Narrowed it down to these two options. Looking for personal opinions, they are very similar price so that is not a factor. Looking for performance breakdown. It will be going on a tracker topper 1436. Will be putting the predator 6.5 on it. Really only difference I can tell is ppf is quite a bit lighter? Thank you for your info and opinions.

if it were me I would go with backwater for no other reason than their reputation. Haven't read to me bad things about them and they seem like they have outstanding customer service.

BW has been around for a while and I wouldnt be worried about needing props, seals etc.

Both are in Minnesota. The Backwater kit for your HP motor is 38# according to their site. Took a quick look at the PPF site and they also look good. I guess I am biased because I recently bought a Swomp motor and it is top notch! I would say to call them both and get some answers to your specific needs. I know that Backwater has great CS as well!

There are a world of options that allow you to mod a 212 predator cheap, easy, and efficiently. You can get 15hp out of it, and still be quite reliable. You can get 22+ hp out of it if you want to push it.

I second the Backwater simply because of personal experience with their kit and customer service.

The PPF and SWOMP LITE are within a few pounds of each other when ready to mount on a boat. The PPF claimed weight doesn't include grease, prop, etc. Their weight is just the bare frame.

Go with the best, Backwater.

If I were in the market for a LT, it would without a doubt be a backwater.

I sold my PPF to buy a Backwater Lite and here's why;
1)Revo clean with stacked sealed bearings on both ends of the shaft, vs. forcing water out past a seal with grease.
2) The Transom mount is adjustable, has locks and stops on a Backwater, the PPF was a piece of angle iron with a piece of tube welded on. The stops on the Backwater transom mount serve to hold the motor off the bottom and also to keep it from wanting to dig down feeling like it's going to go under the boat.

3) Adjustable/servicable cavitation plate vs. a welded plate that has to be bent to change where it rides. Between the transom mount and the cavitation plate there are tons of options to get your Backwater dialed in to your boat.
The coupler on a Backwater bolts on and is rock solid reducing vibration and a shaft can be changed easily and efficiently. My PPF had a chain coupler with the play chaiin couplers have, with a big piece of shrink tube over the chain, which had to be cut of and replaced any time the shaft was taken off or changed.

4) Vibration- My hand used to ache and go numb, my new setup is much smoother and I can run long distances without a sore hand. The frame design and coupling to the motor as well as the transom mount all work in unison on the Swomp design to reduce vibration.

5) Cleanliness- My PPF needed grease all of the time to keep the water out of the shaft tube, it squeezes out the top where there is only a bronze bushing and gets on everything when it sprays off the shaft.

6) Weight- I weighed my PPF at Backwater with oil, gas and grease (how you actually need it to run) and it was much heavier than stated. I felt Backwater was honest in weighing the engine wet as you'd have to carry it when you're going hunting.

That's been my experience owning both and why I prefer what I have. If you tried them side by side there would be no question 100% Backwater.

Well this has been very one sided, I appreciate all the info, and for the same price it seems like the backwater is just a better machine all around, supported by good customer service?

In 7 years, backwaters warranty claims have been less than a handful. I think arlon said 3, and they weren't actually frame failures.

i recently got a ppf kit, and the main reason i went with that kit over the backwater was the way it mounts to the motor, i didnt care too much for the shaft going straight to the back of the motor with no support underneath like the backwater. seems the case is going to take all the abuse of hitting stumps and whatever else, the ppf atleast had a little support underneath and a couple braces around the front of the shaft going to the motor and they make for some good handles to pick the motor up. now how much on how they mount makes a difference i dont know, ive only had it out once and ive never even seen a backwater in person. one thing i like about the backwater over the ppf is the closed off shaft at the motor versus the double chain and shrink on the ppf.

thanks for the reply"s, with all the info i am going with a backwater, now just wondering if I should get a little larger one? Any one have experience with the 6.5 hp backwater swomp lite? i will be running it on a tracker topper 1436, have boat blind that goes on it usually hunt with just me and my dog, most would be 2 people?

For the most part, more HP is typically better. Unless there is a restriction, budget, weight issue, or something else that prevents you from more going with more horsepower.

A friend of mine just put a Backwater 10hp on his 1448. With him at 170 and 2 dozen Herter's 72 decoys it works fine, although slow. Throw another person in it and it won't plane.

He is selling it and going with more hp.

My 10hp is about all my 14-36 can handle weight wise and I'm 240#. A twin 13hp-16hp may be worth looking into if you are 200# or less. At some point it's going to come down to your risk tolerance for freeboard in the stern and how far you want to swim in cold water or alligator ponds. I'd prefer to not have water ever coming over the back even if it means a minute or more of run time due to less horsepower.

In response to the previous comment by DuckHunterF250 about the PPF attaching to the motor case, I've thought about this and come to the conclusion that the PPF has a chain coupler which can have lateral flex and is affixed to the case with flat metal plate whereas the Backwater has a rigid coupler on the shaft and a machined billet mounting flange, none of which can move without the motor shaft bending. The PPF the shaft could conceivably move in the chain coupler as chain can flex side to side and stress the mounting points leading to vibration. By pivoting on the shaft frame rather than the motor base would put any strain on the motor shaft rather than the engine case.