Has anyone used a mud motor on a Fiberdome Bluebill?

Ed,

I think I'd try calling Fiberdome and see what the design weight is for that transom. I've never owned a Fiberdome but they are only one town over from me so I've seen their boats. The boats have always struck me as well built with plenty of glass so that motor might work. The other option might be to call Powell or Scavanger and see if you can take the boat to them and slap a motor on it for a trial run. If that motor works it could be a sweet rig for small water.
 
Ed,

I am unsure of anything related to the Fiberdome but I can offer advise about the motor/boat combination. You would have to take in account that a long tail motor is made to operate standing up and that boat may not allow for safe operation in that mode.

Again, I have no experience with that boat but just offering advice as food for thought.
 
Ed,

I am unsure of anything related to the Fiberdome but I can offer advise about the motor/boat combination. You would have to take in account that a long tail motor is made to operate standing up and that boat may not allow for safe operation in that mode.

Again, I have no experience with that boat but just offering advice as food for thought.
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Mark,

You may very well be right and that has been a thought of mine. Thanks for bringing up an important issue. The one thing I like about this particular mud motor is the design allows for different handle angles and height. I'm hoping if that's an issue I'll be able to drive in a sitting position. Also the company tells me they will produce a custom handle per customer requirements.

Really the main reason I've picked this boat is based on my dog. The boat is wide enough that she'll be able to sit next to me and I'll have a little control over her. I don't want her in front of me because she's a puppy and will probably still have some poor boating habits until she's a little older. I also don't what her behind me because I have no doubt she will use my face to plant he hind feet in launching for a retrieve...again poor boating habits until she's a little older. Then when she's a little older the boat will be big enough to take two on our smaller marshes.
 
Ed,

I think I'd try calling Fiberdome and see what the design weight is for that transom. I've never owned a Fiberdome but they are only one town over from me so I've seen their boats. The boats have always struck me as well built with plenty of glass so that motor might work.
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Pete, I have contacted Fiberdome and was told the boat is rated for a 5hp motor. They didn't offer any design aspects. So with that in mind a new 5hp Mercury 4 stroke comes in at 57lbs. so I imagine the extra 2lbs - 3lbs (fuel/oil weight) won't be an issue. I do like the transom design with the angled transistion from the transom to the combing. That adds a little support for forward forces of the motor better that a flat transom would. Thanks for your thoughts on the boat. I had wondered if you'd ever looked at one knowing you lived close. I'm sure I'll be bringing the boat to Lacrosse this year if we have our get together for all to see and test drive.

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Not to douse the desire or anything... When Fiberdome quoted the boat being able to handle up to a 5 hp motor, are you sure they didn't mean a 5hp 2 stroke instead of a 4 stroke? I bet those boats have been around longer than 4 strokes have been in the marketplace.

A 5hp Mercury 2-stroke weighs in around 44 pounds. This puts it in the middle of what most 2 stroke 5 hp motors weigh.

For what it is worth.

Mark
 
Ed,

I picked up a Powell Performance Fab Woodduck last fall. I didn't mount it up yet due to the cold weather when I bought it. The standard mount that comes with it requires drilling through the motor mount and I want to seal it up good when I drill through my Huff box mount area. I had him add the hop up kit to make mine a 9 hp for the extra 160 bucks. It doesn't change the weight much as it's just a larger intake and a short length of tubing to make an exhaust header. I will tell you this...Great craftsmanship and thought into this motor. The drawn over mandrel tubing is welded very nice and the fact that all the bends to the tubing are done on a cnc machine for accuracy and consistency. I can't wait to get it on the water this spring and start scouting the rivers. Jake Powell is a craftsman and duck hunter...that led him down the road to build this motor.
 
Not to douse the desire or anything... When Fiberdome quoted the boat being able to handle up to a 5 hp motor, are you sure they didn't mean a 5hp 2 stroke instead of a 4 stroke? I bet those boats have been around longer than 4 strokes have been in the marketplace.

A 5hp Mercury 2-stroke weighs in around 44 pounds. This puts it in the middle of what most 2 stroke 5 hp motors weigh.

For what it is worth.

Mark
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Mark,

Since you can't buy a new 2 stroke and they are advertised for a 5hp I sure hope someone did the math at Fiberdome. Guess I'll find out since I'm picking up the boat Saturday.


Mike,

Thanks for the heads up. I do know it's a displacement hull. One of the things I like is the low flat bow for the dog and I know I'll have to be careful with forward weight. My intentions are to use this boat in a very limited area that is no deeper than 3 feet except a slough from the boat ramp. Using a mud motor and being placed at a location close to how guys run their BBSB's I hope to learn to adjust the additude of the bow while running. I also am going to build a dodger or a blind similiar to this that snaps to the combing.

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Ron,

I'm really glad to hear your thoughts on the PPF motor. I'm just about to pull the trigger on one. Laser cut parts and jig fixtures for welding the frame tells me alot about how he feels about his product. I think Jake has answered all my questions. I probably will at some point order the hop up kit if I think I would use the motor on my Starcraft but initially I'll keep it stock while I get use to the Bluebill and the mud motor. Like you, I can't wait for spring. I would like to have my stuff ready before duck season for a change.
 
Ed,

If it's you, a dog and decoys, that thing will fly. Protected cattail marsh is the perfect venue for this combination. A friend that sold my cousin a mud motor, used to use his on a Carsten's bluebill and said the fiberglass bottoms slide in the mud and shallow veg better than the aluminum. When I watch the videos on PPF's website, it makes me want a 14 ft Jon just for the toughness.

-Ron
 
Ron,

I tried emailing PPF this winter and never got any response. Is the e-mail info on his web page current? What is the email you guys are using to reach him?
 
My experience with these small 7HP long tails on a small boat is limited to my Stump Jumper.

The first thing you will want to do is change out the twist throttle with a brake lever from a BMX bike or the more costly Backwater Performance System lever for a Mud Buddy motor. The twist grip will wear your hand and arm out when trying to work the boat out of any kind of muck.

You can run this kind of motor sitting down as long as you can get the handle to clear your seat. I use a jack lift which gets the motor up higher when running, and I can more easily get it down to lift the prop out of the water to control speed. When not in use I can force the motor lower to hide it better.

This new motor sounds like a good deal. I would pick the Honda motor.
 
The first thing you will want to do is change out the twist throttle with a brake lever from a BMX bike or the more costly Backwater Performance System lever for a Mud Buddy motor. The twist grip will wear your hand and arm out when trying to work the boat out of any kind of muck.
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Hey Ray, I remember you mentioning this before. I did like the BMX bike type throttle on the Rickshaw but it too gets to the wrist on a long haul. When I saw PPF was also using a twist grip like the Stump-Jumper it came to mind about using a motorcycle throttle lock. Do you think that would work?
 
Ed, I hunted a fiber dome bluebill for two years. I had a two stroke 7.5 on it. There were no issues with too much weight. It is a great boat for a guy and a dog. She could haul a lot of gear for a small boat. The boat is a displacement hull, the best I got out of her was 12 mph, 10 loaded. It handled chop pretty well for such a low profile boat. One thing, and maybe it was just my boat but the glass seemed kind of thin. I had to put braces on the transom to keep it from cracking. I would think you would have to do that at a minimum to run the long tail. Also it would get crack on bottom of the hull. The first year I was patching it regularly. I ended up putting a layer of 6 oz glass on the bottom. Good luck and enjoy a nice boat.
 
Thanks Pete. I really thought about that boat a couple of years ago but knowing I was going to Florida I let it go. Funny how things end up. The boat I'm buying is 8 years old and the guys says he hunts most of the time in a 18ft boat with others so this one sees use 3 or 4 hunts a year. Last year one hunt on pool 13.
 
Here's the PPF Woodduck on my Chuck Huff....I think it's a perfect fit.

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Ron,

Looks pretty good. I got the Bluebill home over the weekend. I think I'm going to like this boat. I'm waiting to order my PPF motor untill we return from our trip to Brooklyn, NY next week.

Josh,

Thanks for the insight on the boat. This one is a 2004 model. I seems pretty think in the fiberglass. Thicker than the Carstens boats I've had and roughly the same as the Momarsh boats I've had. Of course I haven't had it in the water yet. I was hoping to get it out this weekend but with the river coming up and rollin ice I think I'll wait.

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