I've just purchased a Landau 1456 john boat and I am looking for a mud motor for it. From what I gather, the hull is rated for a 15 hp outboard, but will I be able to exceed this if using a mud motor? I like the pricing of longtails, but the ease of use of surface drives. Plus I live on the coast of Fl surrounded by salt water. Is there anything you would suggest that will handle these conditions well....
Thanks Jake

That rating doesn't mean anything. You could put a 300 on the back of it is you'd like. But a 23hp surface drive would do great on it.

I had one and do t expect much performance from the lt or sd. Wide ass boat and I loved it with an outboard. I put gd longtail on it and it would plow like a tractor. I added pods and it was a bit better but still wasn't very good. Also leave the flotation in it or it'll Sink like a rock! I know this from experience! Mississippi in 12' of water! Gone it a mater of seconds! Max speed 12mph wide ass open.

I always heard that short n wide boats with surface dives are fast???

I understand that. Just thought a 23 sd would perform well on a 14x56. Corey at cotton mouth had sent me a video of him another guy and a 3 wheeler in a 14X48 with a 23 copperhead get on plane and run in the 20's. I know longer boats cart a better load. I'm running a custom 20x48.

He actually told me that a 14x48 would carry a better load then the 16x48. At the time I had a 23.

My 1744 would run circles around the 1448 I had. Faster empty, faster loaded ran it stock on both. I had my 23 on the 1448 for 3 month before I got rid of it like a fat chick on a blind date. It sucked terribly.

Since its only rated for a 15hp that means its short transom. That doesnt help ya.
Its a short hull and will need weight in front. I needed a guy to sit up front to run flat with gas up front. If i rode by myself it would ride a wheelie around the lake unless i trimmed all the way down but that defeated the purpose of a surface drive.
If it has a mod v front its going to dig in and plow.

A long tail is better option for that boat personally I wouldnt run a SD on a hull shorter than 16' boat design as well hull size plays a role in performance

Thanks for all the posts!

The hull actually isn't as wide as 70", its somewhere around 54". But even still, sounds like a longtail would be the best option. I plan to take it on same trails where an outboard probably couldn't go. Is there Lt anyone you all would suggest? Also, Ive heard good heard and bad about kit motors. Some people say avoid them like the plague others seem to say they've had no problem with them.

All Im saying is that my 1442 flat bottom performs very well with a 23 copperhead. I think thats the idea behind copperhead is that they make motors for boats that can't handle a 225# gatortail or Go-Devil on the back. There plenty of videos of 14 foot boats running 23 copperheads out there. These guys wouldn't lie to you though. We each have our own experience with our particular combos

the copperheads are much lighter and seem to work well on the shorter hulls. I had a MBHD on mine which didnt balance well on my boat. a 16 hp longtail performed better than my SD. It was a weight issue and it had a mod v front so it didn't help. I think a flat front is a must with a shorter boat cant say ive seen a copperhead run good on a short mod v front boat.

Check out the new surface drive from PPF.

good point puddler

Yes i agree with what your saying and mine is a flat bottom hull. do you think an SD would be worth the extra cost for my boat?

just to add in, the boat dimensions are 14' long, 56" beam, 36" bottom width, and transom is 16" tall.

36 bottom ? Man that thing should go through some stuff being that narrow. Slap you a 23 copper head SD on it and be done

If you would have just got a longer boat most these questions could have been avoided

Yea well for my first mud boat i could only get what I can afford... and when i win the lottery I wont have any ?'s to ask....

Get a 35gtr and be done with it lol


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Also what about building my own. I know i can buy plans and my buddy is a professional welder so i'm sure we can make one, or do you think I should not waste my time and buy a used mud buddy LT.

Fast is relative, and all about perspective. Somewhere in the 30s is definitely achievable in these things with the right setup and mods, but whether or not that's the "fast" of which you are referring is all up to you.

There's a couple people recently that have built their own. Check the Cyber Mudfest section for one, then the Props and Lower Units section for another. They'll be fairly close to the top.

With a 36 inch bottom and a short transom, don't overdo the weight on the back. You don't have a whole lot of displacement with that hull compared to what these guys have been discussing. But you don't have a very heavy boat either, so it won't take as much motor to push it fairly well. Backwater makes a good longtail, the MB and GD longtails are always fine. Save your money now (go with something in the 18hp range, prob) and get a complete rig next year, or ever further in the future, once you've put more time in that one and decide what you really want. If you're trying to run with three and decoys, then you have the wrong boat, but just two, an engine in that size range should be fine. If you go with a surface drive, pay attention to weight. Copperhead, MB minis, or home-built, keeping weight in mind. Those would all likely serve you well.

Witty retort.

Aw shit and here we go

I took the flotation out of my boat. I had no issues I run in deep water all the time