I meant to thank you about nine months. This was one of the videos that really helped me decide to get a mud motor. I ended up grabbing a used 1542 and put a 13 hp Honda on it. I haven't regretted a second of it. The river that I frequent looks identical to this with multiple little tributaries that only kayaks can go to, and that's if they paddle for a couple of hours first. I'm blessed to have 3 boys (9-11-13) and they love it.
@@Bamaoutdoors it came off of a pressure washer my dad bought new in 2000-2001. It was only used 1-2 hours/year and wasn't used at all for a few of those years. I put a stage 1 kit on it (free flowing filter/exhaust/jet) and had it inspected/titled as a mud skipper outboard motor to keep the Ohio officers happy.
Great to see. I had never heard of a mud motor. I had a river in my younger days in southern Ontario in Canada that used to look a lot like that river but with a lot of flooded land where only a canoe was usable. That rig would have been perfect.
Yeah I really never would've thought it would go through that like it did! It's a little different than a outboard because it's so long but honestly once you get used to it it's not much different. Thanks for watching!
I'm highly impressed with this video. Especially like it when you hopped out the boat when the water looked deep, but was only about 6 inches shallow! Excellent placement of you GoPro camera, capturing the forward shots of you "carelessly zooming" through the unknown! You took us along the adventure...Love it! Thanks!
Just for reference. I have a 12/32 jon boat with the predator 212. It goes even shallower. If I keep it pinned and on plane, it can skip over sand bars that are 4 inches or around ankle deep. Its crazy. The smaller kits with smaller props are able to hook up in shallower water due to the samller diamer of the prop. Just info for yall. Only drawback is a 12/32 jon isn't as stable, and 2 medium sized adults is about max capacity, even pushing it a little to get on plane. Running solo though, it kicks ass. I fish in holes up river that are basiclly untouched because I'm the only guy around the lake/river with the kit.
Good deal! I have a 10 foot Jon boat that I would like to get a small kit and see what it would do but I'm sure it would be a little sketchy lol but it would be fun! Thanks for watching!
Yes I was just testing to see how it would ride with some weight in the front versus nothing. It did level out pretty good with some weight in the front but of course a little bit slower. I do think it's better without anything in the front.
Just for a little weight for the front to level it out, but I have tried it without anything in the front and it done good without it. I think you will enjoy it!
I have a 1236 jon! Just got my sps medium kit. It looks very well engineered. Now I’m waiting for a carbruator for my Honda 390 gx engine. Last year, running the river, I was constantly hitting sand and the occasional rock with my Suzuki 2.5 outboard. Took forever to go nowhere. This mud kit should fix that. My boat doesn’t need much water to float. Thanks for the video
That's funny. I had the exact problem with my Suzuki 2.5 mounted to a 14ft canoe. It would get me a lot of places, but eventually it would hit bottom and I even broke a shear pin (saving my prop) which left me paddling all day. I also went with a GX390 (stage 1) on a 1542 Jon boat. Love it
I run my 1636 jon boat up some of my local rivers here in Middle Ga and loaded with just fishing gear and my wife or son, I can get through water just above ankle deep before I run aground. As soon as I jump out she floats again in what I would venture to guess as about 5 inches. I run my own custom built short/long tail mud motor. I can usually run up and then back down with a round trip of about 20 miles on just one tank of gas. I do run a built Predator 6.5 making around about 16hp using a 7.5 in prop.
@@sbranham86 I am running a 42 inch shaft and use an adjustable mount that allows me to set the prop up to about 50 inches off the back of the boat or as close as 38 inches. I have found it runs best flat out set to about 45 inches of the back. I am in the Lake Oconee area and built it to run up the Appalachee and Oconee's river shallows. To even get into the Appalachee from Lake Oconee you have to have a seriously shallow draft where the river comes into the lake, and rarely do you see guys coming up the river without their lower units almost out of the water running traditional outboards.
see, this is why I'm considering some type of mud motor on a custom john boat. Most guys around here just go jet on a custom fiberglass boat w/special dense/slick plastic layer on the bottom, if they need the capabilities like this, but mud motors seem a lot more reliable to me and easier to troubleshoot/fix myself
Yeah I don't know much about jet boats but they do seem fun lol. Mud motor are pretty simple just a shaft and a lawnmower motor but I'm sure each have a place.
Back when I lived in south Louisiana, I had a 15 foot square stern pirogue with a 8 hp Go Devil mud motor. It would take me across mud flats with no water on top. It would literally plow through.
Hey thanks for taking the time to post your experiences, I'm in Tasmania and no one here runs long tails, I've noticed lately they seem to have fallen out of favour especially on the forums, I would normally not take notice of opinions on forums but....... they are hard work they are slow short tails are better etc. etc. do you think this is just talk , as in my experience that's mostly what people on forums do. I'm about to order one from Thailand and will be interested in your opinion and what others think. Thanks.
I don't know much about the short tails but I have heard people say they are faster and a little easier to handle. The only thing I can say is you may need a little more room for turning around but with a little practice I can turn pretty sharp just have to watch the prop! Hope that help out Thanks for the comments!
It is different than an outboard for sure. Without a neutral or reverse you have to kinda use it like a paddle lifting the prop up and down out of the water. If you try turning really sharp you have to lean out pretty far with the handle because of the length of the handle. It does take some getting used to but once you get the hang of it its not to bad and fun to run.
I'm totally with you.. my boat is an old 1975 Alweld 14 36.. I have the exact same setup sps kit. The boat was extremely cheap..(free).. FINALLY, got it titled..and stickers put on. Bought the sps kit three years ago.. about 450.00$ bucks then ? Had the 13hp sitting around.. So I used it. You've got me excited about it again.
It does a good job for sure but I haven't had a chance to run anything else. I've been really wanting to get a service Drive to try because the long shaft is a little aggravating and tight spots. I have some small creeks I run and have to turn off the engine so I don't break the prop if it gets hung up on the back.
About the only thing I've had it in is lime stone which is like a rock lol. As long as the boat can handle it I think it will be good but you will definitely need some extra props.
Well it really depends! If I'm in the river like in this video and other videos I've done the swamp Runner kit works really well, but if you were going in bigger lakes and for longer distances I would probably go with a regular outboard.
It's really not as bad as I thought it would be maybe just a little louder than an outboard. You are moving forward and the noise is behind you so it don't bother me at all.
I actually bought mine used off of marketplace but I know they do have a website you can order straight from them. www.mudmotorkit.com/swamp-runner-mud-motor-kit-selection/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmPSSBhCNARIsAH3cYgYMMEY2tph5BOLjwcZuezRxgI6poAt8H7XUp8R44FvyRB78V4Pr1ykaAhE9EALw_wcB
How wide is this boat. I have a 1436 with a swamp runner and a 212cc motor I'm wanting to get a bigger kit but not sure if it would be to heavy for my boat
yeah you will be ok. if you havnt done it already i will just put my 2 cents in from experience a 1436 with the 6.5 and moving up to a 13. im running a 1436 right now with a 13hp predator. i reenforced the transom with a 1/8 alum plate across the entire back just to be safe. if your running solo a lot the 13hp engine defiantly not needed. or the longer tail shaft will be needed. right now i have an 80 inch tail and at 19-21mph i am outrunning my wake. the 6.5 hp would let me clock in at 16mph. again solo. adding in the family is where the 13hp engine really helps. i drop about 3-4mph per person i add to the boat. so i am actually keeping my 1436 set up with the 13hp engine for family fishing and i am in the process of building a 1032 with the 6.5 for my solo trips. keeps the weight down to where i can load and unload without a trailer for the little boat. the 1436 with the 13hp is way to heavy and needs a trailer to avoid hurting yourself
This is the medium kit for the 420 but I think it will fit the 212 motor too. I picked it up used already put together so I'm not even sure how to put one together lol
@Bamaoutdoors if it's not too much to ask for . Do you think u could post a little video just over the mounting points and where the handle of the throttle runs to
i just took my preditor out of my shriner gokart for a 5.5 honda now i know what im going to do with that preditor motor i just need to buy a little john boat
I've not had it in anything like that yet. I'm sure it will work but I know that is some tough grass lol. I'm planning on putting it in some lily pads soon and see how it does!
I thought I was the only one who packed a spare tire in my boat I have a camp that is only accessible by water I carry my spare tire in my boat When i get to my camp i throw the spare tire out Put it back in the boat before i leave to go home Nevertheless i'm often riding a tire round in my boat
