Sportboat - picking out a motor

N

Nick Davis

New member
This is my first post. I recently acquired a '56 Grumman sport boat. Thinking about getting a motor for it. Did some research on the forums and found the following:

- people use both mud motors, air cooled outboards, and standard out boards
- standard outboards are heavier and the external fuel tank is cumbersome
- Mud motor works great, possbiible stability issue
- mud motor creates a wider turning radius
- small air cooled outboard works great, but might not get you where you need to go

Looking for your advice. I duck hunt in a marsh with fairly shallow water. Would also like to use the boat on lakes for fishing.

Question - Are mud motors always operated standing up? What if it was a 7hp?

Nick
 
I run a 6.5 hp Go-Devil on a 15'4" Gheenoe and it works well. If you want to stand up add a grab bar or an Alaskan Bridle, which is a length of rope with a loop or handle tied to the gunwhale or seat ahead of you which you keep taught with your right hand while steering with your left. If you want to sit but the seats are not in the right spot some people put a plank along the stbd side resting on the stern and centre seats. Good luck and welcome to the forum!
 
PS Go-Devil sells a grab bar that may fasten easily to the centre seat. I put one on my 12' Springbok for use with my GDLT and it is solid.
 
We run 30 Grumman sport boats at our duck club. We use 6-8 hp 2 stroke motors, Yamaha's preferred. Some have the adjustable motor mounts to raise for shallow drive. Certainly not as good as a mud motor for very shallow water, but works well in channels and ditches. They need to be pulled over the rollers on the dikes, so lightweight is important feature.
 
I love my sportboat- welcome to the club!

Where are you located?

My 6.5 beavertail is awesome on the sportboat but it is not at all fast. It would be pretty difficult to run it while seated, but a grab bar is unnecessary. I know zilcho about surface drives, but l would not want to use my long tail for fishing.

I tried an 8 horse once, just me and the dog, and it wasn't efficient. With a little effort and some ballast, or a full load of hunting gear & a partner, it would probably plane out and go fast. Might revisit that motor at some point.

When not using the mudmotor I run a 4hp Suzuki or an old evinrude ducktwin with folding shaft. The ducktwin is a really sweet motor and of course looks great on the sportboat. Downside of the ducktwin is no reverse or neutral, but the weed-less lower unit is pretty effective.
 
Agree that the folding Ducktwin is a sweet-running marsh motor - I used one on my Gheenoe before getting the GDLT. Only issue is if you hit a stump or log the shear pin can break and then you are stuck if you aren't prepared. No such worries with a longtail, and a 6.5 pushes the boat faster than a 3.
 
I use a standard 5hp 2-stroke Nissan and a 30", 36lb-thrust electric trolling motor on mine. Both work well and I have come to prefer the electric when hunting alone. With long cables, I can move the battery around to trim out the boat. If I had the money, however, I'd love to try a surface drive outboard like the 6.5hp Copperhead, although it might be a tad heavy.
 
Agree that the folding Ducktwin is a sweet-running marsh motor - I used one on my Gheenoe before getting the GDLT. Only issue is if you hit a stump or log the shear pin can break and then you are stuck if you aren't prepared. No such worries with a longtail, and a 6.5 pushes the boat faster than a 3.
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A buddy of mine gave me the idea to use black electrical tape and secure a shear pin and cotter key to the tiller handle. Long as I have my emergency kit (ammo can) or my leatherman, I'm good to go.
 
That's a really good tip for all of us using Old School outboards. Better than rummaging thru my blind bag. Thanks!
 
Nick, Given my record for motors falling into the drink I wouldn't dare use my folder Ducktwin but I do have newer salvage motors that do have the weedless OMC lower unit and it still amazes me how well they work. Never tried a true mud motor yet but I do have this 16 hp. V Twin Briggs sitting around gathering dust, HMMMMMM
 
Tom my other Go-Devil is a 16Hp Briggs and it slices thru weeds and mud with ease. There are frame kits for longtail mud motors that you could use with your Briggs and you would have a good rig for the marsh.
 
Kim, That is the reason I'm hanging on to that one, someday when I find the time. To tell the truth I haven't hunted that really nasty stuff enough to justify the build. Maybe I should go run that motor now that I'm thinking about it. It would really make my Poleboat go like a racer, thanks for the idea Dave.
 
Tom you just need to watch the weight at the stern. 16 Hp GDLT is about 165 lb., works fine on the back of a Scott 16' Duckboat with a 38" wide transom, but I woldn't dare put it on my 15'4" Gheenoe Hisider. My 6.5Hp GDLT is 109 lb. and is fine for the Gheenoe.
 
Kim, That was just some trash talk between Dave and I. I would nowhere near try to put my Poleboat through that , thanks for your concern though. Sometimes it is hard to sort out the BS here but it is all in good fun. My 4 hp is just fine on my Poleboat.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Lots to consider.


Has anyone tried a 2HP Honda air cooled on their sport boat? I like the fact that you don't have to worry about the water intakes plugging.


I forgot who asked but I live on the eastern side of WI.


Nick
 
Thanks for all the replies. Lots to consider.


Has anyone tried a 2HP Honda air cooled on their sport boat? I like the fact that you don't have to worry about the water intakes plugging.


I forgot who asked but I live on the eastern side of WI.

Make your own mud motor. Not that hard to do and they work well. I've built 3 and bought a Rickshaw. All work about the same. Cost on the homebuilt a including the need weedeater motor is about $200. These motor push my boats over 6 mph

Mark
Nick
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