I recently sold my outboard boat and am looking to get a GatorTrax 1750 or 1754 with a mud motor of some kind. Most of the hunting I do is in pretty nasty flooded timber. Do you guys recommend a GT, MB, or PD, etc. in environments where there are more underwater stumps? What about Hydro Trim? Is that going to get torn up if the motor gets popped on something?

Please use the search before you ask alot of questions search.php

All of them will do well in the stumps, you just need to figure out what features you want in a motor.

I would also advise against the Gator-Trax if you go with anything other than a mudbuddy, you need a hull to match the motor.

You may even want to look at a custom hull with a 3/16 bottom or extra longitudinal braces.

The noob nazi strikes again. Lol.

Yes, I will flog myself in punishment.

yes...use the search function. lots of info out there for you to read up on.

I wouldn't shy away from a gatortrax if you want something besides a mudbuddy. I run a GTR on my 1750HD and it is a very nice combo. You do need to be careful though when matching hulls with motors. Make sure they will be a good match. Talk to some of the custom boat builders on here. They seem to build really nice rigs as well, and you may get a little more bang for your buck. good luck...

Buy a GD if you are running really nasty timber. Ive seen trims go down after a big stump. Plus, you are getting a steel frame which holds up a lot better than cast aluminum. I know everyone will say their brand does fine in the stumps but IMO the GD shines in the timber. We hunt the hell outta the timber each year, and punish the motor. Never had a problem.

The trim don't take any abuse from hitting shit!! The motor is a free floating motor !! It not like a outboard trim were it takes the hit!! I been running gtr's since 2005 and never busted a trim or any other aluminum piece on my motor from hitting stumps !!

Whatever brand boat you get, get narrow with a pointed bow. There is no such thing as glancing off a tree with a flat front. If it was me in timber, a 50 inch bottom would be to big. I would go with a 44. But you will loose load carrying ability. And you wont fuck up any of these motors from hitting stumps. they are all made strong. But i like the additional reach of a gator tail or mudbuddy with trim if you get high centered on a stump.. And yes i know a GD has a 36 inch drive but without power trim it is a pain in the ass.
Also check with custom builders and see what they can do for you. Gator trax makes a great boat but so do custom boat builders and you dont have to be set with the GT size and style and all that. Gatortrax isnt as custom as they say they are. Plus they are usually cheaper

Thanks guys... very helpful.

stump + free floating handle = happy hunter ... stump + stationary handle = bruised legs and unhappy hunter

Don't worry about the gator trax and a non-mud buddy motor.
I run a 1650 Gator Trax with huntdeck and 36 PD.

They are right about the free floating handle. It will surprise you and don't keep your leg under the tiller handle.

Other than that I can't complain about decoy picking up. I will mention this though. Last season I passed up several gator tails on a few mornings because of frozen throttle cables.

Not real experienced in hunting timber, but I so hunt Palestine, where there's more stumps than water lol. There right about the free floating handles. I've almost thrown myself out a few times running longtails and hitting stumps. Ive only hunted out of a pro drive, mud buddy, and longtails in the stump infested hell hole, but all did well, and I've talked to people that run different motors, and none of them have had a problem with their motors due to stumps. Especially with trims going out, that's the stupidest thing I've ever Hurd. Also, I've never Hurd of a frozen throttle cable.. I've hunted in negatives before, where everything frozen, and my dads gatortail did just fine.

Never had a frozen TC but did have my choke cable freeze up a few times year before last. If water can get into it, it will freeze.

The trim don't take any abuse from hitting shit!! The motor is a free floating motor !! It not like a outboard trim were it takes the hit!! I been running gtr's since 2005 and never busted a trim or any other aluminum piece on my motor from hitting stumps !!
quote from delta

thought ya just replaced the hollow piviot shaft that was bent ?

That has nothing to do with a trim !! Plus on my motor it is their for my setup for bow fishing!! No other tiller comes with it I installed it my self!! They come on console motors and they always have the solid rod for the steering in them!! Any other ??? You need answered!!

I had problems sat!! I ran out of gas in one of my tanks!! Good thing I had another!!

Lol I haven't seen ddm fired up in a while

You and giga used to have it out all the time... I think It was giga?

WTF is all that about?

Take a look at this boat Im selling. I bought this boat specifically for Tight Timber hunting. It is the Poop!
viewtopic.php?f=62&t=20385

If you run timber....pointed bow adn get at the very least a tapered chine or better a square chine boat....they track WAY better than a round chine-

As for the motor...it really doesn't matter,but there is no doubt a motor w/ nuetral is much easier to operate in the trees. PD's momentary switch is priceless in these situations....I'm sure the GT's or MB's have a similar feature.

I've run both beforen (Direct drive MB Hyper and Pro Drive) and hands down nuetral wins big time

The round chine is only gunna roll you off if the stump hits on the chine where its been rounded.