Okay I just joined this site and have a few questions. I have been looking for answers and have find a few that were not full of information, so here it goes.
I just started duck hunting this year and love it, with that being said my boat is now 8 years old and I am want to replace it with something a bit bigger (Sea Ark Mud runner). I really like the idea of a mud motor with some of the stuff I ran into while duck hunting. With that being said I also fish Mosquito Lagoon and some parts of the lagoon have a hard bottom and some mud. Also there are places like Oyster bay, but it is deep enough to run an outboard. How shallow do mud boats typically run without bottoming out? Saltwater is a huge concern and some answers I found like Wd-40 and spraying it off and what not. What are repairs like on the motor yearly cost? Remember I know nothing about these motors. I really don't want to run it in the salt where there is no water but also want it to last as long as my other boat (Saltwater spray). I don't plan on sandbar hopping or anything and don't mind wading on the hard bottom sand bars, unlike some of the mud in the freshwater hunting areas. Is the mpg the same or better than a four stroke? I have done alright with and outboard for saltwater, but this is my first year ever taking it out in freshwater and between the mud and the weeds it was a pain in the kisser. Please help.

Get out yer pocketbook. This isnt going to be a cheap date.

I have 20K wrapped up in mine.

Mud boats and surface drives are a give and a take vs. outboards and regular boats. You can go anywhere an outboard rig can go (with some exceptions regarding big water) just not as fast, but they open up a whole new world of possibilities on being able to go where an outboard rig could never even dream of going, which is to say anywhere you can float the boat (and some you can't!). Mud boats can draft 6", even less, empty. Lots if people run them in salt water only, and have now problems or great concerns. They just hose em off after each run and spray with WD40 or something similar.
Is the trade-off worth it? Depends on what you'll be using it for the most.

Keep in mind the salt in your area may be different than alot of people on here. I fished the goon and areas around there for years and can say that the salt content there is MUCH higher than anything I have seen on the gulf.

Also take in consideration many places in the lagoon are pole and troll only .. Which you probably know , I have fished over there and the Indian river a few times

Yeah, like I said I would fish about the same as I did with an outboard in the Lagoon. Run shallow where I can, try not to hit the bottom, and pole when I reach my destination. I more worried about how to take care of the motor if I do go in the salt. The lagoon is pretty salty and is nothing like brackish water. Would you compare the gatortail 35 motor the same as a 4 stroke outboard in fuel or do they get better mpg? I realize hard sand is not the mud motors friend, but I don't think that is going to matter much if you drive it the same as a regular outboard. Basically I am not looking for any benefit in the lagoon just don't want to be screwing myself destroying the motor by salt. I would love not worrying about water intake and weeds when duck hunting though.

I would say the fuel economy is very close depending on the size mud motor all i have experience with is the 27 kohler and it was super cheap , nor have i ran many 4 stroke 25s ... stocked up on the old merc 2 strokes before they stopped making them .... I run brackish water where im from and if you take care of the mud motor you should have no problem corrosion x for me has worked wonders but its expensive .. You will not regret getting a mud motor i promise you , make sure you get a good hull to go along with it also there is a sea ark dealer in my town which is about 5 hours from you

Where do you apply the corrosion x and what do you do with all the electrical connections? Do you apply corrosion x to them? Never used the stuff before. Would a sacrificial anode help out a lot like on an out board and if so where would I put it? Sorry for all the questions and if they are stupid, but I feel it's better for me to know all this stuff before I buy and best people to ask are the ones who have experience. Thanks again.

liquid electric tape. get some.

PM your motor and it should be no different than an outboard as far as saltwater is concerned. You will be able to access places with a surface drive that you never dreamed of going with an outboard!

I also am wondering about the sacrificial anode. After seeing the corrosion on the inside of the belt drive housing on my 35GTR, would an anode help slow the process of corrosion down ?