I just sold my 25 E.F.I. Mercury outboard. I want to buy a mm I think. I run in alot of stumps and shallow water. It is more stumps than shallow. Louisiana just came out with a law if you have a tiller handle you have to wear a life jacket. So I am thinking about gettin a remote. I am going to get the 36 hp or one around there. I was leaning towards the gator tail because I like how the reverse works. My question is can you go fowards and back up alot like a regular outboard or not. What motor do yall recommend for me. This is my first time to post on here. I dont want to ask the dealer what is best because he will say what ever he has is the greatest in the world. So I was hoping yall could help me out. thanks!

Welcome to the site.

Get the most HP you can afford and ensure the MM will match/run on your hull. All of them have a console steer option. Test drive as many as you can and make your decision.

Also understand what you are getting reverse for- the GT reverse and PD Full Power Reverse are really for two different applications.

I saw the different it looked like to me the pro drive's reverse is better than the gt's for getting thrugh stuff. The gt's is easier to get in reverse but doesnt preform as well. I do some YOYO fishing so i have to back up and pull foward alot when i fish. That is why I was leaning towards the gt. I was planning on where ever I got the motor to get the boat. Is that the best way or is there a good boat for all out there.

Unless they passed it this week, Louisiana will let you not wear a life jacket as long as the boat is longer than 16ft. The only thing is now you MUST wear the kill switch, which is for the best anyway. I would stick with a tiller motor since you will be dodging stumps.

My suggestion would be to test drive both of them. Each motor has its advantages and its disadvantages. I.E...FPR to instant reverse. If you are running yo-yos all night instant reverse may be better for you. There are guys on here that run crawfish traps with FPR and wouldnt have it any other way. Again just test drive them and find out which one fits the style of running you will be doing.

I looked it up and you are rite. That is the reason I got rid of my old boat it was only 15 food and I got a ticket for not having one on. What about mud buddy or go devil?

thought u wanted reverse???

and don't know if u realize it or not but PD offers a hydro-reverse now that's pretty damn quick & easy as hittin a switch, yet still FPR. it ain't cheap, but for guys considering console rigs or have tillers & just use da hell out of der reverse it's worth it.

Go test drive all of 'em.... demos are free.

Im no FE, and I am not biased on any of these mudmotors. I only go by what ive seen happen. Ive seen mud buddy motors hit stumps and send props flying of and really messing up the skegs on them. The only problem i see with a godevil is the fact there is no neutral. Its not a bother to me, but if you have kids or someone who doesnt know these motors, they wont pick up the motor to start it and then they end up in the water.

The PD w/ hydro reverse is supposed to be awesome. From what i hear its pretty quick too, but expensive. If you go with steering then i suggest putting it.

The GT is nice in the fact that it is as easy as pulling a lever to put it in reverse.

Like stumpy said, I thought you wanted reverse and demo, demo, demo.

nkoeppen

All I can say is Demo them. I am in FL and no one around here is a dealer so I got on a plane to LA and did the demo it was worth the $150 for the plane flight to get the answer.

Slambin,

The GoDevil - won't start unless the tiller is down and the prop is in the air - that basically is neutral.

But I have to agree with the part about someone just jumpin in and running the GoDevil or ANY tiller mudmotor. They are about as likely to hurt themselves or someone else in their first attempt at running a tiller rig. It is a talent that must be learned - often the hard way.

A console rig will be expensive - if done right - but really nice.

It may not go everywhere a smaller tiller model will go though - that may be your tradeoff.

Gator tail has a 1748 rig with a console Im thinking im going to get It. I think it would be good because its little enough to go fast. It will be harder in the stumps because I can't just raise the motor up over them, but I think it will be worth it.

go with a bigger boat if ur puttin a console in it...... dem consoles eat up a lot of space. u ain't gotta worry about liftin' da motor over stumps & logs.... just let it eat.

Hydro Reverse on PD, I understand is $1500.NICE,but I can do a lot of ratcheting for $1500. Me thinks matching proper boat with proper motor, very important.

Wont a bigger boat slow me down bad I would like to run 28 to 30.

depends on whether u gonna ride around by urself all da time or actually use it for sumthin.... 17' may be faster empty but an 18' is gonna perform better with any kind of load in it. 28~30 is very achievable with an 1848 or similar hull and any of da big block van powered surface drives.

I baught my motor NEW, my boat was used and I like my 17 ft, but if I was gettin one NEW, I`d get a 18ft(long and narrow). Shallow/flat ride and plenty of room. Make sure you get the transom right(degree of angle) I would not get smaller than a 36 motor. You`ll always be wishin you had more GET UP AN GO. Of course it all depends on how much you willin to spend, thats the bottom line. There`s alot of good deals out there for used rigs.