So I did a thing ….. not sure if I’ll like it lol

Remember the experiment either Go-Devil or Mud Buddy did with Harley Davidson years ago?
Nope.... I missed that experiment all together. Im usually pretty good about keeping up with stuff like this too. Never even heard of this. Enlighten me.

But we all know the mudmotor design came from Thailand. And all I can say is if they can come up with this.... Why cant we make one that goes over 30 mph? I mean mine is a fast fast mudmotor, most rigs won't go over 25. Do we need fast? NO! But do we want fast? YES! But more importantly, i want torque to get out of the mud hole or the sandy shallow pit. Sure you ruin props easier, but it sure beats walking back to a ramp. What kills me the most, when we need that power, we dont have it. How many times have we got just a bit too shallow, trim up the motor, grab RPM and then burry the prop back down in the ick and move 3 inches and then have to repeat the process? We do it over and over and over until finally we get unstuck. I know what you are thinking... just get out and push, but I have been in this situation when theres no bottom and getting out of the boat is a death sentence. So we ruin props, and we play this game. I want HP and torque where it just keeps turning through the nasty shit and pushes me further than 3 inches every time I trim up, build RPM and bury it again.

I want one of these....


 
Nope.... I missed that experiment all together. Im usually pretty good about keeping up with stuff like this too. Never even heard of this. Enlighten me.

But we all know the mudmotor design came from Thailand. And all I can say is if they can come up with this.... Why cant we make one that goes over 30 mph? I mean mine is a fast fast mudmotor, most rigs won't go over 25. Do we need fast? NO! But do we want fast? YES! But more importantly, i want torque to get out of the mud hole or the sandy shallow pit. Sure you ruin props easier, but it sure beats walking back to a ramp. What kills me the most, when we need that power, we dont have it. How many times have we got just a bit too shallow, trim up the motor, grab RPM and then burry the prop back down in the ick and move 3 inches and then have to repeat the process? We do it over and over and over until finally we get unstuck. I know what you are thinking... just get out and push, but I have been in this situation when theres no bottom and getting out of the boat is a death sentence. So we ruin props, and we play this game. I want HP and torque where it just keeps turning through the nasty shit and pushes me further than 3 inches every time I trim up, build RPM and bury it again.

I want one of these....


I was wrong, it was Beavertail.
 
I was wrong, it was Beavertail.
So I havent watched it all but what caught my attention right away was from 1:35- 2:20. Look at the low end torque that this motor offers. They bury the prop in vegetation or mud, and hit the throttle and there is enough umph there to twist that prop and push the hull forward. I have the biggest motor that mudbuddy offers, and even then, if I try do that, it kills the motor because there is not enough torque to propel forward. So, you trim up, rev up RPM and bury it down. Truly, I do not need to go faster than 30-35 in a duck rig. That is plenty fast for me. Low end torque though is what I really want and need.

I love this idea, I really do, but not sure the harley motor is the answer. But see, this is exactly what Ive kind of dreamed up. Now take this same concept and put it on the sport v frame, and you have one badass rig. Seriously, not sure why it hasnt been done yet. Briggs must own a huge huge portion of this market legally, because every company uses their motors and its time for something different, but no one is really doing anything about it. I think the mudmotor frames are pretty bullet proof. A kevlar belt, to a short shaft.... simple enough. Find a motor that makes it work better, but no one has. They try and put turbos on them, or supe up the internals, but end of the day, its a 35 hp lawn mower engine. You are taking something that is already questionable in reliability and making it possibly more unreliable. Instead, seems it would be easier to start all over with a bigger better more powerful motor and work around that. This whole market has been a "tail wag the dog" situation to me.

Im going to live with my current set up for a few more years, but I already have 180 hours on this 5000 efi. Now that these freedom outboards are being sold with havoc's, I might pay attention for a couple years for serious reviews and then go and trade my entire setup for something new. I watched stuff on freedom outboards for about 2 hours last night. Felt like the same rabbit hole I was going down 10 years ago, just better this time around. 19k for a 60 hp motor. THATS STUPID!!!! For a tohatsu base motor none the less. A 60 hp stock tohatsu is $6500 all day. The mods on this motor are not worth 13K to me. So they need to come down a bit for me to get serious. Kind of seems like they racked up some debt to finally get where they are and trying to play catch up before other players come in and make their own version. A patent is only good for 20 years, they have been around almost 10, so they have 10 years to make back what they spent and make a profit before other outboard companies make their own version. I see this game played around medications all the time in the medical world. But 19k buys me a brand new 5000 efi and half way to another. So good luck trying to sell me one of these freedom outboards, especially since they are only as fast as what I already own and no telling if they can offer that low end torque I am really hoping to gain by going to an outboard frame. Time will tell.
 
William

Careful, you might give folks a second reason to go to Thailand....
Eric, this is not new technology. Thailand is known for their long tails. The CEO of mudbuddy went to Thailand years and years ago and realized there was a market for long tails for duck hunters. He created mudbuddy. how they landed on briggs being the motor of motors is what kills me. We talk about the redesign and constant improving of the frame and clutch and even the belt. I remember the first belts were just motorcycle belts. I remember one almost popping on my first gen and we had to idle and baby that sucker back the ramp. I had a 1/3 thickness of my belt, but it was just enough to hang on and keep that prop spinning to get me home. Then these kevlar belts came around and I have never heard of another one breaking. yet the one thing they refuse to make substantially better is the motor on these. Like I mentioned, they try and do all this micky mouse shit on them. Add this turbo or these polished heads or add this internal or add this tuner... but its like taking a honda civic and trying to make it as fast as a ferrari... THAT SHIT DONT WORK! This is the game that we have all been victim to for so long though, yet we all still live with it because its the only thing offered.
 
keep us updated on what your results are with this boat. i think you might be pleasantly surprised as long as you are not trying to achieve speed. You will likely be about 10 mph slower, if I was a betting man, but Ive been wrong in the past and now I am curious on what you get on this set up. Any idea what your weight different is between your outboard and this prodrive?
250 lbs for the johnson roughly an 340 for the mud motor
 
I ran a 2014 PD36 EFI for a few years. The performance was good but I spent a lot of money on maintenance..specifically the EFI and computer. In the three years and 100hrs I put on it, I shipped it to prodrive twice for troubleshooting and repair work. The motor is HEAVY.

One thing I will say about prodrive, is my experience with their customer service was great. Zero complaints about their customer service and support.
 
I ran a 2014 PD36 EFI for a few years. The performance was good but I spent a lot of money on maintenance..specifically the EFI and computer. In the three years and 100hrs I put on it, I shipped it to prodrive twice for troubleshooting and repair work. The motor is HEAVY.

One thing I will say about prodrive, is my experience with their customer service was great. Zero complaints about their customer service and support.
Yea I’ve had to call them for parts an they have been great for sure
 
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