Low profile motors?

I

Ira Strouse

New member
Greetings all,

As always I am looking at boats and thinking about ducks, I am one of those looong time lurkers here and want you to know that the day is not complete without "checking in".

Currently deployed to Iraq, I have decided that upon my return a new boat will be purchased. As I look at all the commercial designed BBSB type boats the one thing that I notice is no matter how low the profile of the boat, the motor tends to take up a lot of space in the shooting lanes. To clarify, if one is laying down on the floor of the boat and a low flyer comes in, even sitting up will not elevate the shotgun barrel to a height much greater than the engine.

For a visual perspective of what I am asking about check the sneakbox pics on the MLB site among others. Please do not interpret this reference as a ding or opinion on anyone's products, I am just asking if there is a lower profile boat motor in production. For the last ten years I have hunted primarily out of a canoe so the switch to a motorized vessel has stirred many thoughts.

I appreciate any clarity that can be provided.

-Ira
 
CBR,

First, Thank You for serving our country!!!!

I hunt out of a Fricke BBSB with a 15 Evinrude on it. Granted the Evinrude is low compared to some motors. However, I try to set up so that I'm shooting out the port side, being right handed or over the bow, I try to hide the motor as much as possible. There are alot of good boats out there. The MLB boat is powerd by a mudd motor in that photo. Thats just the was those motors are. An outboard would be no where near as tall.

Come home safe!!
 
You don't really lay flat in a sneakbox so much as you are sitting, if you sit up to shoot, while the motor is still in the way a little, it really isn't that bad.

Of course you can always pull the boat up on the bank backwards and shoot over the bow, then there is nothing in your way. It is just more of a pain if you have to go chase a cripple or retrieve downed birds and you do not have a dog.

The picture on the MLB site with the mud motor does make you go 'wow' that would be tough to shoot over and around ha ha.
 
I have a '72 Johnson 9.5 hp which is much lower profile than my new 4stroke tahatsu 9.8, however most of the time I pull the boat up onto the sedge. This has me lying/siting at an angle and provides a nice platform for gunning with little interference from the motor. Hope this helps.
James
 
Keep in mind that you don't have to set up the boat to hunt with yourself facing the motor. I use layouts frequently and I always set them up with the motor behind me while I face the bow of the boat. This prevents the problem you're concerned with.

I also use a manual jackplate from Cabelas on the motors on my layouts so that I can lower the motor while set up for hunting. Tilting the motor and then lowering the jackplate to the lowest level keeps the motor from sticking up very far, and could be very useful if for some reason you absolutely have to set up your boat to shoot over the motor.

Thanks for your service to us and our country!
 
Hey Ira -

First my heartfelt thanks for your service to our country - come home safe.

If you are ever near Ipswich MA give me a post and I will be happy to show you how my boat is set up and take you out to try gunning from it.

Most original sneakboats were designed to be rowed and did not have a motor, however I have found that if the motor is properly camoflaged it can work to your advantage by giving you a little extra cover. Most shots are from a sitting position and I have not found the motor to be a problem.

What is a problem is rising to a sitting position from a slouched sitting position after hours in cold weather and being able to HIT anything ! I face the stern and have a second small cockpit for my dog so that she is behind me.

You can add a small backrest and hinge it so that it lays flat when not in use. Some people actually remove a small motor and store it below deck when set up but I think that is too much trouble.

If you look at the momarsh site www.momarsh.com they have an interesting boat with a removable transom and this site we are on has a great list of all the builders and many have websites with pics and videos which will give you lots of ideas.

These boats have their limitations but are a lot of fun and they can be VERY effective.

Hope this helps.

sarge
 
I wanted to thank everyone for the responses and perspective. I also just wanted to thank everyone in general that posts on this site. It is a good thing to be able to come here for a little while each day to forget the stress. The fact that everyone remains cordial and conducts themselves as gentlemen is an example deserving of emulation. When the time comes and I can establish my "home range", your company will always be welcome in my blind.

In the mean time, we had snow for the first time in one hundred years. Nothing stuck but it certainly brought back some memories. We have a pond close by that holds around 200 redheads and several hundred coots. All I am missing is a boat, my dog, shotgun, dekes, calls, camo, waders, thermos, etc. and it would have been a fantastic gunning day. I only have to miss one more season and I will be back in the hunt.

Thanks again for the respite. -Ira
 
The guy that owned my southbay before I did use to tow the boat to the area then motor down the creek with a 4 hp. He would then take the outboard off the boat and stow it under the deck. If he needed to get a cripple he would use the push pole.
May time if the bird are flying low I will shoot bow out.
That being said the old evenrude had a low profile engine. The one thing you have to remember is that when you are hunting in low water marshes you will need to raise the motor out of the water and when the engine is raised a low profile motor has no advantage.
 
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