I am thinking about getting my first mud boat, maybe a Gator Trax 1750/Surface Drive combo. I live in SW Florida and will be using the rig in the saltwater some and was wondering how these rigs stand up to oyster bar crossings? Does it tear things (boat bottom, prop) badly?

As for aluminum boat versues oyster reef, boat will lose everytime. I have a cousin who screwed teflon sheeting, just like an airboat , to bottom his boat. I think that would be your best bet. Also the surfacedrive mudmotors offer a rock guard, which extends the skeg so the guard hits hard objects before propeller. With that combo, i believe you would be alright running the oyster reefs, just add some common sense with that .

I'm not talking about jumping dry oyster bars, just wondering what happens if you scrape the top of one that is a couple inches under water. I wouldn't think it would do too much damage to thick aluminum? Probably just scrape the paint off and leave some scratches.

I run south Louisiana coast, and cross them often. Does not effect the prop at all these thick MM pros just chew up the oysters. As far as the bottom of the boat you will get some minor scrapes and scratches to the bottom thats about it. I run 18x60 GD hull w/ GDSD 35. Just use a little common sense when crossing as for as the hull goes and don't even worry about the prop!

Cut 3 to 6 lengths of 2" PVC - to use under the boat if you get "drydocked"
to help get off the reef - sometimes we hunt too long and find the rig sittin
"drydocked" - without the PVC pipes it is super hard to winch / push the rig
back to water and super hard on your hull too.....

A few 2x4s help too ! ! !

I have three customers running in FL who hit that stuff. One has a true slick bottom Phowler, he has some stratches in the hull but nothing major, the other two have runners under the boat and they say they protect the bottom 90% of the time from the scrapes and don't seem to drag. I can only go on what these three guys have told me. As for props, they will wear a prop, it is different between oysters and rock or coral however. They all told me the same thing, alot of guys think they are on oyster beds, but they are actually running over hard, dead coral, that will start eating props. Again, this is just what I have been told by my customers down there.

PW

Well to the smart a$$, I was trying to give honest advice. I have a Go Devil 3 blade w/over 260 hrs on it and i run the shit out of it through oysters and the most i got is a few nicks and scratches. I doubt you run alot of oysters in St. Martinviile but of course you know more. If you cant give advice to people why chime in it just confuses them. Just trying to give my opinion...........Who knows maybe I have a special prop Warren CoCo put on my boat even thought I dont even know him.

Ya most of the huntin I do is in the salt 100% of the time and oyster are not that bad on the props it's the dam sand around them that wear the props out , I'm in tampa bay so there lots of oyster bars as far as the boat I DO NOT baby my shit at all It's a duck boat , Now that said if you don't run your boat like I do then go the long way around and try not to hit anything.JUst my two cents.