Hello everyone, ive ghosted this forum here and there around timing of duck season. Ive always toyed with the idea of getting a mud motor for duck season, just never really had the scratch to pull the trigger. I finally saved all my pennies and bought myself a 420cc Predator and the Med SPS Kit. I just wanted to drop in, say hello, and hopefully recieve some helpful insight from those more more experienced with mud motors.

Here is my rig.


The boat was inherited from my father. Its a 1959 Orlando Clipper 14ft Mod-V. So far im pleased with the way my longtail pushes the boat. I know longtails see optimum preformance on true flat bottom boats, but i have to work with what i have, and im certainly not mounting a LT on a fiberglass skiff.

I get up on plane pretty quickly, and once there, it is had to stop this boat. But its also hard to do other things, such as control the damn boat. Im perplexed that anyone could operate one of these standing up. Once the prop is fully submerged things even out, but that first plunge and that tiller is yanking away hard. I had an issue with the 8.5in prop wanting to climb out of the water, so i swapped for the 8in and it seems to have solved that issue. It runs through thick vegitation with out an issue, but i havent had an opportunity to run it through and true mud yet.

It makes 17mph with passenger 19mph solo. Most of my hunt spots are withing a couple miles of the launch so those speeds should carry me fine.


Anyone else running a longtail on a mod-v? Any tips or advice you can offer? As i said, im entirely green to the mud motor game. Anything that i can learn along the way would be greatly appreciated.

I wish you the best of luck. I had the same set up on my boat. Unfortunately it lasted about 5 minutes. If you hunt in places that have sticks or stumps,STAY AWAY. Those props won't last. I burned threw 3 in minutes. I am glad yours is working out for the terrain you are in. The other big difference is the way you have to baby that SPS. On an American LT I can spin the boat around by using the LT as a lever in thick vegetation. If I would have tried that with the SPS it would have bent the shaft. It is harder driving that rig due to the length. This is all constructive criticism so I mean no harm. There is a way to rig a SS prop on that rig but I am not sure if the other components can take the abuse

I got a buddy with an SPS as well. Its done him great so far. Speeds sound bout what he's getting on his as well. I dig those little motors.

I have read the horror stories that surround the SPS brand and others like it. But by the same token i read through the archives on here and see just as many problem posts reguarding more well known brands like GD, PD, and MB. So ill take the comments in stride.

It just so happend that the sps kit fit into my budget and with early season fast approaching, had to get something rolling. I hunt mostly inerior lakes, and some salt marshes here in Florida. For the most part, its not terribly littered with things like stumps and longs and what not. Ive heard the issues with the aluminum props (and they are chinsey feeling) getting eaten up quick like. I personally believe that issue is due to operator decisions. If i feel the bottom is going to chew up my prop, ill just kill the motor a pole the rest of the way.

My primary reason for the MM over an outboard is the ability to run thorugh thick vegitation, which so far is not an issue for this sps motor. Lillys, hydrilla, so far the prop has kept on spinnin. Ive got 3 spare props and the prop puller they offer to SPS owners, so if i run into a problem at least ill be prepared on the water. Thanks for the welcome, hopefully ill be able to get everything out of this motor that im hoping for. Its a learning experience, and i appreciate the input.

Fowl - sounds like you may be giving it throttle before putting the prop in the water..put the prop under the water while idling then give it gas.

The only way to drive standing is with a grab bar or "oh shit handle " as we call them.

Nice rig!

I run a Mud buddy 23 hp on a mod v. It takes more force to turn it at times, you lose a little speed, but not a major difference between my mod v and my buddies flat bottom. Where we run, flat bottoms are dangerous, but a tiller motor makes it tough to get where you want. I went with the setup I have and it works well. Not a lightning bolt but I move well with 2 guys and a dog.

It would be a lot easier to control the boat if you were standing with a grab bar. Most of my turns are done by shifting my weight on my right or left foot. Once you get used to it you will be leaning heavy on turns while hanging on hat grab bar like it is your lifeline.

FowlMouth, I like that hull, classic looking! I won't bad mouth the SPS, I have seen many videos and pics of similar motors doing fine in Asia. Not sure it is feasible but a "trim tab" or cavitation plate mounted on the top edge over the prop might help it run level and afford some more protection. The worst thing down south is the hard sand/marl bottom that chews up the props. That hull looks stable, not sure the tracker 1448 will be any faster, I run a 1648 with a 27 MB LT which works just fine. I would recommend gatorglide or steelflex on the hull bottom to reduce friction when running through mud/veggies, and will make it much easier to load/unload the rig from the trailer. A cheap "mod" if you have not already done so, is to advance the throttle- not sure the rpm ratings on your motor but I tweaked mine up to 4250 rpm out of the water and realized a couple more mph. Another possibility is trying out a 8x4 prop (such as BackH2O makes) on your motor. Are you ready for teal season? I just read the updated regs and we get to shoot six per day!

Im considering installing a grab bar and giving it a go, but first i need to modify the handle. At its current height i wont be able to keep the prop at an optimum depth if im standing. Ive got a few pointers on how to modify the stock galvanized handle that comes with the kit. Just need to drag it down to the shop to use the oxy/acet torch to heat and bend to the proper height.

Ive done some modifications on the boat that should aid me in installing said grab bar. Originally the boat had a console for remote steering, and 3 bench seats. The console was completely in the way for any tiller set up so that got cut out. I also removed 3/4 of the middle bench seat to open the floor up and give me more space for gear. I left a quarter of the seat on the right side, slapped together a little door from the scrap, and made a small battery box. It fits my starter in it with its box, and i still have a little room to spare. So im considering installing a grab bar on the face of the battery box.

However, i have plans/am working on a scissor blind aswell. My concern is that an "oh shit bar" will get in the way of setting up the scissor blind. Any ideas or examples for a removable grab bar, that is still soild enough to trust my well being on?

ive had an sps kit on my layout boat for a few years now and as far as tiller torque you learn by spending more time driving and playing with prop sizes they're easy to change so grab a few different ones an spend a day playing with prop size and shifting the load in your boat maybe grab a friend and have them get in and out and see which size works the best loaded and unloaded

FowlMouth,

I run the same setup, 14hp predator on a medium SPS kit. I have had it going on a year now and it has surprisingly done very well. I have it on a 1438 flat bottom aluminum and run about 18-19 solo. and between 15-17 with two and hunt load.
Took out this morning on a new lake, got it in some shallow areas that i wasn't sure if i was gonna get out but kept working and it pushed me and a buddy right on out. Hit probably 100 stumps, mostly with boat but several nailed the prop, didn't break, but have broken one since i have had motor. Overall, the motor has greatly surpassed the $700 it cost me. Gets me through thick reeds and lily pads fairly easy, just have to work the motor and find water for prop to bite. By no means is it a "brand" long tail or surface drive, but for the money and all I can afford at the moment its exceeded my expectations.
I recently installed a grab handle in my boat, and that is key. It really helps with control over torque of motor/longtail, and driving standing up, and for that matter sitting down.

Heres a few pictures of my rig and scissor blind.

Nice rig man. I had a very similar scissor blind on this clipper last year. I built in a bit of a frenzy 3 days before the opener. It hid the boat well and we killed a fair share of birds out of it, but this year ive decided to take the time and put some effort into as to hopefully get a few years of use. One issue i had was flaring ducks overhead, so ive found a design with a flip back cover to give you some overhead concealment. Ive got trailer work planned for this week, but next should find me doing some blind building. Ill keep this post updated as the build progresses.

Good deal! You're probably better off with the alum prop...I've sheared two SS props on coral rock so there. Steelflex is from Fasco co. down here in Hialeah, still like new after five seasons. A 100$ gallon did three 1648 hull bottoms! I started with a 1436 with an 18 HP GD LT. Slow but reliable, lucky I did not sink it a couple of times. Down the road, if the SPS give you grief, BackH2O has a glider kit that might be good for you, your area might warrant a mini surface drive too (Copperhead). I have used palmetto fronds with camo sheets for years, on a simple PVC frame- weighs next to nothing- a consideration on smaller hulls like yours. Down here, the cold is not a real factor and the PVC holds up many years and is cheap. I basically use four uprights and two longitudinal runners with tees that press-fit into the uprights, bungee the ends, intersperse with fronds, and you are done.