Have a Grizzly 16 x 48 mod V . Live in KY on the Licking River . Run very Shallow water and swift water ripples Flat rock Bottom .We beat props to death on Tillers . not worried about speed at all just Navigating . Usually get out and pull the Boats up stream when the river pools (can float down stream). Take in mind River is like a large creek can be 25 to 250 foot wide ,1 to 20 feet deep for most parts Been thinking of one of these Longtails for a while .
What would be a good prop and a good long tail to look out for ?
Running Water only . Bill Cornelius seaofiron@yahoo.com

Any longtail 23hp and up should work. I think all manufactures offer a rock guard. Longtails are not the best when quick precise turns are required for navigation through rapids or around rocks in a swift current. A small SD with a rock guard might be a better fit in these conditions if the water is not less than a foot deep. A SD has problems with a hard bottom and shallow water.

I hunted in these conditions in Oregon. The guy I hunted with had a jet foot on a 50hp outboard. This setup worked really good. This is a picture of the motor foot -

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff12 ... 1266195789

jets suck !!! and litterly too.

and grass or leaves will clog them.

i run the same type of rivers here in tn. i have a surface drive and go where the jets go. if i hit a rock it kicks the prop out of the water. if a jet hits one it means a trip to the welder or a new pump housing ( up to $1600)

i have a 23 hp sd on a 14x48. i can run down a 40 hp jet no problem. as for the prop i hit rocks and gravel all the time. i figured i would have to get a new prop every season. so far i have the org. prop with no real ware on it. it gets knicked up but is still in good shape. 3 years running.

my bro-in-law has a 16x54 with a 35 hp sd. he can go where i go. he put a rock guard on his and hasent touched a rock with the prop yet. the guard works. i dont have one, but will if i ever change props.

get a surface drive you wont be sorry

i would get a 27 or big block if i were you.

Thanks Guys I Will have to keep an eye out for one and hope they will ship. Not one in my area that I know of . Wish I had one 30 years ago . I would love to see them in the mud in PERSON. Bill

visit the web sites you can order direct from mud buddy and im guessing the others also.

Run a search here on MMT-jou`ll get result like this and others.
PRO DRIVE- Rock Guard- I believe $250

Are you sure that is a ROCK Guard it looks like it came out of a MAD MAX MOVIE I will add this option for sure .

ive seen the pd guard before its a monster. has anyone run one ? how much drag does it cause?

the mb one is just a peice of ss bar that extends down the skegg. it works fine w/o all the other peices on the sides.

Talked to Clint from Mud Motors on the RockGuard and types of Motors said those Big RockGuards create a Lot of Cavatation they have a small add on . I am leaning towards the Shallow drives . I do not have dealer around to go look at them .Need to kick a few tires as they say .Thanks for the help But I may have a couple more ?s later on.

Another side

now thats a massive rock gaurd!

Dayum!!!!! That's the biggest rock guard I have ever seen!

That's a fkn BOLDER guard

I run a 9 and 16hp ltgd on a 1442 in the same type of waters. just beef up the skeg and get or make a set of wing style rock guards. the super guards are to big and wont allow you to bite down in the shallows. As for props, since you wont be running in mud go a few sizes up in pitch so when you wear it down it will last longer. mine calls for a 9x3 but i use a 9x6 until it becomes a 7x6.
I have friends who run SDs and they do ok too. If you go SD make sure its a light one. the better the draft the better your performance. Also for types of props, get the cheapest ones you can find, they are gonna get eat up anyways.