What kind of difference in performance and the handling is there between the short shaft Backwater Swomp 35 and say a mud buddy or GTR? Im looking at putting a mud motor on a Tracker Grizzly or Lowe Roughneck style boat for hunting season. The reason Im not going to get a hull made specifically for a mud motor is I need to be able to put a kicker motor back on the boat for fishing. No room for 2 boats. Also, does anyone have the Swomp 35 on a boat like this?

Im in the process of buying the same set up, anyone have any experience with this set up?

Do it.

Swomp 35 will be my next motor...I have a 1648 tracker grizzly.

Im fairly certain that's the way im going.. But long or SS? Any info on speeds, handling and POWER under load in the thick stuff?

I can't answer for the surface drive question, but I'll say the swomp 35ss on a ribbed 17-52 Alweld handles great and is usually 20-24mph dependent upon load. It's not a true mud hull but it works phenomenally well with gator glide on it and a stand up bar. I had the same idea to switch over to my 25 merc outboard in the summer, but never have. I have outrun a few mud hulls and it goes fine though thick stuff. I would go short shaft no question and I'd consider skipping the outboard, my backwater uses way less fuel and had fewer issues than any outboard I've owned.
Best of luck!

I have a swomp 35 on a 1648 Lowe mod v. The boat is older but a tank. It has a tall transom so I bought the LS. Tough to handle on turns but no one said driving a longtail is supposed to be easy. Great motor for the price I'll probably use it for a couple of seasons then get a surface drive. Hunting alone and picking up a spread of decoys with a longtail sucks!! Gtr would be nice because of the instant reverse. Pro drive is nice getting you out of the cat tails that you wedged yourself into. I'm in the same boat as you as far as fishing goes. My ol man gets on my case about getting the outboard put back on the boat so we can fish. So I figure I'll sell the longtail and outboard and get myself a gtr or pro drive and be done with it. It could be an all around boat then and not just hunting.

Longtail vs shorttail is apples to oranges. Drive both and see what works best for you. Backwater by far makes the best longtails, just depends on what you need.

I ran a Swomp 35 on a 1752 semi V Lowe last year. It ran ok. That hull "semi V", would generate a wake that would cause the prop to blow out frequently regardless of how I shimmed it. I put it on a flat bottom mud hull this year and it runs great. Much easier to drive and only blows out if I hit something. I'm real happy with the motor and Backwater's customer service. As stated above, test drive whatever motor your considering if possible.


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Im shocked that it ran poorly on a mod... They have several videos on youtube with them pushing deep v's...

Test drive is out of the equation, im in Canada with no dealers of any sort and even fewer people running mud motors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4plLsuFzHvo

Pushes my 1648 War Eagle at 26 mph.

I have had both. Prodrive 27 then gatortail 35 now the Swomp 35. For me, the Swomp gets me in and out of places the surface drive kept me out of or stuck, having to get out of the boat. (On beaver runs or looking for dead ducks in thick buck brush. However, the speed on the surface drive was roughly 5mph faster in my 1748 heavy hull. Both my surface drives were great motors but for now I love my new Swomp. Drive both and see what you like.