I am looking at mud motors.
Pro Drive 36 or a Mud buddy 45.
I was told that the PD 36 is the same engine as the MB 45 and that with a stage 1 after market kit the PD would put out the same amount of power as the MB 45?

Please weigh in with your thoughts about the two.

I know PD has reverse a nice feature.

I am planning to run it on an 1872 phowler boat.

There is no substitute for horsepower.

Asked Phowler yet ???

They know their boats better than anyone else....

If I had a boat that wide, I'd be looking into duals.

they have told me that the stock 36 pushes at 2072 25-30 per a customer last year. I own one of those wide boats and they run way better than you would think and shallower than skinny ones many of you would be shocked.
They displace loads well and draft little water.

I have yet to do a test ride/drive may change my mind after that and look at a 1860 or 2060

I do not disagree with you assessment cough...cough...
This is the reason I will need to see it. And why I am asking people that own and run them.
I run a 60hp yamaha outboard on a 1872 and it will hit 30 with minimal load. I have trouble believing a surface drive 36 or 45 will do even 25 on a big boat.

Anyone run a 1860 or 2060 with a 36 or 45?

1852 with a 36... I hit 27 for a short while last week. Stayed steady around 26

A MB 35 and a PD 36 both use a Briggs commercial 35 motor. The PD is a vertical shaft, the MB is a horizontal. I had a 35 MB with a level 1 kit. (approx. 42 h.p.) The guy I bought it from sold it to get a 45. He now runs that 45 on a 18x48 geaux custom, with a hunt deck. He can plane out like 7 dudes and a load. (Consult http://www.allmudmotors.com to see the vids.) The bottom line is simple. There is no replacement for displacement. They bore out the cylinders on a 45, and put in bigger pistons, as well as some other goodies, like head work, and a roller-rocker cam. (At least that's my understanding of the work.)

If it were me, and I was pushing that big of a barge, I'd get the most horsepower I could afford, regardless of brand.

BUT, drive them all, to see what you like.

18x60 stock 36 prodrive
2 guys 2 ice chest and fishing gear 26-27.
i have a 19 gallon gas tank, trolling motor.

buddy had an 1860 godevil surface drive boat. with a 35 gd surface drive it would run 27-28 all day long. hauled a load well. not the motors you were asking about but the hp is about the same as the 36 pd. I would say try it out on the boat you are going to use it on. if a dealer is not willing to do that, then find another. transom angles and running surface are going to play into the mix when you start talking about speed.

I second that. I demo'd a 35 GDSD on my hull, and ran 32.3. I put the whole family and hit 31.5 I bought the demo engine.

I run a 17/56 with a 35 mb and with 2 guys i run 27 all day.

Just like Muddiejeep, I got an 1860 PD with a 36 PD and the best I've done is 28 alone. With the wife and gear 26.5 to 27.

Contact Extra Mud he sells both and can give you comparison info.

Going for a ride in an 1860 and 2072 phowler with a 36 PD on each on Monday. We'll see what they will do.

Most the guys on this bord know there rigs, when it comes to wide boats nobody has alot of pros they can help with.

When i was building my layout, everybody thought i would do good to see 26-27 with my 2054 36 stage 1. I busted 32.9 unloaded with a speed hopkins....i got a busted up boat now and ran 27.2 with about 15 gallons, 225, 160, plus about 100lbs of crap in deep water with a heav cuped 12x14 hopkins. the same load with a stock prop was running around 20-25 ( did not GPS)

I recon i can still get 31 if i lost the weight. Get the hull that works for you but be sure to have a winch if you get in a bind.

Let us know how Monday goes.

There is a guy in Longview that was at Caddo last year "Hammerhead" in his 1872 and he is runing 34 with a 35GDSD, but he has a .100 hull. Think it is a Lowe.?. When he puts the bowfishing deck on it will still run 29.....

I do like my 18x60 but if I was to do it again I would go 20x60. Mine runs great but not a stock engine.