Need alittle info. I hunt cheyenne bottoms in ks and the water levels are anywhere from 3in to 18in deep. the bottom is hard. How does a surface drive do on hard bottoms. Will it take awhile to get on plane or push the boat. I have a lt and it does good but I have income tax money burning a hole in my pocket.
Thanks in advance

having run the bottoms with both types of motors I'ld save my money and buy more decoys or better boat , it's just not that big of a place

For your situation, stick with your long tail.

shallows with hard bottums is where the longtail will outdoo the big-propped sd.

Over hard botom it is all about covering the prop with water....

Most of the SD's are using a 12" prop and need 8" or more to get up well....

ONE EXCEPTION - Go Devil has a "Refuge Model" w/ 9" Prop 23 GDSD - it is
using 1 to 1 gearing and is a bit of a hybrid LT/SD - speeds are only slightly
slower than the regular model but slightly greater than the 23 LT.....

Get you a test drive - then you will know if it is what you need....