I am buying an Excel 1751 F4 from a dealer in Newberry but undecided on the mud motor to buy. I called a dealer down near Charleston and he was pro Mud Buddy, but bashed the other brands. The Go-Devil dealer said the same about anything other than a go-devil. Mud Buddy, Pro-drive, Go-Devil, or Gatortail. Each believes theirs is the best motor. I hunt lowcountry swamp and marsh, as well as out to Arkansas a few times a year in flooded timber. Is there really that big of a difference between the brands? I know I am getting the Excel F4, but motor recommendations? Thanks for input.

Everyone has their favorites,3 of the 4 have trim and neutral,only 2 have reverse. You will have to look around and see what suites you best for what you run. Test drives are a must,I know it maybe difficult in your area but its alot of money to throw out only to find out it's not what you wanted.

Dealers can be one way when it comes to pushing their product but I will tell you I have seen them all stuck and all broke. Don't believe all the my shit never breaks crap,if it never breaks you must be a clear water pirate.

i agree. i think it is back to the same old argument about ford vs chevy. I just bought my Excel 1751 F4 from muddy bay marine w/ the mud buddy 5500 black death. ran it today for the 1st time and love it. glad i got what i did. i was price conscious and checked with several dealers on the price of the boat and got pricing on pro-drive, gatortail, go-devil, & mud buddy engines. i have owned or ridden in all, but ended up getting my new mud buddy because i felt it ran the best on my excel 1751 boat. i think all are good, all have pros and cons, and no matter who you talk to they will have an opinion, but you need to just get the one that you feel works best for you. i think the key is to get with a reputable dealer that is also interested in servicing your motor, not just selling you a motor. they all break and they all have problems, so don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise. Just test drive them and get the one you like best.

I run a mudbuddy and it is ok. But i sure wish i had reverse....i could care less who made it

Also take into consideration that each manufacturer has a hull specific to their brand. Excel, gatortrax to mud buddy, pro-drive goes with pro-drive, etc. etc. your excel will run better with a mud buddy. Ive only seen 1 pro-drive on the F4 and that was on here. The fellar seemed please with it tho

i am sold on the Excel 1751 F4 & had several conversations with the guys up at muddy bay marine in newberry, sc. they were pretty knowledgable about the mud motors and seem like pretty nice guys. they were pretty highly recommended by several of the guys in our DU chapter who have mud motors, so im thinkin i will get the Excel F4 and mud buddy. i know the mud buddy does not have a reverse. is that a big deal?

how often do you use your reverse?

There hasnt been a single situation yet where I've said

"I'm sure glad I dont have reverse"
or
"I'm sure glad I dont have neutal"

On a big heavy boat like that, it will get old geting out the push-pole or hopping out to spin it around every time your stuck or leaving the dock.

No doubt

No worries with reverse with me. Still young and full of testosterone haha. Plus the excels turn like hell. Just busting yalls chops. I love my mud buddy. When I retire it I will be goin to a gt or pd. Only because ill have a center console

CC are perfect for drinking and driving

Everyone I've asked about going to a motor with reverse,trim and neutral all same the same thing they will never go back to the other motor.

I'll agree on it having reverse is da chit. But I am extremely happy with my current rig. Leaps and bounds above my old longtail. Will I become a gt or pd cheerleader? Probably the instance I back it off the trailer haha

Using reverse at the dock is one thing but being able to run the boat up on the bank to drop people off in a way that they aren't getting out in crap is nice. then just back up and go. When frogs are on the bank no problem, just run up on them and back out. Reverse goes a long way other than the dock. When you get stuck in mud you just back up and wash out a hole and take off. It's been the difference of grinding out or running out for me several times.

I'll never have one without it

I have a 35 mud buddy, on a Excel 1751 F4 love it. but I would love revirse. but with that said they all come with the same power plant.

If anyone says they dont care about reverse they are full of shit and biased. I like my mudbuddy and i think they are made well, and i bought it cause i got a very good deal on it. I have my personal criticisms on how the company and customer service is run (dealers are great), but if i bought a new motor, it would have reverse. I dont care what kind it was. If MB came out with reverse, they would be equal in my eyes to PD and GT. Go drive any outboard for a few hours and dont let yourself put it in reverse..... aggravating isnt it?

O I understand what u saying by there are many instances when reverse is appreciated. I meant ill be hooked by just backing it off the trailer and then even more addicted to reverse after using it

i spoke w/ tim over at muddy bay marine in newberry, sc yesterday about the reverse. he knew his stuff and said that mud buddy has been testing a reverse on their engines for a little while now that it should be available on their engines later this fall. i also called mud buddy and spoke with some tech guy named mika who said that mud buddy has been testing a prototype engine that has a reverse and that it should be available sometime in the fall. i was pretty sure i wanted a mb, but sounds like the reverse is a big enough deal to wait a few months to get a mb w/ reverse. if i wanted one now with a reverse, what would be 2nd choice -- pro drive?

x2

i been hearing mud buddy was coming out with reverse for a long time now, long enough i gave up on their reverse and went ahead and got a hyper 35. Also strikes me odd they could spit out the super longtail in a relatively short amount of time but cant get their reverse figured out. guess thats gota deal with all the patents pd and gt has on em. leaves a very small window of oppurtunity