I'm new to mud motors. I bought a whole rig (boat and motor) last spring and our duck season started this last saturday Sept. 24. The boat ran great on the first day. While trailering the rig to the flowage on the second day, the handle broke off at the motor where it is welded to the frame. So much for duck hunting until I get it fixed. I have photos of the rig when I bought it and before it broke. The motor is a 11 hp home built and does not swing 360 into the boat for trailering because it will not clear the corners of the boat. When trailering there is hardware bolted to the bottom of the boat near where the grip on the handle is so it can be bunged down to keep prop up when putting on the trailer at the launch. Then it was set up with a ratchet strap to go from on side of the trailer frame to the other with the handle wraped with the strap to hold the handle down. I could also see some wear where the handle was rubbing against the bench seat of the boat. I guess I should have bought a name brand motor but was not educated about these motors. My question is should I set it up different or should I just get a new handle which is more heavy duty and weld it on? I can take some photos if needed. Where can I buy a good handle?

the motor must have dug down deep in some sticky sh*t
and they cracked it trying to get it up.Not the first time
I saw that,some times you can weld it back and stiffen it up
better.

Sorry to jack ya thread, but that's the 1st long tail I ever seen or heard of that's got reverse!!!! Cool.

huh??

^x2

Well it's got reverse lights, so I just assumed.

Those rear lights are help for setting out decoys.

The handle that broke looked like thin metal to me. I found that beavertail sells just the handle with or without the controls. I guess I will order one and weld it on.

All bs aside, my b-i-l made a new handle for one of his long tails, can't remember if it was his GD or his BT though. He reversed the direction of the bends so the handle would clear his BT boat blind. Seems like that might be a better option for you at this point, or you'll end up right back where you started. Can't say for 100% but I'm thinking he just used some heavy guage 3/4" EMT and painted it. I remember it worked really well & lasted a long time, even down here in the salt water.

Thanks Team Camo for the help. I'm trying to get this fixed because muskrat trapping season is near and I need this boat for that and duck hunting. The motor will not clear the corners of the boat even with the handle off. If I could get it to clear the corner of the boat I would just take off one of the rear lights so I could swivel it into the boat. I guess the transom mount is not high enough. Do you recommend that I get a new mount so the motor sets up higher so it will clear the boat? The boat has a 16" transom height. Or can this mount on the boat be modified so the motor is higher? Please Help? Thanks!

When I bought this boat the guy selling it said that if one of the rear lights was taken off the motor would swing into the boat for transport. That is not the case.

Never spent too much time wrenching on long tails, but I know some frame designs don't spin around into the boat. Seems like GD doesn't, but BT does, you sure it's a BT frame? Maybe they have another style that doesn't swing into the boat? Sorry, not gonna be too much help to ya on this one.

FYI, most all of the "brand name" longtail manufacturers weld their handle to a piece of plate that bolts underneath the plate that the motor is bolted to (so the bolts go thru the motor, base plate and handle), that way you can replace the handle if it ever breaks. So, it isnt exactly much of an engineering marvel.

Thanks Boat DR...I'm getting educated on these motors everyday. My homebuilt has the handle welded right to the motor plate. I might just buy a name brand long tail like BeaverTail or Mudbuddy and quit putting more money into this homebuilt. Thanks Again!

go back with a plate and handle, grind all of the old handle off. if the prop digs way down into the mud, it sometimes takes a lot of pushing and pulling to get the prop to come back up. all manufacturers have had handles break. I've broken two of them.

If you can, have someone bend some 1 inch schedule 80 (thick) pipe for your handle and weld it to a plate to bolt on the bottom of the motor plate. You'll have fun trying to ever break that one.

go back with a plate and handle, grind all of the old handle off. if the prop digs way down into the mud, it sometimes takes a lot of pushing and pulling to get the prop to come back up. all manufacturers have had handles break. I've broken two of them.

If you can, have someone bend some 1 inch schedule 80 (thick) pipe for your handle and weld it to a plate to bolt on the bottom of the motor plate. You'll have fun trying to ever break that one.

Thanks Much for the info. Will do!

Thanks again Indawoods...I have a local fabracator making it.

While it will be stronger, keep in mind it may throw off the balance with the extra weight.