So I could use a little help in weighing the pros and cons of these engines (35 PD, GDSD, or MB). The engine will be put on a 1852 Alweld flat.

A little background. I've owned 2 PDs (a 25 tiller and 35 steering setup) and liked both, but am considering a different option for a work boat. I'd for sure get another PD if I was doing another steering steering setup, but since I'm looking for a tiller, I might change brands. The PDs are easy enough to operate, but take a little stick time to learn how to not tear your arm off when you hit stuff (stumps, rocks, logs, etc are the norm here), require the hydro tilt to be remotely located which will be a pain because I plan to regularly switch out a tiller jet, and (so I've heard) dont do as well on hard bottoms as MB and GDSDs. This boat will strictly be a work boat so the operator may not have had any time on a MM before so ease of operation, reliability, and safety (ie something that wont throw them overboard if they wack a log while making a turn or something with a floating handle to reduce the chance of crushing ones hand when the tiller handle bangs against the rear seat) are the main priorities. Hydro tilt would be great, but not completely neccessary. It would also be nice to have a setup that is easy to operate standing or sitting. The GT is out (though it probably would have been towards the top of the list) because there is no local dealer and I need a local dealer for service. And of course, it must work well in rocky rivers and hard and soft bottom marshes (the PD does great for soft bottoms but I've heard there might be better options for hard bottoms (rocky rivers and hard packed sediment lakes).

So... with all that, please let the opinions fly! Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.

The gd's have no neutral. Don't know if that makes a difference to ya or not.

In my opinion the two options for motors would be gt or pd. The new pd hydro tilt is located on the transom bracket. It no longer has to be remotely mounted. Since you don't want a gt, I'd go with the pd. We run pd's and they do fine on a hard bottom, that's mostly what we run. Only motor you'll really get a true advantage on the hard bottom is a lt.

As far as ease of operation, I think the pd's are the easiest to drive. Just don't put your leg under the tiller arm. And if you hit a lot of rocks, def get the rock guard.

Here we go again. Let the bashing start

A quick search will often yield the same response........ Go drive one.

Put the jet on it.....

Buy another hull if you go surface drive --- because you need to be able
to STAND in front of the various brands of mudmotors to safely and effectively
run them....

Thanks for the responses. I have driven all three but there is not any real mud to try them out on near town (although the engine will primarily be used in muddy lakes). The rivers around here are either silt or rocky as is the access I will be using to get the boat to and from the shallow lakes. A jet is not an option as it be all clogged up as soon as we hit the lakes.

Besides no neutral, does anyone have anything bad to say about the GDSD?

Gigafowl - why do you say I need to stand to operate a mud motor, are you talking about a specific brand? I've owned PDs and never had to stand up to operate them...

QUOTE BLUEBILL --- "the chance of crushing ones hand when the tiller handle bangs against the rear seat"

That is the first part --- and I run a GDSD thru everything known to man --- but 90% of the driving is
done from a standing position --- sure 10% I'm sittin on an ice chest sippin a beverage....

But any serious driving requires the movement / leverage / room to operate that only comes in a standing position !!!

Performance on a ribbed boat with a seat is about half of what my GoDevil hull or any true slick bottom mudhull will deliver in the tough spots.... So sell the other one and buy a hull "matched" to the motor you choose before the mudmotor splits it apart and you cuss the reduced performance in that hull....

thats an assanine statement.. jus sayin.

blue bill where u live

also i had the hyraulic trim on my motor.. and had no problem at all swapping it out to my 60 yamadog tiller.

another thing to consider


GD= no neutral or reverse
MB= no reverse
PD= reverse, neutral, hydro's,
GT= reverse, neutral, hydro's..

reason i ask where u live is if u can find a dealer / engine repair shop within 2 hours (jus sayin) and are getting the PD jus b/c there is a dealer close by.. doesnt mean u will get the same service. i live almost 2 hrs from the PD shop, but i will bring mine there bc the mechanics and dealer here SUCK! how often do u have to bring your motor in to worry about a 2 or 3 hr drive??

i use a PD for crawfishing the spillway but i will have a double motor GT one day for the marsh and bowfishin. im keepin the skiff and PD too lol

beh. i was pointin out the major differences. lol. i pimp them all

Gigafowl- I appreciate the passion, but a mud boat would cost about 10K here (I'm in interior Alaska). Even the dealers here run horizontally braced, crimped boats.

The reason I need to buy from a local dealer is because this will not be my personal boat, rather a boat for work. All maintenance from oil changes to fixing a busted lower unit will be done at the local shop.

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=9793&p=106308&hilit=alaska+frog#p106308

There is a GoDevil dealer in Alaska !

Duck Don Anchorage Go Devil

OK --- but if you MUST run a Crimped Jon --- It would still be advisable to
remove any rear seat and install a good floor in the drivers area to allow a
standing driving position..... This would give you the room needed to use
the MM of choice to it's fullest - and safest capacity.....

Stick wit da PD.

Go find yourself a three sided coin of some sort. Flip it... Then buy whatever it tells you too.


Just my $.02

uncle j