Looking at getting my third Pro-Drive rig and leaning heavily towards duals with Mikunis. Any comments on best setup would be appreciated. Had a 16x48 and now running a 17x54. I don't want to sacrifice too much of the fun factor, so don't want a "work only" rig...will it handle mud, grass, etc. somewhat decently? Any experience with speed, or things to consider that will be vastly different? Input on any duals appreciated but definitely sticking with PD.
Thanks

My boat is 19x56. I am able to go in places that I KNOW I would have trouble with a single in. Only thing, with only going 56" I would highly suggest 24" sides

Thanks J. I know I'm sticking with PD motors but hadn't ruled you out as option for boat. Might be talking in the future, your work is impressive!

I have dual mud buddies and it seems like i get goin in places i had trouble with a single specialy hard bottom cause one motor will grab when the other wont

You also get Way more stucker with duals LOL

Thanks for the input, keep it coming!

You don't need the Mikunis. The dual setup is plenty and should keep you over 30 mph, even with a heavy load. I did 34 with jus10inla in my boat. Impressive.

It really depends on what you're running in. A dual rig isn't as efficient as a single in timber. Also, as previously mentioned, when you get stuck, you are STUCK. It took seven guys and a few boats to get mine out last year on hard bottom. It may be different with a soft bottom, but I couldn't get in or through a lot of places a single could.

With console steering, you can't dig like you can with a tiller.

Driving a dual rig is a lot different than with a single motor. You have to do a lot of your steering with the throttle.

Duals are a lot different than a single tiller handle motor. But I'd never go back.... No need for Mikunis. The stock carbs do just fine. I added k&N filters to mine to help em breath better, but thats it.

They are not gonna do as good in timber, may not draft quite as shallow, but the benefits far outweigh those by far.

Duals are best for carrying a load in a big boat... My 2060 GTR extreme only runs 32-33 empty, but I can load it down to the gill and not drop below 30. That is where a dually shines, LOAD CARRYING capability.

That and I have to believe it is putting a lot less stress on the motors making them run cooler and lasting longer with less repairs. It's nice cruising at 22-23 at 2700 rpms behind a console!

Yall are answering the exact questions I had been tossing around. I have had 4-5 in my boat more than a few times and even though I can get on step, it isn't impressive by any means, so I definitely want the load benefit. I had no idea they would run that strong though, pretty impressive!

I really appreciate all of the input, there aren't very many (if any) dual rigs in our area. Only ones I have seen in person were while visiting LA.

Off subject qqb. You wouldnt have happened to been out riding last Thu at the rice flats on cooper would u?

Not Thursday, but was Friday and Saturday. You ride the Cooper much?

Actually I did run after dark Thursday too. Sorry

Just curious cuz I passed a pd rig as I was coming into cypress gardens. I ride there often but not on a regular basis. We was trying to get down there for low tide but missed it so we just rode the grass

Not sure if you know about http://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.d ... sites.html or not. If not, check the Old Rice Mill and anytime you see a -0.5 or more for low tide and it isn't 5 or 6 in the afternoon (when they tend to be running more water through the power house), the tide is generally pretty good. Next time you head that way, shoot me a message and maybe we can meet up. I work in Columbia but I go back home every weekend.

O yea. I checked the tide. Just got caught up in st. stephens working in some food plots and ill shoot you a message next time

I have run dual set-up since the PD first came out, 27s, 32s and 36s on 1860, 2060 and 2072 boats.

As was said dual will get up in and out of 99% of stuff easier then a single, the power gets the boat moving pretty quick but you do have to be a little careful, dual will take you back into stuck county twice as fast. I have run my rigs from small marshes to TN timber, to the Miss and MO rivers and on the great lakes, they can handle almost every situation. It takes some time to learn how to drive them, but once you do you can do some amazing stuff.

I agree, there is no need to put kits on the motors, stock dual 36 motors will push a good boat 28-34 mph with light to moderate loads, with a hard blind 26-28 mph and with blind, 4-5 guys and gear still 24-25 mph, they just don't seem to slow down much with load. I am sure with kits and props you could go faster, but the power of stock duals is more then enough.

One thing we learned early on is that duals on a complete slick bottom mudboat can be a handful, it is fun to slide around when "playing", not so fun in the dark at 25 mph in a 20' rig, so we prefer our dual boats with two steering runners, it will eliminate the sliding in shallow and give much better boat tracking and control.

I use my dual rig year round, fishing in the summer, taking the kids tubing, knee boarding then put the blind on in the fall and hunt in style with up to five adults and three dogs with room and power to spare.

We do alot of dual set-ups up here, I think we have done over 25 over the years and there is nothing like see the smile from ear to ear the first time someone take the wheel and hits the throttles.





If you get serious about a new dual rig, give us a call, we would love to build one for you.

Thanks muddoctor and everyone else for the input, I definitely think my next new purchase will be duals after reading all of the positive feedback. I ended up buying a buddy's rig (16x48) Friday for a good price, that is a year newer than mine and has around 300 hours less on it. The plan Friday was swap motors and resell, but another friend wants my rig (17x54) bad enough he sold his MB over the weekend and is supposed to get mine Friday. If that works out, I'm going to keep the 16x48 to serve as my "tight spot" rig to use once I have duals, so I think I am going to wait a little while before upgrading...unless going from my 17x54 back to a 16x48 is just too much for me to get used to.

I really do appreciate the input and if anyone wants to keep adding reviews, I know myself and a few others are truly appreciative!

I have never driven a dual boat, but have been thing about getting one for a while. You get twice the hp but also twice the weight. What makes them run so well is that you get 2 times the torque and two times the surface area of prop. My 20x60with a hard blind powered buy a stage 3 35 hp gdsd and 3 man hunting load would run 27 mph. 30 with out the blind. I often set up with water under the hull and have to leave in the mud. My prop would blow out well before I had enough hp/torque turned up to get me moving in the shit.

A stage 3 set up and a heavy hunting load it's like having a funnycar with street tires and takeing it to a tractor pull.

The reason sd run better than long tails is that the gearing allows you to run a bigger prop, the more prop area you can turn the heavier the load you can push . With duals you get two props, less slipage. Each engine only has to handle 1/2 of the hull weight,and it's own weight. If SD are like haveing 4 wheel drive than duals are like having 4 wheel drive with pos trac front and rear.

JD

Dual Tiller rig will get you where you need to go but liek others have said when you stuck you better not be a light ass. I have my boat and full of gear stuck on hard wet bottom adn me my wife and another 175lb guy pushed it about 15 yrds till it would get going.

Buy mine and you will get everywhere your small boat will.

Later

Anybody running dual 27's? If so, what size boat and speed?

Any videos of the PD duals in reverse?


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I run an 1860 phowler extreme with 2 ProDrive 27's on the back mated to a tiller handle. One has full power reverse. It pushes 3 guys a dog and 65 full body geese floaters the blind and other gear pretty good. Does well in the mud considering the weight and type of mud we have up here. Any questions just ask. Looking to sell the motors.