Hello All,
I am a University of Florida grad student in the Agriculture Operations Management department. I have been doing a fair share of research on motors and john boats through this forum and am now looking for opinions on the ideal rig.

I have been chosen to obtain data on a variety of species in Lake Orange including Florida alligators. I am on a budget from the school of around 1,500$ for a motor give or take a few hundred. I am offered a 15ft alumacraft in very good condition and a trailer, both donated to the agriculture department. I am trying to propose a budget increase to allow me to buy a 16 or 17 foot rig. Mud buddy or a Go-devil brand is what I am interested in.

I will be with my lab assistant and will have supplies in rig adding up to a weight of around 400 lbs. I figured a 25hp mud motor would be ideal. If anyone has any opinions on what size/type of rig and mud motor they feel would suite my needs please let me know. I love learning and have been doing a lot of research through previous posts and past topics if any topics appeal to my situation please send me the link.

Thank you,
Matthew Zingler (954)296-0306

If you have to stick with the current boat you have and budget, then I would say put a longtail on there with the most horsepower you can afford.

Get a good fiberglass paddle!!

$1,500 won't get you much, maybe a used mud motor and on that budget, I'd look for a 25hp tiller outboard instead.

Any of those rigs you are looking at from either Mud Buddy or Go Devil will easily run you close to $10,000 maybe a little less with a long tail. Regardless, you are looking at a least $5,000 minimum for a boat and trailer with no options.

You could try to contact Mud Buddy or any of the mud motor manufacturers and explain your situation to them. Tell them that you'd put a big "DONATED BY MUD BUDDY" sign on the side if they help you out. You never know.

I think he is just looking for a mud motor, the boat and trailer are already furnished! If i am understandning you right!

yes it most certainly will

That boat and motor pair will do fine just not be a speed demon.

I got word from a co-worker that a 1997 25hp go-devil in good condition popped up. The hours ran are unknown but it starts and runs great. The asking price is $1500. Do the hours matter if the engine has been maintained properly? Is the 97 worth 1500$? How long would this motor last?

yah that motor is worth that. just check make sure the seals and busings dont need to be replaced

You think he knows what all those are right off the bat, are you in a place where you have to have a go devil?

To me, that's a little pricey for a '97, and if it has low hours, then it's been sitting, which could be worse. You could probably pick up a little better deal than that. But then, it is a tough ass motor and probably nothing that a little grease and some tweaking couldn't make right.


Hell, you and me ain't paying for it, buy it! [/quote]

Haha yes I am not paying for it but I will be using it. I figured these engines will pretty much last forever with the right elbo grease. What are your opinions on the Alumacraft 15ft its a pretty old model. Do these way too much or would the weight benefit the all around stability of the boat( Conscerns of flipping over).

Flipping has a lot to do with the width of the boat. Hauling stuff in and out of the boat, I'd go with as wide as I could get.

My hull measures 51'' across the bottom, and I can stand on the gunnel and jump up and down. I weigh about 280. There's no way I could capsize this boat unless I was on the gunnel hauling something over the edge as heavy as I, and then it would probably only take on a dip of water.

You aren't gonna really wear that hull out unless you are hitting stuff all the time, if it's at least a 48'' wide bottom, you will have no problems.

And this thread has finally proven that REVERSE is not needed.

Im pretty sure your right bootzz my 20 is a hp torque model

And this thread has finally proven that REVERSE is not needed.


Yes please do tell? I beginning to think that when stupid CRAP like that is posted im convinced that that person has no Forkin idea what the heck he/she is talking about!

1982 17ft alumnacraft with new transom and galvanized trailer for $1100 worth the buck?

Are either of your options welded boats?

have you ever driven a longtail before?

There is a huge learnin curve comin from a outboard

The learning curve being they try to throw you out the boat from time to time and there is a other few things to learn

If the boats you speak of are welded then go for it, Buy that motor and take it out and run it, you can listen to people on here all day long on how to run a motor but unless you get out there and do it your self you'll never learn from reading. I bought one having touched a mud motor only 2 times before, after 5 years of running the same rig, course i'm not no master, but i learned the ins and outs of the motor and the boat and the capabilities. Buy it and run it, learn it and come post questions that you may have. You won't learn unless you do it. Good luck and be safe cause these things can hurt you!

Anytime bro, sometimes you just have to weed through all the Funny comments and BS but there are alot of people on here willing to help the honest man out any way they can!