THINKING ABOUT BUYING A SURFICE DRIVE BOAT AND MOTOR FROM GATOR TAIL FOR HUNTING AND FISHING. HOW DO THESE MOTORS PERFORM IN DEEP WATER??? ARE THEY A PAIN TO STEER OR IS IT IDENTICAL TO A TILLER HANDLE OUTBOARD? GATOR TAIL SEEMS LIKE THE MOST POPULAR RIG AND I DONT SEE MANY OF THEM FOR SALE, WHICH TELLS ME PEOPLE BUY THEM AND KEEP THEM. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS? I WANT SOMETHING I CAN FISH THE MARSH/SABINE LAKE WITH DURING THE SUMMER, AND ALSO RUN THE BACKWATER SLOUGHS ON THE SABINE RIVER INTO THE CYPRESS SWAMPS. THEN IN THE WINTER GET OUT IN THE MARSH AND USE FOR DUCK HUNTING. ANY INFO WILL BE APPRECIATED. YALL ARE THE EXPERTS.

SORRY EXACT RIG IM LEANING TOWARDS IS THE 1846 OR 1854 GATOR SERIES BOAT RIGGED WITH A GTR35.

What exactly will you normally be carrying?

People, gear etc.

If your going to be using it for fishing and hunting and riding and just an all around boat, in your situation i'd do the 18x54 extreme, more room, stable, and get the extended deck to fish off of, go with a huntdeck and 35GTR with reverse plate, put you a rod box/gun box in there. That would be a nice comfortable rig for you, and you can haul some pretty good loads around in it at some reasonable speeds.

Thanks for the replies. Normal running during the summer would be 2 people, fishing tackle, ice chest during the summer. Normal for the winter would be 3 people, decoys, hunting gear. No extremely heavy loads. I will be in deep water as much as I will be in shallow. May end up getting the 1746 so I can maneuver in the cypress swamps easier. I want to do a little crawfishing with the boat as well as frog gigging.

Extended front deck and rod box are a must. What does the hunt deck consist of?

Its a drop deck off the back, helps with back wash, dog can hunt off of it, climb onto it before you get in boat, lots of pros about the huntdeck. I like it cause i think it makes the boat look real sharp.

Ok yea I know what your talking about. Its already on my list of things I want on the boat. I think they call it the extreme hull package. Definitely an option I have to have along with the aluminum trailer, swamp lights, pointed bow, rod box, hydro turf, nat gear camo. I didnt see an option for a trolling motor mount but im sure they can fix me up. Also not sure about the rear deck. The enclosed rear deck would be nice, but im not sure why the seat pedestals are in line with each other right where the tiller handle would be??? I would like to be able to have a seat to sit in while I drive the boat instead of standing the whole time. Not sure if thats possible though. i like the way the seats are for the driver on the EXCEL boats.

Trolling motor mount comes on boat standard and can be wired up, seating arrangment can be custom made how ever you want it. The boat can be totally customized the way you want it no problem.

You can have a single drives aluminum seat/dry storage pod installed or K2 cooler seat, either or is beneficial.

Thanks. Are they tough to steer? Do they tire you out?

Just got mine about two months ago its not hard to steer at all unless the weight I off center in the front then it will pull that way I run the bay a lot it's fine in deep water I don't like going in two much chop though because the boat doesn't have floatation but other than that the boat your describing is just right you'll love it.

I run my PD on the lake and as long as the weight is distributed evenly tiller torque isn't an issue.

prodrive handles more like an outboard, when balanced out you can run it with one finger on the tiller if you can keep the throttle from slipping.

im not a big guy..lol i even thought about cruise control when i had my pd......all the gtr's i have driven have a little push or pull on the tiller, ill have to take a ride in yours ddm and maybe you can help with making the adjustments on mine when i get it.....

Thanks for all the info guys. Just what I was looking for. Can't wait to get my new rig!

No torque with console steering.

Like mentioned above a PD handles more like an outboard. The GT is easy to handle but more tiller torque....if u can drive both they handle differently.

Probably wont have a chance to drive either. I like that the PD is more like an outboard, but dont like the reverse setup on it. I think ive been convinced to get the 1754 with the GTR35. Sounds like tiller torque wont be much of an issue. Not interested in a console. Leave that for the old folks. Plus it takes up too much room.

Another advetisement thread. Looks like he's related to ol' Fish Guts (who hasn't posted much since his advertisement thread either).

.... Don't see many for sale, must be great......

Please..... at least you can change the script.

Read the thread deadbird. I was getting information on my next boat motor purchase. What would recommend? Im open to any info not just gator tail. I have just been leaning towards gator tail. The not seeing many of them for sale stands true. I just sold my 2006 24ft ranger bay boat to a couple from
Mississippi, I live in Texas......they drove all that way because there are not many used ones on the market. Know why????????..............wait for it.................wait for it............beacuse people buy them and hold onto them most of the time. True statement.

Tiller torque wasnt bad at all on my gator tail. When I bought it I was thinking it was gonna be like running a long tail but it was very user friendly. I really liked it only reason i sold it was when ol Troy jumped the levee on swamp people everyone had to have one lol. So I sold it while the market was good. My next rig will be a pd tho. I am about to catch some flak I am sure but I never saw this wonderful customer service everyone brags on with gt. It was not a bad motor but 3 trim units in a year and having to wait 3-6 weeks for them was kinda to long for my taste. Just didnt like being without my boat that long.

Thanks for the info mudd. I didnt even realize that was a GT Troy was using when he jumped the levee. It was pretty sweet though. Hopefully I wont have to do that. PD is definitely an option that Im looking at. I like how its more like an outboard. Not sure what Im gonna do yet. Just getting all my research done before I buy. Thanks for putting in your 2 cents.

seems like the PD would have less if no tiller torque with the way its built btw.

^^^
Correct !!

Test drive them all and make a decision. Running deep water the frame designs that are weighted back will give a better ride. Stay away from balanced motors.

Look forward to seeing pictures of your final purchase and continued contribution on the forum- if this is a real query. Not sure why its in the 'Engine and Mod talk' subforum. See these periodically- same MO, same script.....

Motors that are weighted back are better than balanced, as long as they are not weighted too far back
Check this one out

May Day. May Day

Unicorn down in action!!

I run miles of deep water so much so that at times I wish I had a CC. My runs are sometimes 1 hour long down the ICW running between bays. The runs aren't bad except when you get passed by an SCB running 95 mph

Hey I'm not old. Only 27. And f%#k a tiller handle. Lol