Mud Motor

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   Anybody running a Mud Motor on a river?

I'm looking at getting a Zodiac type or Aluminum boat, of about the same length.  I want to run the Gunnison and Colorado in my area.  It would be shallow and and rocky at times.  I'd sorta rather have a Jet.  But, I'm exploring possibilities.

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stinky Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .243 Winchester Joined: 30 August 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 226	Post Options Post Reply Quote stinky Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Mud Motor Posted: 02 July 2025 at 00:46
	Anybody running a Mud Motor on a river? I'm looking at getting a Zodiac type or Aluminum boat, of about the same length. I want to run the Gunnison and Colorado in my area. It would be shallow and and rocky at times. I'd sorta rather have a Jet. But, I'm exploring possibilities.
	John 14:6

d4570 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .416 Rigby Joined: 27 January 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9961	Post Options Post Reply Quote d4570 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 July 2025 at 08:47
	We ran a 18' Hewescraft sportjet with a 200 HP Merc inboard jet for 18 years on the Missouri river. Loved it, It would about go anywhere. Our part of the river will average around a foot deep most the time. On rare occasions we would run aground on a mid stream island, never had a huge problem getting off but you need to have a winch, long handle shovels and a parachute. With a jet weeds and moss where the killers. Along the edger ,where you wanted to fish, is where they gather. Now back to your question, We sold the big boat and got an 18' Excel g4 Mud boat with a 40 (rated actually a 55 HP) Mud buddy surface drive and never looked back. No boat ramp needed. It will latterly run on MUD little to no water. It's no were as fast av the Hewes but it will average with 3 people and gear 27 mph. You Will need a rock guard, we hit rocks on most trips, the props are VERY tough and can take a hell of a beating. With a Zodiac a 10 hp ish mud skipper, a long tail, is probably what you would want. Don't let the 10 hp rating bother you we have one with a Honda and with a few mods it will almost double the HP but keep the designation letting you run in restricted areas. It's on a 14 foot aluminum Jon boat and it goes as fast as you can control it. You do know most mud motors are meant to be steered from a standing position and don't have a reverse, Ours does. Edited by d4570 - 02 July 2025 at 08:53
	Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box

d4570 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .416 Rigby Joined: 27 January 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9961	Post Options Post Reply Quote d4570 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 July 2025 at 08:56

	Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box

stinky Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .243 Winchester Joined: 30 August 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 226	Post Options Post Reply Quote stinky Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 July 2025 at 19:38
	By Mud-Skipper long-tail you mean something like this? Mercury 7.5 HP Gasoline 212CC 3600RPM 4 Stroke Outboard Motor, Long Tail Mud Motor Kit with Water Cooling & TCI System for Fishing & Inflatable Boats Vehicles Parts Vehicle Parts Accessories Watercraft Parts Accessories Watercraft Engines Motors I knew dat about reverse. How do you get around that? Pole? Paddle(s)? I was just looking at the Cabelas and Basspro websites (yep, same store, dif websites) and I did not see any jets. I'm going 4-stroke. What about air-cooled engines?
	John 14:6

d4570 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .416 Rigby Joined: 27 January 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9961	Post Options Post Reply Quote d4570 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 July 2025 at 19:55
	I didn't know that there was water cooled mud motor? I wouldn't go that direction. Lots of time you motor is out of the water. Also we use ours in well below zero weather. Get as much motor your boat will float.
	Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box

d4570 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .416 Rigby Joined: 27 January 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9961	Post Options Post Reply Quote d4570 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 July 2025 at 19:58
	Ours is one that has reverse. Yes you need a push pole. When you get the hang of driving it you can almost pivot in place if you have room.
	Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box

stinky Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .243 Winchester Joined: 30 August 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 226	Post Options Post Reply Quote stinky Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 July 2025 at 20:04
	OK....now that you mention it....DUH, water-cooled wouldn't work. AND, Mud=Skipper, Long-Tail is what you meant in the link? Edited by stinky - 02 July 2025 at 20:08
	John 14:6

d4570 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .416 Rigby Joined: 27 January 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9961	Post Options Post Reply Quote d4570 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03 July 2025 at 08:31
	Yes. BUT I saw there is now a surface drive skipper. Our first venture in to the mud world was with a longtail go devil powered with a 27 hp Koller air cooled. It worked verry well but we did not have a "Mud" hull more of a pointed Jon. The mew one is on a MUD HULL and is a surface drive rather then the long tail, easer to drive but the longtail you could "reach" out to hit more water and pry the boat around. Both have advantages but different. Surface drives seam to run faster in the water. Surface drive Longtail Edited by d4570 - 03 July 2025 at 08:38
	Remember: Four boxes keep us free ,the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, AND the cartridge box