I have a GoDevil 18X44 round chine fishing/hunting boat with a GoDevil 23 Longtail. I bought it to duck hunt legally in federal refuges. I don't like the LT. I thought of selling the entire rig, or just buying a outboard to fish with. Now I'm thinking a surface drive. If I went 25 HP I would be half legal on federal water. I've searched and can't make any sense of what I find for getting a smaller prop to be legal. I may be over thinking the legal issue. Do the Feds actually enforce it?
So, my questions:
1: Anything to absolutely stop putting a 25 HP GD surface drive on the GD LT boat? It's a 15" transom. Some say that it is actually a better combo than SD on a SD boat. Some say anything though.
2: The GD SD is Kohler. I have always thought they were good motors but have no personal experience.
3: Is aftermarket stuff available for Kohler, particularly smaller diameter props?

Speed is not a priority, but 18.7 mph empty with the LT is slow. The 32" shaft on the 25HP GD SD sounds like it would be more maneuverable and hope it might make it past 20 mph.

First off, that boat is fine for a surface drive.
Get the 23 if you want to mod it, bc there ain't much for that kohler.
The 23 or 25 will push that boat but loaded down you aren't gona see much speed gain over the long tail like you would with a big block. But it should get you over the 20 threshold you're looking for.
Make sure you don't have a bunch of wet foam in it.
Finally, the GDSD is a surface drive but it's not much different than driving a long tail when compared to the other big three with their weighted back design.
I always called mine a long tail with gear reduction.



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^^Thanks. My biggest issue with the longtail is maneuvering. I'm gonna run into somebody at a ramp one of these days. I actually avoid the ramp I want to use because it's in a tight spot. With the LT 90 degrees to the transom I'm about to fall out of the boat. If I'm holding the prop on the surface to slowly turn the boat and it decides to grab and go below the surface, I'm gonna hurt somebody, besides myself. I'm hoping a SD is a bit easier.
I am more familiar with the B&S Vanguard than a Kohler for sure. $500 for 2 HP over the B&S.
GD website says 2 things on the 25HP Kohler drive shaft. 32" and 36". Anybody know?
How much difference is it from the throttle to the handrail on a GD LT boat vs. a SD boat? GD used to have CAD drawings on their website. I can't find them now.
My salesman ain't answering the phone.

The gdSD is a tad bit easier but still not easy to drive around a dock.

Idk why they have two shaft lengths but I think the 36" is what the big blocks have

You can get the swept back handle from godevil or get yours bent back to help with the slightly shorter tiller on the sd.



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Thanks. I found the CAD drawings in the "Details and Options" tab. I don't think the handrail will be a big issue.

I thought the mid west super cub offered something for the kohler motors ? You may call them and ask. I thought JLacour did some to his 27PD using Midwest super cub


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They do, there's more parts out there for the kohlers than there is for the briggs. Lot more options than just midwest super cub, but they are the biggest and seem to be the most helpful. Just that the parts are designed for and used in a different application so you won't have as much info available to you for your specific application.

I did some Googling and found some racing lawn mower nuts. Seems these folks are all over Kohler mods:
http://www.lakotaracing.com/

Do some mmt searching. I seem to remember someone dealt with them maybe a year or so ago and wasn't terribly pleased with the bondo used on the heads lol

Some of the lawmower racing guys definitely have a different way of doing things. Function over fashion.

No, those are the bondo heads russ was talking about.

That's a sport v thread, cb. Not the Lakota mods dude

When I click on it, it takes me to the lakota thread. And I definitely copied it from that thread.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=54206

See if that one works. Not sure why it takes us to different places, but the first one still works for me, on multiple computers.

That's it.

Zee craftsmanship eez...magneefeek

Was that real?


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That was real. They closed in the chamber with weld, then did a super shitty job cleaning that back up. The epoxy shit all over the outside had something to do with what they did inside on the ports. Think it took a long ass time too, and they basically told him that's just what it is... There's a thread somewhere with more details about what happened.

Have you considered the gator tail 25 hp? That's what my friend runs on federal waters with a 9" prop. It also has neutral and reverse, unlike the go devil. On top of that, they just released the big block 25 hp that makes it even easier to mod. It is considerably more expensive, but just a thought.

Midwest super club: http://www.mcssl.com/store/midwestsupercub/v-twin-parts
I think that complete motor at 90HP is my choice.