I have a briggs 18hp vangaurd new and am building a surface drive for it....it is a steel frame becouse I dont have access to alluminum welder.....im going to gear it at 1.5-1 and would like to turn. A 11x10 prop if its possible with tge gearing...I see copperhead mm are turning that size prop from what I read and they seem to run pretty good..the motor is going on a 1542 tracker

Started transom bracketScreenshot_2014-09-11-19-02-21.png

looks good so far

Got a few more things done todayScreenshot_2014-09-11-19-02-36.png

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I had a 11*10 prop given to me I was going to use if I could to save $200 but turns out its a 7/8 shaft not 3/4 so looks like I have to come off the pocket and buy a prop...what size should I run if I use a gear ratio of 1.5-1. Do you think I can spin a 11*10 ok or should I get a 10*8..my boat is light its usually just me with light gear sometimes a buddy will go but the gear is light and no dog

Built some more today ...got the prop shaft made ..pulled the stuff I already had done and painted it ..go back to work tonight so wont get much done untill next week ..got to build the top gearbox cover ..skeg.. and the prop shaft brace

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Cool! Good luck!!

Looking good! I think you ought a be good with the 1:5/1 and a 11x10. I built one last spring with a 16hp vanguard with an 11x10 and 1:5/1 and put it on my old 1430 river jon. Ended up changing the ratio to 1:33/1 cause it kept wanting to bury the stern and stand straight up. It helped,but it's just too much motor for that narrow little boat, at least for me. A buddy of mine let me try it on his 1648 and I went back to 1:5/1 ratio and it did pretty good. Right now I've got the motor torn down and gonna do a few mods and lookin for a bigger hull or kickin around the idea of trying to build one. You planning on running a belt drive?

my stock 23 spun a big blade (12.25 x 10 i think) 3800-4000 rpms stock on my boat with a 34 top 52 bottom (1.52 ratio) the 18 should be able to spin a 11x10

Got a little closer this weekend... got go look into the key switch it doesnt want to shut off with the key and my float is sticking causing carb to over flow...I might mess with it in the morning after work tonight .. hopefully run it on my weekend next week

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Nice looking build! Have you gotten your prop yet?

Gotta give this guy credit. He just decided to build one himself and did.

Prop came in yesterday I got a hill 11x10 prop ..I ran it in my shop with no prop for a little while just checking for vibrations everything good so far...I know its going to take a little while to work bugs out hopefully another week on it and ill be ready for my blind ....looks like im not going to make mini season

We'll got it all together and took it for the first test drive... I didn't have to paddle or call for help so it was a good day. The boat ran 22mph with extra battery a jump box tools and a trolling all the just in case stuff ..it ran well I have two small leaks coming from two bolts that are a easy fix , it ran 22 at just under 3700 rpm so I'm not doing to bad I may build a cavitation plate for it because prop want to cavitat pretty bad every now and then but I'm happy with it being my first build

Nice build man. Coming out great

Nice build bud, keep us updated

Nice job! If you put on a cavitation plate, I'd like to see.

Nice build. A cavitation plate will not help you when you are on-plane. Your 11X10 prop is a surface piercing prop which is made to run approximately half in the water so that it pulls air in to the water around the blades reducing drag. Continue to the mess around with your trim and you should be able to find the sweet spot where the prop is not feeling like it is loosing "traction" You may also be getting some sort of disturbace from the bottom the boat that is causing it to feel like you are loosing prop bite.

Ive messed with trim I think I found the sweet spot I top out at 23 at3600 it pulls hard out of the hole and jumps to 23 pretty fast ive put about 4 hrs on it so far with no problems except a little leake I fixed ...no vibrations ...im alot happier with the chain drive than I thought its not loud and I dont have to worry as much about sudden shock to the prop becouse were I hunt theirs not mucb trees or im not running through mud its just real thick vegetation and Lilly's so a outboard is out of the question...veary happy with the build

Nice I built one myself good job on the build

Redid the shaft went from threaded to a hex and new belt housing went from 11x10 to 12.25x10

Took it out today at wide open the motorb is spinning at 4150 witch is to high I think I have a bigger top gear I might put on to slow down the rpms it will end up being 1.3*1......what is a good top rpm fkr a stock 18hp vangaurd

Whats with the transducer up there?

Thats the old one new down low with side imagining and gps

I wouldn't be worried about spinning it 4150, if you're still gaining speed at that RPM Id say you're on the right track.

Sweet build. I built several longtails back in the day. What are you using for trim? I thought I seen a " T " handle bolt that could be it but not sure. Also, are you using bearings or bushings?

Yes im using a t handle screw style trim.....im using three bearing in the shaft and one wall mount bearings in the gear box

That's great. I used bearings as well along with shaft seals to hold the grease in. Looks good.

Put some more time on it im getting 21mph with two loaded at 3800rpm...I think im right were I want to be I have good bottom end torque and a desent top speed

What kind of bearing and seal did you use I'm going to start on my build soon and was trying to get stuff together