I currently have a 15 foot duracraft with a yamaha 15 HP 4 stroke on it. I am looking to buy a longtail for it mainly because most of the places I want to hunt are blocked by a ton of hydrilla and obviously a ton of stumps in other areas...i really want to buy a longtail used and am wondering what size engine should be my minimum also what should i look at when buying a used longtail. thanks for any help

how wide is the bottom of the boat?

riveted or welded?

The 16 is a good lil motor. Know two people with 1542's and 16's that are both good lil boats. As the saying goes though, get the most hp you can afford (or at least what the boat can float). Don't know what the weight difference is on a 23, but that would be a good lil jump in power. Not sure I'd put a much heavier motor on it than that though, unless it's a pretty wide boat.

i jus sold a 25 hp longtail that i had on my 14x44. it ran awesome! 22mph all day long

just look for obvious things. worn down sharp prop, bent shaft, greese oozin out the lower seal, busted welds, u-joints still good, and run the motor and make sure its in good shape

We just had some lemon boats I guess... Put a 24lt on a 1442 and wouldn't float it, put a 32pd on a 1648 and wouldn't float it. Oh well, all boats are NOT created equal.

Just try to test the motor on your boat before you buy it whatever you do...

it is about 61 inches wide and is riveted. the yamaha 4 stroke that is on it is pretty heavy so i dont think i should be too worried about the weight of a 23....do yall think the 16 would push this boat pretty well? i already feel relatively under powered with the 15, it can barely get on a plane with 3 people

i beleave a 23 is lighter than a 16. same bolck with bigger holes less wieght. or is that an 18?

that is the beam, im not sure of the width of the bottom of it as I am back at school now so dont have immediate access to the boat

its probobly 42 at the bottom if i had to guess, a 16 or 23 would both be good choices. The 23 will be a lil faster and carry a better load at speed, its guna be hard to get three peeps and gear on plane with either motor.

thanks for the help...i guess its going to come down to whats available in the next couple of weeks...my price range is going to be under 1500...any suggestions as far as brands go?

Hard to go wrong with a longtail, there is very little variation from brand to brand. Just get the best deal you think you can find.

I have a 23 gdlt that will be for sale in a few weeks. It's a 2000 I'm just waiting on the title.

Check the for sale section, there's a few in there.

Thanks for all of the help everyone...I have found a 2002 Mud Buddy with a Kawasaki 29 hp liquid cooled, electric start engine and a SS prop with 43 hours on it for 2000...What do y'all think about this deal? I have found other motors around but most of them are atleast 15 hours away and I without a doubt want to see this thing run before I buy it...What do y'all think about this deal? And most importantly do you think that my boat will float it?

EDIT: The seller has it on a 15' Lowe jon boat if that provides any comparison to my 15' Duracraft

that 29 will be heavy.

test that sucker on ya boat!

Like Hunt4Deer said, that kawi is a heavy sob...it's liquid cooled instead of air. A hunting buddy of mine had one and was always having problems with it, I would outrun him all day long with my 27 kohler beavertail motor, plus I think the kohlers are a little more user friendly.

try looking at a 20 hp backwaterinc. motor i received my 27hp. the day before our duck season started and am very impressed with it. i've ran gd,s since 1986 and think the backwater motor is easier and faster than the other companies by far. no disrespect to the other companies but backwater remade the lt and made it better.