Hello to all,

I've been a "Lurker" on this site for a little while and now that I am getting close to dropping dime on my project I thought I should get a little in-put on motors - I'm looking at 35+ HP Surface Drive motors ONLY. I run around in the Ozello area on Florida's Gulf coast, which is mostly lime rock, mud/muck, weeds and grassy marsh ALL SALTWATER - between Go-Devil and Pro-Drive which would be best suited for this environment ? ? ? For dependability and longevity !

I have a friend (my guinea pig) who runs a 35hp. GD and he is very pleased with the set-up and with the customer service of Coco. I want to know more about Pro-Drive due to the fact they have remote stearing and does Go-Devil offer remote stearing ? I have a future "skinny-water" project that I am wanting to create and the remote stearing aspect would really set it off. I have gone on both web sites, but I want some unbias consumer's "Words of Wisdom" from you all.

Thanks

Remote steering can not get the rig to do what tiller steering will - one.

They will all survive the salt - but you will need new mufflers more often - two.

Nothing is more reliable than the Go-Devil - three.

Get the hull that was made to match up with the motor for best results - four.
( or get one custom built specifically for the motor you buy )

There are some sick puppies here on MMT - five.

That is all ! ! !

Go with a Custom Hull with a ProDrive.
Call if you need pricing...

If I can provide any help shoot me a PM I run 90% saltwater with my MM out of Galveston, HARD SAND, thick thick mud, grass. I pole with my rig, fish & duck hunt out of her.

I run my rig almost entirely in saltwater. I just spray it down with the water hose after each trip and hit it with a little spray oil after it dries.
Muffler has SOME rust on it, but nothing major. Other than that the entire motor looks great.

Get one with the least amount of steel or cast Iron

I have one of the original Pro-Drives (Serial #31). I mainly hunt saltwater marsh in SE La. My motor has been extremely reliable and can say nothing but postive things of the guys at ProDrive. When I have had a questions or a problem KP and Brian provided excellent customer services. While I have never owned a GD surface drive or a GT, I have been able to run them and do not have a problem with either. You just have to pick the motor and manufacturer you are most comfortable with.

The best advice I have seen posted here is make sure the hull matches the motor. The hull can seriously effect the performance of the motor.

As far as the salt water goes, typical maintenence is in order hose your motor off when you put on the trailer, spray the electrical with some type of repellent/protection (WD40) and plan on buying a new muffler every two years. Between the heat and salt they will fall apart. Nothing like blowing the side off a muffler at the launch around 4am. Oh well the flames look really cool coming out of the muffler in the early morning.

Good Luck

So, what was the conclusion

He was saying a tiller pd will out perform a console pd... Not that a tiller pd will out perform YOU!

How could anyone possibly out perform you with that fancy cigar and cup of whiskey sittin behind the steerin console?

Hey bro I hunt the same area you do , and I deal with the same $hit , I went with the GDLT and it has not done me wrong yet , My friend has a GDSD he's had go luck with his also as He hunts there to and we fish there , are other friends got a GT and it can't handle the rocks it keeps bustin welds when he hits one , go with (GO DEVIL FOR SURE)

What wrong don't like a LT Lt 's are the real deal.

My boat is run mostly in salt water, no matter what brand keep it coated with something like WD40 after you use it. I coat the entire motor. As far as brands, everyone seems to like one brand or another. You need to ride in a few boats to see what you like. From experience, my 1860 has a great hole shot and runs 29-30 w/ a 35hp GDSD. The width of the boat helps carry the load and runs very flat. I would suggest putting an aftermarket exhaust to let the motor breath a little. I've got a marshmellow with no baffles. Believe it or not, it's a only a little louder than stock. I bought the bigger boat to fish in it as well. I'm glad I did. PM me if you need more info...

I run the Gulf coast of Florida quite a bit. I use corrosion-x. You can get it at most hardware or auto part stores. It's a little pricey but a couple coating a year and your good to go.

A CC will get the job done just as well as the tiller will. most guys who get a CC usually tend to have to make longer runs on the water so its more comfortable to drive. if you dont have to run 10+ miles one way when you go out than a tiller will mostly suit your needs better and save you some money as well. thats just my opinion

Capt,
I live just south of you and hunt the gulf alot. I run a 36 PD with PD hull. I am very pleased with PD and their product/customer service. The engine has done every thing I have asked it to do and more.

At this time I am actually looking to convert to GT and keep my PD hull. The frame and engine design of GD, MB, and GT keeps the engine and muffler above the frame and much higher from the saltwater than the PD. The area we both hunt has mostly hard sand bottom and the these other types of frame design seem to run the shallow hard sand a tad bit better than the PD due to the skeg.
A friend of mine runs an 1854 allweld and 35 GD. During some of the winter low tides, I have seen him run these shallow sand flats, he would go places I couldnt due to weight of his boat and minimal skeg depth on the engine.

I go thru 2 mufflers a year and 1 prop a year now. If you go with any of these engines I would strongly recommend the stainless steel mufflers. This saltwater eats the crap out of them.
There is a GT dealer east of Orlando- www.floridamudmotors.com He sells MB and GT.

Just my .02

Dave

i know exactly where and what you are running.

im guessing you want to put it on a small poling skiff?

if it were me ide get a gator tail. i own a mb and am fine with it for what i do. but if i had to negotiate congisted ramps and other boats i would go with a gt. any of the motors will do what you want while runnin the flats its around the ramp that the gt will shine. as for pd fpr i think its to slow to do what the gt can do as far as negotiating around the ramp. you will never need fpr out on the water, or shouldnt.

ive fished out of ozella, homassa and crystal river for years.

what are you puting it on ?

check out the mosquito bay skiff over in orlando. ov orla builds them. if you goto ov instead of the marina you could get a better price. ov is good to work with. slap a platform and a 35 hp on it and go fish. you wont have to follow the markers any more.

florida mud motors, lamar cox is in melborne. i know he runs them in the area and may have something set up like you are thinking. if anyone around has tried it he has. he should at least have some good advise on the subject.