I currently have a 1542 war eagle w/ a older 20hp beavertail longtail. I have been kicking around switching out motors, not so much because I don't like the motor I just would like something a little quicker and more user friendly.

I originaly was thinking that the MB 23 mini would be a good fit. I was told (by a person who sells both MB & WE) that you will never get performance from the combo because of the way that the motor is weighted. Now I have looked into the Copperhead 18, mainly because of the weight or maybe just another LT.

Does anyone have this particular boat? What do you have on it? I am generally suspicious of speeds people claim to get knowing what I get and knowing what others who have different mud motors get.

Let me know your thoughts.

check out the gtr 25........

The 25 gator tail sounds like a badass lil motor for that size of a boat, but you already know that you will never get speeds of a copperhead that they claim on a boat that isnt built like an alum. can.

with the engineering in that 25 subaru and the potential for mods, that is a revolutionary motor and if im not mistaken is actually being produced and delivered.

Is a war eagle considered built like a "tin can"? (I never been in one)

Is there much of a weight difference bt 25gtr & 35gtr?

You may call the war eagle a tin can but I've had it for 8 years now and it has held up great. It is lighter than other boats but I like the lightness of the boat, it's easy to get it up in the cattails or unstuck.

As great as the GTR motor is (if I was buying a new rig, that's what i would get) the weight would kill my boat. My LT is 175 lbs and I will need some that is at most that size. It's more about weight distribution than anything.

I know, I took no offense. That motor though is a heavy sucker for my boat, I need to be able to drive it by myself without my entire garage in the front of the boat.

The 25 Gtr is 235 lbs. 60 lbs ain't much difference. Plus with a long tail sticking out way pass the transom it will make that 175 lbs heavier on the transom that a motor that sits on the transom

a buddy of mine has a 18hp copperhead on welded "tin can" 1442 and it does good. Im not sure of the weight tho.
Does copperhead make a 23hp?

The mb minis are supposed to be pretty lightweight.

mb mini is around 165lbs

How much does a mudbuddy 23 HD weigh? It's heavy as hell i can tell you that much. That's what is on my buddies 1542 tin can and that boat floats it fine. That war eagle will float a 25 GTR.

GatorTail 25!!

Buddy had the exact boat with a 23 mini. It did well it would run around 25 with 2 of us. The 1542 is less than .100 gauge if i remember correctly. I have no idea how it would do with a load, I only road in it when we were just riding.

Go-Devil all the way!!