motor in good shape, please PM me. I’m having a hard time locating anything, and don’t want to go the ‘new’ route right now.

Well, that mud motor was on a boat that would not work for me, after talking to the owner.

If anyone has a lead on a newer 14-16′ jon boat w/ a S.S. motor in good shape, please PM me. I’m having a hard time locating anything, and don’t want to go the ‘new’ route right now.

We are thinking about putting one on our 1650 db express, any thoughts about the hyperdrive’s ? hyper sport drive

We are thinking about putting one on our 1650 db express, any thoughts about the hyperdrive’s ? hyper sport drive

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Would not trade my mud motor for anything. Loud, yes. Slower, yes. Go anywhere yes. You will love it.

---

I currently am running an 18 ft Go Devil boat with a 31 hp Vanguard—I will not hunt again without a long-shaft. Reliable,Dependable, and make your life so much easier

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Hey Tim, why the preference for long tail over short tail? Not disputing it, have ridden in both but don’t know the advantages of each, nor own one of either.

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Would not trade my mud motor for anything. Loud, yes. Slower, yes. Go anywhere yes. You will love it.

---

I currently am running an 18 ft Go Devil boat with a 31 hp Vanguard—I will not hunt again without a long-shaft. Reliable,Dependable, and make your life so much easier

---

Hey Tim, why the preference for long tail over short tail? Not disputing it, have ridden in both but don’t know the advantages of each, nor own one of either.

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Would not trade my mud motor for anything. Loud, yes. Slower, yes. Go anywhere yes. You will love it.

---

I currently am running an 18 ft Go Devil boat with a 31 hp Vanguard—I will not hunt again without a long-shaft. Reliable,Dependable, and make your life so much easier

---

Hey Tim, why the preference for long tail over short tail? Not disputing it, have ridden in both but don’t know the advantages of each, nor own one of either.

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I have few reasons
1. less moving parts—I am a parts breakin’ S.O.B.
2. $$$
3. I don’t generally hunt in an area where a long ride is required–under 20 minutes usually so I dont need to sit down.
4.you can lift the motor out of water fast for stumps-sandbars- or any other object you feel creasing the hull
5.It can go from 0 to wide open in about 6″ of water and be on plane fast
6.and they are just plain old simple, if you can fix your lawn mower, you can work on them. The engines are workhorses and are real tough.

there are disadvantages as well (ie. turning sharp/fast. sitting down when operating. speed) but for what I do, I prefer the longshaft. Do I want a SurfaceDrive???? Hellyeah, for these small weekly tournaments and diver hunting on the river ! but I have to many boats now—ok I am done —-ps my 31 is awesome on gas 16 bucks worth in 12 days of hunting

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Would not trade my mud motor for anything. Loud, yes. Slower, yes. Go anywhere yes. You will love it.

---

I currently am running an 18 ft Go Devil boat with a 31 hp Vanguard—I will not hunt again without a long-shaft. Reliable,Dependable, and make your life so much easier

---

Hey Tim, why the preference for long tail over short tail? Not disputing it, have ridden in both but don’t know the advantages of each, nor own one of either.

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I have few reasons
1. less moving parts—I am a parts breakin’ S.O.B.
2. $$$
3. I don’t generally hunt in an area where a long ride is required–under 20 minutes usually so I dont need to sit down.
4.you can lift the motor out of water fast for stumps-sandbars- or any other object you feel creasing the hull
5.It can go from 0 to wide open in about 6″ of water and be on plane fast
6.and they are just plain old simple, if you can fix your lawn mower, you can work on them. The engines are workhorses and are real tough.

there are disadvantages as well (ie. turning sharp/fast. sitting down when operating. speed) but for what I do, I prefer the longshaft. Do I want a SurfaceDrive???? Hellyeah, for these small weekly tournaments and diver hunting on the river ! but I have to many boats now—ok I am done —-ps my 31 is awesome on gas 16 bucks worth in 12 days of hunting

I dont know anything about the hyper drives personally, but here as a group of guys, who are nuts about mud motors and alot of different brands. Lots of ford/chevy type stuff and typical weed through BS for the good stuff, but lots of info, and its all about MUD MOTORS hope this helps in your decision–let me know what you decide–if you wanna drive a Go-Devil surface drive let me know–I can get you hooked up with a new demo in Lax –Tim

One thing that muddy buddy makes that I do know about is this BLIND I have it on my boat and it is AWESOME

I dont know anything about the hyper drives personally, but here as a group of guys, who are nuts about mud motors and alot of different brands. Lots of ford/chevy type stuff and typical weed through BS for the good stuff, but lots of info, and its all about MUD MOTORS hope this helps in your decision–let me know what you decide–if you wanna drive a Go-Devil surface drive let me know–I can get you hooked up with a new demo in Lax –Tim

One thing that muddy buddy makes that I do know about is this BLIND I have it on my boat and it is AWESOME

Thanks for the replies and the link Tim!

Thanks for the replies and the link Tim!