Questions Please no bashing

[jjduckhunter]

I do not want to start another thread about how bad Air Boats Are and so on.

All i want to know is what people like and dislike about air boats (PLEASE NO BASHING) Answers i am looking for. What size boat. MPG. Long lasting. what brand of boats are the best too.


And i want to know how mudd motors are same questions above. Also what deapth can they be ran at. Also what boats do you recommend and what specific motor.

I would like to compare the Air boats to the mudd motors and see what advantages each have and what disavantages each have.

I say again dont make this a thread with total nonsense just looking for info.

[slammer]

Good questions, I would like to know too since I want a new rig for next year.
What good are the air boats other than dropping guys off at blinds...can you hide that big old blade and cage?
I have a 10 foot jon boat and looked at a used 5.5hp mud motor. The seller claims it pushes a 14/48 well. I used to run a 14' deep V with a 9.9hp and that seemed OK but 5.5 seems small. Will use it in Sag. Bay and probably stick to the inside edge on all but the fairest days. What do you think???

[limige]

if you travel much distance mud motors suck, use an outboard if you have the water. weed choked areas require them though.. airboats are effective but loud and a cold ride. airboats are more veristile, early/late ice, duck season till she's totally froze theres alot of bonus's to them, thats why they've gotten popular.

longtails and surface drives really don't require much more than 6-8" of water i don't think.

good luck, i haven't owned either just talked around.

[kcud rellik]

As long as you are not bottoming out a mud motor will work. A 5.5 mud motor will get u there just not too fast esp once you load up with dekes. I can't see hiding an air boat very well.
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[Swamp Boss]

Airboats observations:

Stick up fairly high and can be difficult to camo.

Trailering them a long distance could get to be a drag on gas mileage.

Without a dog you have to fire it up each time you knock down a bird in deep water.

Single purpose is tranportation, cant hunt out of one-would be great for carp hunting though!

[Quack Wacker]

You want info on mud motors go here: www.mudmotortalk.com

[WoodchuckSniper]

I cant help you with your air boat questions but I can share my thoughts on mud motors.

My boat is a 1448 and I started out with a 9 hp Go Devil long tail motor. While I never really got stuck with that motor, I came really close to it a couple times in heavy lily pads. That little 9 hp got me just about anywhere I wanted to go within reason. The biggest drawbacks were its lack of power to chew through the really thick stuff with ease and the fact that it was slow to get you to your destination.

A couple years ago I upgraded to a Mud Buddy 23 hp Hyper Lite. Now I have the power I need to chew through the thick vegetation. I no longer worry about not having enough motor. My boat will run 23 miles per hour with just me and a buddy in it but it slows way down once it is loaded with hunting gear. I dont need more than a few inches of water to run, pretty much if the boat will float, the motor will push it. One negative on this motor is that it does not turn as tight as the long tail motor did.

After having both style motors, if I had to buy another motor, I would buy another long tail over the Hyper style. In my opinion, the Hyper style motor just doesn't give me enough extra wow factor to justify the extra expense.

And that's my two shiny pennies worth.

[Bellyup]

I have a Beavertail 1750 and a 27HP Long tail.

It is under powered. If you have it going good at top speed and get into some thick mud you might make it through. Basically it needs at least some water, maybe 3 - 5" and it should get through it. Less than that and it takes some grunt work. It would be faster to get out an wallow through. But like some said, it chews through the weeds decent where it would plug the water of a regular outboard. The main thing in mud motors in my opinion is the more low end grunt you can get, the better. That will get you through the mud. Often times I stop in some thick mud and look around, but to get moving again.. Th emotor will be going full tilt, but not moving the boat, so I have to work it a litlle back and forth, and hope. Usually I have to push pole a bit. Just not enough low end grunt, or maybe the prop needs improved, nto sure which yet.

All in all there is no single best. It depends on your applications. Pick the one that will best suit you to what you hunt from the most. Then make due when you hunt elswhere. I would rather have an outboard on mine for any long distance travel, or big water. the mud motors simply are a beast to handle on open water if you have to zig zag through anything.