BackH2O offers a SS drive on their 27 and 35 HP longtail motors, meaning these are 59" long instead of the standard 72". What, if any, difference in speed and push does this make? Logic tells me a foot shorter drive might help turning. What advantages/disadvantages would this have compared to the 72" standard length drives? I remember GD used to sell a "crawfish" model that I believe was short like the SS.

There is not to many out their right now. But this is what they say it is easier to drive and in meant for a short transom only backwater87 is getting one i hear but i dont know when? he will have more info and their might even be someone on here that has one? but havent heard anyone yet

That's what I figured, thank you!. I've always run a short transom motor with my 3 LT's, and I'd only get a high transom if I went for a shortail but I don't need one and the LT works just fine around here. I bet there are some former GD "crawfish" owners who could give us some info on the shorter drive. I bet it is a tradeoff where you lose some speed with the shorter drive but gain maneuverability in turning and such. Of course, when you get in the skinny, that extra reach can come in handy sometimes.

little drop in the torque too.

the shorter the tail - the less the immediate 'push' you get when dropping a LT (72'') in the water.

The short shaft lessens the initial 'bite'

There shouldnt be any difference that is noticable between a LS on a 20 inch and a SS on a 16 inch transon on speed the angle to the water is the same. Difference is the placement of the motor BW,s motor placement is more centered over the transon instead of ahead of it. That makes it able to run a shorter shaft.

I spoke with Backwater last night on a 35 HP SS. I have a Tracker 1648 and I found out last night that it is not a good candidate for a long tail. Any way, I was looking at SD's, but I want to run rivers as well as duck sloughs and I think the LT will be better for the rivers with all the rocks and logs. What they told me was that my boat has a dead rise all the way to the back (no idea what that means yet) and that it is really designed for an outboard, not a L. The SS motor moves the prop forward into the cleaner water closer to the boat and improves performance. I also have a 19 in transom so I may have to cut that down to decrease the angle and really get it to work. Anybody need a 96 25 hp Johnson outboard? Anyway, I am heading over there early next week to get the motor fitted and set up and I will let you know how it works.

10-4, the tracker 1648 is far from ideal. If you cut down the transom to 15-16" that will help big time. My 1648 grizzly came with a short transom and with my 27 MB LT I get 20 mph by myself and 17.5 two hunters and gear. A true flat bottom would no doubt be clearly better.

Basher-dead rise is basically a measure of how much V your boat has. Dead rise all the way to the transom means that the bottom will still have a bit of a V profile at the transom. Don't let that stop you, I have run longtails on boats with a mild V and they went fine. Not good for surface drives though. The short transom is probably more important than the amount of V.

I have the 35 s.s. its meant for short transom boats. Running it is much easier than expected.

glade to ear your liking it..

Basher,
I've run both longtails and SD's on boats with deadrise all the way to the transom. They have run fine, but be aware of two things that could happen. The V will allow the center of the hull to run slightly deeper than a true flat. Obviously the amount will depend on the amount and length of the deadrise. The other is that boats I have run with deadrise need the side to side load balanced. If it isn't, the boat will try to turn toward the heavy side and the tiller will have a push or pull when you try to keep the boat straight. If I get a push or pull on the tiller I step from side to side to change the balance and see if the tiller becomes more neutral. I had one boat that I could neutral the tiller by moving my tackle box from one side to the other. It seemed like the SD was more sensitive to this than the LT. Possibly due to the higher speeds.