I just got a new rig (first MM), it is a 1644 Alweld w/ 20" transom, with a Mud Buddy 27 Kohler LT 85".

Took it out for the first learning curve, yesterday for an hour or less before the rain swallowed us. I still have A LOT of stick time to go, but felt fairly competent menouvering through some tight spots and shallow stuff. Looking for ya'll to help some in my learning curve. I still have not even added a grab rail, which is coming REAL SOON.

A few rookie questions for you:

1) In deeper water the prop wanted to dig deep, I'm assuming I need to adjust the cavitation plate down...?

2) When making a sharp turn, ( for example being next to a bank/dock etc, I am damn near hanging out of the boat...what do you usually do for the sharp turns? Grab further up the handle?

3) Should my Governor Spring of came set in an ideal place from the factory, or should this be adjusted depending on set-up etc.?

4) How do you usually launch/load from the trailer?...We did it pretty easy, but there is always other ways.

5) What do you do to tie the motor down for trailering? I have a swivel bracket. I have pretty tall sides on the boat and split seats, so we spun it around, stacked 2 2x4's underneather and a pad up top and strapped down, its not by any means the way to go about it permenantly as it needed a couple of adjustments, but it got us to the water. I'm thinking of screwing an eyebolt into each split seat and then throwing a 2x4 with a groove cut into it underneather and then strapping it down there...What say you?


6) Turning in deep water, I'm assuming due to the prop wanting to ride so low, was not exactly easy...will this be easier once the prop rides correctly?

7) Any other tips you have learned with time on the stick?

Im not running the hp you are,

but as for backing out of the trailer..a push pole to get boat all the way off on steep ramps, and turned around..simple cheap and easy

trailering the boat..get you one of the brackets mudbuddy makes to pin it to the floor

I hang out of the boat as well on those sharp turns, it gets nerve racking at first but less so with stick time.

Ive never had to adjust my cavitaion plate...at deep water it should find the "sweet Spot" and run just under the surface

i run a 23 lt and and yes the turning i just put my foot against the side of the boat and hold on lol yea and in deep water my motor adjust its self and yes u need to get a grab bar soon they help out for us rookies like my self im still learning

I launch my boat with a long rope when I am by myself. I tie one end to boat and other to trailer. Launch boat with enough speed that it floats back away from trailer. Get out of truck and pull boat to shore with rope. You can also use the end of the motor with the engine off as a paddle to spin the boat around and not risk damaging the prop on rocks or whatever may be on the back. A push pole and a grab bar are a MUST.

As for the tight turns, finesse can help. I just hold the prop barely on the surface of the water and you can spin the boat on a dime without the torque of the engine in the water felling like it is going to throw you out.

When I turn I just step out in front of my handle makes it pretty easy

what i so when im unloading my boat is alot like lm42079, i have a rope on the front of my boat that is a little longer than my trailor, tie the end of it to trailor somewhere. i use the bare that my winch is on. just back in the water, hit the brakes, boat floats off the trailor, then just pull your truck up enough to where the front of the boat is right at the edge of the water. works real good i only do it like that when im by myself. turning is a biatch at first, but you will get used to it.