Hey guys this is my first post, I have a 1656 g3 tunnel with a 60/40 jet. great boat when fishing and hunting some of my river, but the lower in has a lot of back water I would like to get to. I can't with my jet of course. I want a surface drive, but my problem is I have a ton of sand in my river. It shallow sand that started to mix with mud at the head of the back waters, and then gets to a muddy, stick, leave, sandy mix. I am keeping my jet boat and getting another boat with surface drive. Will a sd work for me or am I barking up the wrong tree since it is sandy? Thanks in Advance!!

We run surface drives on a very sandy river. We usually have to replace prop after every season, but prop is cheaper to replace than Jet Vullutes and implers. Our river is inches deep most of the summer and fall, we can get around OK with our rigs most of the time.

Surface drives do not like sand at all I know from experience

DENNYEDWARDS, looks like If my jet can go over the sand a sd should be able to? It's not like I would be stopping in the sand and trying to dig out. Will the surface drive sit leave with the back of the boat like a jet does?

When back of boat is sitting on sand, we usually lower drives enough to dig a trench with prop wash, when trench is deep enough we lower drive eough to get good bite with prop then nail it. If boat isn't loaded to heavy it will jump on plane and go. I have a 50Hp Surface drive on a very lite 1648 320LB. Hull. Most of the time my rig weighs less than 1000lbs with gear and me in it.

i run small rivers and creeks with a sd. all the guys i run with have jets. as far as shallow i can go every where they go and when the leaves fall i can keep running the river. i chose a sd over a jet because we hunt flooded bottoms with corn and grass. cant run a jet there forsure. i came from florida where all the bottom is sand. had a lt then and yes sand will eat props fast. here the bottom is rock and gravel. it will chew on the prop but not wear it away like sand does. i have run the same prop for over six years. IT WILL CUT YOU, but the profile is very close to new. ( like a new prop with a steak knife edge)

with all that said we ran jet skis back home in florida. i have many times sucked the pump to the bottom in shallow sand. will stop it cold. having not run a jet drive in the shallow sand im not sure but figure it would do the same. so i figure you are crossing shallow sand bars and such and not attempting to DIG out of the sand? if thats the case you will run with the jets and be able to go where you have been. you may see some prop wear buy not as bad as if you were trying to dig out of the sand all the time.

i kinda feel like i know what you are running in. knowing how you have to run a jet to run shallows you have to stay on plane. for those that havent been around jets, they dont dig out of any thing and will in effect suck down to the bottom if there is not enough water.

you will bump the bottom with a sd in some areas you run clear over with a jet but it wont hurt it. you will/may be able to get up in areas that you couldnt with the jet. you will be digging and bumping the bottom but it will steady be moving. where as the jet will be falling every time it touches the bottom. again this may cause some prop wear but not like trying to dig the boat off when its grounded out.

now for the good stuff.
HP TO HP NO JET WILL RUN WITH A SD!
though a mm prop is not as efficient as an out board prop, its twice as efficient as a jet. i run with alot of jets and will stand behind that statement all day. i run a riveted 14x48 with a 23 mini light. one guy has the same boat with a 40 hp power head johnson jet. i will run him down. and lots have 25/20 mercs on 14x36's and they are painfully slow. several friends have 60/40's and i can keep them in sight while running the river.

#2- i hit shit (rocks and logs) all the time. other than bruses and spraines in my arms i havent borke the sd. every weekend someone knocks a hole on an intake or splits a pump, requireing a trip to the welder or an order for an intake. me- nothing!

i think you will find that a sd can replace a jet in a smaller boat. only place a jet will be better is if you need a BIG boat. hp of the sd's limits the size boat you can run. if you need a huge boat with a big jet then jet may be your only choice. 14' to 17' a sd will work well. over that you may need a jet. exception maybe duals but thats alot to negotiate a river.

Depends on boat size...

If you go 18 foot SD works especially those with longer shafts...

If you go 15 to 16 foot stay with LT 23hp and smaller...

Over hard sand the smaller diameter LT prop gets the best "bite" and performance
but with a longer hull to balance the heavier SD you can get almost as good functionality
over that hard sand.... Shorter hulls won't balance the SD and will draft too much...

i agree and disaree. yes my 14x48 sits a little lower in the water at rest, but it proforms so much better than a lt. the extra speed afforded by the surface drive allows the boat to plane higher thus causing less draft at speed.

not being exactly sure what he is runnung in a big boat may not physically be able to fit where he goes.

sounds like he wants to stay with a jon boat also.

now the part that will stir the pot.
a true "mud boat hull" isnt always the best. yes they proform better in the mud. yes they will take more abuse. yes they will last longer. but, yes they weigh a ton! i run the risk of pealing my hull open or knocking out rivets every time i go out. but the weight of my boat is half of a mud hull. i would love to have the protection of an 1/8 or 3/16 hull but they are heavy. i built my rig to be light. easy to get off a gravel bar or drag over one. it handles well and carries the load i need it to. and its pretty fast. (2 ppl, 5 gals, cooler, fishing equipment.... 25 mph on the gps) it will happen one day, ill trash my hull and i will build my next one. 1/8 probally, maybe with poly on the bottom. but as for a true mud hull i dont need one. i dont run mud.

w/o a winch ide love to see someone drag a loaded 18' mud hull over a gravel bar. i understand yall get stuck in the mud from time to time, but rocks grab the alumnum and hold on. it wont just slide off. thus the reason ide like to try poly on the bottom. if i had a flat bottom ide put it on my .100 boat but its not.

i agree and disaree. yes my 14x48 sits a little lower in the water at rest, but it proforms so much better than a lt. the extra speed afforded by the surface drive allows the boat to plane higher thus causing less draft at speed.

not being exactly sure what he is runnung in a big boat may not physically be able to fit where he goes.

sounds like he wants to stay with a jon boat also.

now the part that will stir the pot.
a true "mud boat hull" isnt always the best. yes they proform better in the mud. yes they will take more abuse. yes they will last longer. but, yes they weigh a ton! i run the risk of pealing my hull open or knocking out rivets every time i go out. but the weight of my boat is half of a mud hull. i would love to have the protection of an 1/8 or 3/16 hull but they are heavy. i built my rig to be light. easy to get off a gravel bar or drag over one. it handles well and carries the load i need it to. and its pretty fast. (2 ppl, 5 gals, cooler, fishing equipment.... 25 mph on the gps) it will happen one day, ill trash my hull and i will build my next one. 1/8 probally, maybe with poly on the bottom. but as for a true mud hull i dont need one. i dont run mud.

w/o a winch ide love to see someone drag a loaded 18' mud hull over a gravel bar. i understand yall get stuck in the mud from time to time, but rocks grab the alumnum and hold on. it wont just slide off. thus the reason ide like to try poly on the bottom. if i had a flat bottom ide put it on my .100 boat but its not.

friend has an 18' gd with a 35 gdsd. it works ok where we run but its a beast. lumbering around it just doesnt quite do well. in the mud you come into contact with the bottom all the time. no problem thats what its susposed to do. here you dont want to touch the bottom if you can help it. thus the need for the lighter boat with less draft. the 18' gd my friend has drafts alot more than my boat, even on plane. he needs the heavy bottom to take the hits. i in turn rarely touch the bottom so i can get away with the thinner hull . again it will happen some day, ill open her up wide. but for now my bottom looks good. the 18' gd that hes had for half the time looks like hell. hooks and dents from front to back.

here, i feel its more important to keep the boat off the bottom than being heavy enough to take the constant beating from the rocks. the gd boat will probally hold water longer in the long run but it sure doesnt look good or handle as well.

So - your running a shorter hull with about the lightest 23SD with a longer shaft

Your buddy is running the longer 18' with the heavier 35SD also with a longer shaft

I think we are on the same page.... However the smaller diameter prop of the LT

can sure be an asset too... I have run small jons with 8hpLT up to 23hpLTs and

can say from experience that with light loads or solo they did chit my 18' w/35SD

can't do - but the 18' will haul the troops and gear better --- LOL

0

Hunt for deer that makes me feel a lot better! Right now If I build a new boat it will be a 15'x44" or 16x48" with a 3/16" bottom gator trax boat with a modified V, hunt deck and a 35gtr motor. I would love to have a poly bottom but gator trax wont put it on. If I find a good deal on a gator trax boat it will be a 15' or 16' gator trax with at least .125 bottom since I don't think I will luck up and find a 3/16" bottom used boat I'm sure they are rare!

Again --- the draft difference between a 16x48 with a 35SD and an 18x48
is huge --- I have owned and run both in Trinity Bay which is a big shallow
bay filled with sandbars....

16x48 and 35 SD is a mistake over hard bottoms or sand !

My 16x48 wearing the 23LT was an exceptionally good rig over
those same hard bottoms and sand.... My 17x42 w/23LTwas too...

Every pound counts in those conditions and you should forget the 35
if you go 16 or shorter - or forget the 16 if you gotta have the 35....

But it's your money --- just trying to tell you my experience....

stu, i see you chimed in, sorta. i would say you are the king of rocks! you may have lots to say on the topic as you have the most experience in these conditions. whats your thoughts?

Ok update after reading more post the hull of my boat will be 3/16" aluminum with 3/8" to 1/2" UHMW riveted on the bottom end of story lol. We have limestone outcrops all over my river that will eat a regular boat. This is my 4th jet boat I have now. So what length and width boat do I need for it to still draft good,and what motor to get a boat that heavy to run 25-30+? No LT only SD I want a tank!!!

Just get any width you like and an 18 foot length and you will be fine...

Please explain why gator trax is junk? I have not been in another boat that turns like one yet! Period! Yes they are probably heavier. Probably a good thing at times and a hindrance at others. I'm looking at putting a surface drive on my 1644 right now.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2