I read BruleBoy4Lifes thread, April 2009, where he cut his cav plate off and got a better hole shot and he thought it was better in the grasses.

I was wondering yesterday what the purpose of this big plate was for when 80% of the time its out of the water. I thought maybe it was a safety thing since GD doesn't have neutral and its kinda dangerous to have a free spinning prop out there in the front yard.

Any new reasons to keep it or just the same 2 reasons for taking it off? 1. better hole shot 2. better in the weeds.

One of the benefits of keeping it was said to be the mud. But we don't have mud over here, just hydrilla, hyacinth, sand and stumps.

You think it would effect my warranty in any way on the motor or frame?

Well this is funny. I went to the Mud Buddy site and did a search and back in 2008 they all went out and bought cavitation plates to help with hole shot.

bbb,

The cavitation plate is beneficial in preventing air from being
sucked into the prop at take-off and in the mud --- but on
a GDSD it also keeps crap and mud from being thrown all over
the motor and operator too....

I think of it mostly as a mudflap....

GoDevil sells a weedcutter option which cut away vegitation
with every turn of the prop - search posts from NAB here and
you can get one from his GoDevil dealership if yours don't have
it....

Myself --- I run the 2 blade older GD prop in vegitation thick areas
and just raise her up out of water every so often to let the centrifical
force send the crud to the 4 winds.... Dang cord grass is the worst
but 90 percent blows off when you clear the water and rev her up good....

Hope that helps...

I don't mind leaving it on if there's not a benefit to having it off. Plus having young kids at home, I would hate for them to step on a sharp blade when we are swimming around the boat in the river.

I just find it odd that MB site members were talking about buying them for $193 to put on their MB's back in 2008, and MMT members are cutting them off their GD,GT and PD's.

Strange world we live in.

the grass is always greener on the other side......

I removed mine over two years ago. Great improvement in lillies and hydrilla, especially taken off. When taking off in heavy hydriila it wants to make a ball in front of the prop and it is much easier to clear the ball and get going and when you are in lillies it is much easier to dig your way out. With the cavitation plate it acts like a shovel and when you try to clear the prop you have to pick up everything on top of that cavitation plate, even having to use the push pole to clear the prop area of lillies. With it cut off, when you push the handle down lifting the prop it cuts everything out of its way. In the mud I have noticed no disadvantage, if I purchase a new Go Devil tomorrow I would cut it off within the first week. I actually cut off the back half about 4 or 5 inches in front of the prop. If you look at any of the Gator Tails they do not have any cavitation plates. AT high speeds the cavitation plate doesn't cause any problems just at low speeds and taking off in heavy vegatation. It is bad enough we have to contend with the two tabs on the skeg in front of the prop. I think you will be happy if you remove it.

Yeah what's with the two tabs anyways, it looks like a miniature whale tail, what are they supposed to do?

yeah but the biggest reson i leave mine on is it is way easy to tow all those grt and mb cause the prop dont cut the rope lol

the tabs are there to keep your prop down in the water. if it wants to rise up, bend the tabs up and the force of the water will hold it down. if not it wears your arm out.

the tabs do work as intended, water pressure pushes the tabs down to keep the prop in the water. You can adjust them by bending them up or down depending on how the your surface drive runs on your boat. They do hinder in heavy vegatation going slow, causing a balling effect in hydrilla. Removing the cavitation plate helped out alot but it would run better without the tabs. With a stock surface drive it is hard to go slow in heavy hydrilla and taking off takes getting use to. I ride and compare my unit with all of the other brands, they all have there strengths and weaknesses. BBB, good luck with your decision and if you are ever in the New Orleans area I live about 25 miles south of the city, I would be happy to show you my rig.