DuckSouth.com

If you are worried about hitting submerged objects then you have 2 choices. One is a break away plate that cmc makes that allows outboard to kick up even with a t&t unit. The other choice is



I have hit petrified cypress stumps, underwater logs, beaver dams, button willows, sand bars, mud flats, and just about anything else short of a rock dike and this thing keeps on ticking. And that is exactly why I bought it.

Delta and CL I cant see yalls pics, whacha got in ten words or less??

CL I invite you to take your rig hunting with me it's 24 miles one way in the MS river. However when not in the river I use a surface drive also.

The skeg deals are nice but they didn't stop me from loosing one of my lower units.

I completely agree with you Jeff. There may be some guys out there that run a long way with their mudmotors but I'm not gonna do it. I would get an outboard with a cmc break away or buy the new Excel f4 with kik-up motor mount I hunt what amounts to a huge bottomland deadening with cypress tree sloughs and some green timber when the water gets up. My river runs are only a few miles. I have a really big boat like swamprooter (same brand but a 1848 pointed bow with 24" sides) so I'm not going anywhere fast without atleast 60 ponies pushing me. BUT, you have to admit, these shorttail mudmotors can handle the stump impacts better than any outboard if you can sacrifice the speed. I have hit literally hundreds of stumps and logs running wide open (24 mph) and those have been direct impacts to the lower unit/skeg. The motor will fly up and tiller will jump out of your hand. I just regrip and go. No problems yet. There are speed tradeoffs though. I usually hunt just me and my neighbor but when we add 2 more its a slow ride. I'm not one to claim that a mudmotor is the only way to go but I love mine. It fits the area I hunt every weekend. Its nice to be able to run right through button willow clumps when trying to get to new areas and not have to cut a trail or just park in the middle of them and pull up the quickset and hunt. Then crank up and pull out easily when ready to go.


Also, I agree those bolt on deals for the skeg don't do a thing when it comes to stumps or logs.

Lodi--Its just a picture of a Prodrive motor

i will try to post some pics for you after this weekend. I am running a 1750 gator trax with a 50 4 stroke mercury. I have a hydraulic jack plate which does not give and behind that I have a CMC break away plate. IT WILL BREAK away when you hit something under water. I am running a tunnel as well and it helps set the motor back several inches. I can help you with all of this if you need help. It is worth every penny as it will kick back just like a small outboard. I will post photos as soon as possible as my boat is at my camp.

CL, yes there is no argument that any motor that doesn't have trim and tilt is better for hitting stumps and such. Surface drives are even better at it then OB's.

Lipsplitter I am not familliar at all with what you are talking about will it work for larger make outboards?

You can actually order a Gator Trax with an outboard, it is basically the same idea as a flats boat. The prop is basically the only thing in the water, and it has a floatation pod built on the back that sticks out 14-15''. I hope that can help you better understand what he is talkin bout, I am not sure bout the break away deal?

http://cook-mfg.net/cart/index.php?main ... 35e8db8750

It's designed to kickup only at speeds under 5mph.

Has anyone else noticed ,that every time Denduk posts,... The inability to remain focused on the subject matter of the thread,... then have the uncontrolable urge to throw friggin darts ?

Whats up wit dat ? Or is it just me ?

She has splendid form, by the way !

Now,....... what was the question again ?

Rip Em !

quack attack,

I actually own a gator trax that you can put an outboard on and I promise you the sponson on the back will do nothing to keep your outboard from hitting something. The only thing it will do is provide flotation in the back if you need it and also help you get on plane MUCH easier in shallow water.

Mudhog, I kind of figured there was no awnser for hitting something at speed as if there were it would be all over the place.

Jeff, it will work on large outboards. We have put them on up to 150 hp. Would work on others too. It is really really nice. I think you would like it. It will kick up when you hit logs or oyster beds or other submerged objects.

Yes a Gator Trax will work with an outboard. Mine will run very shallow and is very fast. I run a 4 blade prop and it will jump on step in a hurry. Not all Gator Trax have what you are calling a sponson on the back. It is an option called a huntdeck but I personally like a tunnel when running an outboard if you intend to run shallow. You cant get a huntdeck and a tunnel. My buddy ordered a Gator Trax from me which is setup like mine. He then had a welding shop make him some pods on each side and it does provide some more lift and will run insanely shallow. The break away works at all speeds. I am not saying it is a do all end all but it will provide some flex and allows the motor to kick up just like a small 15 or 25 will do. I will never have an outboard without one after rigging one up. I will get some pics this weekend.

Cl you are right on about the F-4 that is ONE BAD motha but from the dealers I have spoken to price is between 5200 and 5800 thats just for the hull. NO THANKS. I like the looks of it but I aint made of money. The cmc 130 is probably what I will need to use and I may put a hydro jack plate on as well. I am building this boat the way I want it. I have an express hull stripped out and will have it customed at F&F. How does GatorTrax rig a huntdeck for an outboard.

For my ignorance yall tell me something, with a Jackplate you will still have the whole skeg and prop below the boat at speed right?

One the CMC website it says at speeds lower than 5MPH is that just for there liability issues, does it work at 20 25 mph??

Guys you got to understand when you go to setting motors back off a transom, you are really stressing a certian area of that transom. Then when you start stacking 2 plates? That's asking for it! That plate that cook builds is nothing more than their c130 model without the trim pump. This plate is not strong enough to handle motors over 125 to 130 horses. Nor motors over around 300 lbs. You've got to realize when you kick all that weight up it's really going to slam back down! Under power this very easily could shatter a transom! I don't care who builds the boat! Repeated doing of this will break any of em. Now at low speeds of say 5 mph or less yes it wouldn't be so bad, but at those speeds why do you even need it in the first place? Even the bigger motors that don't have trim have had cylinders on them for years, Why? To keep the motors from slamming back down and breaking transoms that's why! You playing with fire when you start setting back motors 10,12, 14 inches on an aluminum boat with a squared off transom. These boats weren't designed to take this. Now there are designs that are built for this, but just simply sticking one of these plates on is not always the answer. Not to mention could well endanger your life and the lives of others! Everyone seems to be so conscious of a life jacket or a kill switch, but then go and do something real dumb to cause an accident in the first place!

549, I am putting a 50 HP motor on a plate rated for 130 hp so I think I ill be ok but you are exactly right about the excess stress, They need to have a buffer on the way down because if at speed you hit something and cant decrease throdlle in time the force of the forward propulsion is going to slam the motor back down. I think. The new F-4 does have that but like I said I will not pay what they want for it.

the huntdeck is ready for an outboard or mud motor from the factory although they put extra support with an outboard package on the transom. I wouldnt want all that weight on a regular jon boat but on the gator trax and other .125 gauge boats i have seen the transom is plenty strong. I can assure you that if you hit something with the breakaway you are better off than having a rigid outboard with no give at all. as for sitting the motor back it can help on certain boats. none of this applies to all boats as there are so many variables. we have had very good success doing this on tunnel boats that are being used to run shallow. it is one of those things that you just need to see to get a feel for it. setting the motor back on a tunnel can benefit you in performance, speed and getting on step. I am not sure I would try this unless I had a well built transom. I deal mostly with gator trax boats and the transom strength is second to none. i am not trying to argue just trying to offer some insight on my experience with this setup. I have hit things going alot faster than 5 mph and the motor kicks. whether or not it would have damaged the motor without the break up I really dont know. I have torn the foot off of smaller outboards such as a 25 so it can happen no matter what you do.