I can't believe nobody has mentioned the fact his hull is probably hooked. I had a hook bad enough one time that the boat just plowed everywhere instead of planing out. Between the float boxes and a possibly good hook, he wouldn't be able to plane out.

I've figured it out, Its the motor you have on the back, should have bought something different besides a stuckbuddy! lmao jsut pulling your chain

You can feel motor burst like it wants to take off and then runs same speed as half throttle. I am at work, I'll take pic when I get home.

Yeah get some pics, hard to diagnose a problem with out actually witnessing something like this happening

Any of y'all think he's got compression problems???

Its possible

well if his rpm's are running up why would it be compression? I would try to spin the prop with the clutch engaged like take'm said that will either eliminate the clutch and belt or tell you its one of the two

take your spark plugs out and have someone turn it over by hand at the prop in gear.

press your thumb over the spark plug holes one at a time and if you cant keep the pressure from pushing your thumb off you have compression... or you can drop a few and spend some money on a compression tester, even though that doesnt sound like your problem.

Make any head way on this one yet??

None!!!!! I trimmed motor all the way down and it is below bottom of boat, the only thing that makes since is the belt mY be slipping. I have no idea.

The belt isn't slipping. The older Goodyear belts were junk & tended to have problems with the ^ shaped cogs slipping. The Gates belts that are used today are actually a poly chain, not a rubber belt. They have tougher rectangular shaped cogs & won't slip unless they're WAY too loose. In which case, you would be able to hear it.

It is possible that the clutch could be slipping. Could be from some oil or grease on the gears clutch plate, or on the magnet itself. You wouldn't be able to plane out, or go very fast at all (maybe 5-10 mph tops). If the clutch is burnt, you wouldn't even be able to go that fast, or maybe not at all.

I still say you need to check the hull for a bad hook near the transom.

Ok 10 mph would be top speed for sure. Whar r u talking about hook?

Real bad dents, waves in the bottom of the boat towards the back

Also, boat only has 59 hrs on it if that helps.

Man look pictures would be great, shit take 10 or so of them, bottom of the boat, motor trimmed all the way down, trimmed all the way up, bottom of belt housing trimmed all the way up compared to the bottom of the boat, prop, ONly other thing that i can think of is the keyway that holds the bottom gear on could be sheired and will hold until put under a major load and then it starts slipping, something of that nature, shit pull it apart and check everything out

J, did you buy this boat w/ the Mudmotor or was it originally set up w/ an outboard. Those pods are pretty large and depending on where your weight is distributed could keep the prop from getting the bite it needs. The lower key sounds likely also but seems like that would make the motor hit the limiter.

MIGR, I was leaning hard towards the pods being the problem in the beginning, SD's do not like float pods

Just seems like that would disturb the water alot.

I am having the exact same problem on a 1854 gator traxx with a 35 hyper. I would be interested to see how you fix this. I bought the boat from some body that did a 32in shaft up grade to a rig that needs a 40. According to mb.i have literally tried everything but a jack plate or the longer shaft.can't come up with any more ideas. I may have 32in drive unit for sale. It has only 3hrs on it.

Yours has nothing to do with the shaft length. If the rpm's are turning up right, then it could be the clutch slipping due to oil or grease between the clutch plate & magnet or possible hull issues.

mine has no clutch it is an older balance drive a 2004. ill check my hull

Kman just posted on the other site that the old balanced drives were a bitch to setup. Your transom had to be just the right height and angle. He said there was a sweet spot that if you weren't in, you aren't running.

What ya think about a jack plate or motor plate would that be worth messing with I have 18in transom need a 16. I ready can't cut transom due to back wash problem already. I dont know how the boat would handle the weight father back?

I think mine is same way, I've gotta 17" transom and don't know what tha he'll I need. I've even talked to mudbuddy (when I could getem) and they can't tell me anything neither can a guy here close to home that works on them. The guy here close to home said it sounded like clutch or belt slippage WTF knows. Bout ready to burn tha damn thing.

I have no idea, it is 17" from top to bottom of boat at transom to bottom. Shaft on motor measures 27".

You have a short transom with a Sport model motor, I was answering odess about his. Sorry for the confusion.

Well thats where mines jacked up it has a18 in transom with 32.

Sounds like 40 in shaft would fix it

Post a pic of your motor odess. Sounds like it may be a frankenstien.

Sent from my Droid because I'm trying to be as cool as you someday.

Is the 38 or 39 with prop in or out of water?

We're talking about the actual length of the prop shaft. Measure from the end of the shaft, at the prop nut to about middle of the belt housing.

The "Hyperdrive" models were produced in '03-'04 & had longer out drives to account for the shorter belt housing. The newer "Sport" models are standard with a 27" shaft, but could also be ordered with a 32" shaft starting in '08 or '09 (I think). You can now order them with a 40" shaft also, but the shaft length on the Sport model has nothing to do with transom height.

2011-07-29 07.13.15.jpg

Sorry for the bad pic in advance

From lookin @ the pic, I'd be willing to bet that is your problem. Looks like an older hyper with a newer shaft. I wouldn't think it could even trim down enough to get the blade completely in the water. Hopefully BoatDr will chime in on this one & confirm or deny what I'm thinking.

Doesn't look like the motor is tall enough for that transom to me.

Looks like a short transom boat too me, I'm with Camo.