GF16 -- Smart Tabs???

[maxgsx]

Don't companies make specialist, air-cooled motors for just such a use ?

Mud motors I think they are called

[roob76]

they sure do!http://www.mudbuddy.com/HyperSport.htm

they are kinda heavy or the hp ratings. i have seen others that look more like a weed eater with a prop at the end.

[Newt]

You mean like this?

[Cracker Larry]

Don't get me wrong, Tim. I'm not saying that I don't believe you. I'm just saying that I've never seen it, which means nothing. Lot's of things I haven't seen, so I keep an open mind. That's why I like these forums, I learn something new every day.

Around our neck of the swamps, if we need to run in 4" of water we use airboats, which will also run on solid mud or damp grass. Bird strikes sometimes damage the prop

[Cracker Larry]

Check out this link, and click on the "Video" tab to witness a shallow running boat

http://www.airboats.com/pages/gallery.html

[stickystuff]

Well maybe I was wrong. There is a lot of common sense to shallow water running. Myself I can't see ruining a prop in 4". maybe it does have a mud bottom but then you are pumping mud through your engine and lower unit. In an emergency then do what you have to do. I can't afford the repair bills down the road on my engine. We all do stupid things including myself. Anybody else out there run a stump through the bottom of your hull.? One of my more notible trademarks on this board. Not complaining or putting anybody down. Just some of the things that go with the turf or mud or oysterbars and STUMPS.

[timoub007]

Thanks guys (Jerry-rigged esp.), not trying to sound defensive.

Larry, we can run an airboat in this State WMA but they limit the horsepower to 10 or 15. What good is a 15 hp airboat? Might as well strap a few hair dryers on a GF-12 and call it good. LOL

Ken, I too have put a stump through the bottom of a hull. It was an aluminum bass boat and never really went completely through but the bottom (pad) had to be cut out and replaced. I learned to stay in the boat lanes when on plane the expensive way. Doh!

I would love to put a short shafted mud motor on my GF-16 but they weigh way too much. I think they are between 225 and 250 pounds for about 30 horsepower. With a soft bottom they will run through nothing, but a hard bottom will stop them in their tracks.

I routinely pump muddy water through the motor. It just means I have to change the impellor more often. The mud is soft enough that it does not damage a stainless steel prop. If you get in to the shell you know it pretty quick though. One of those low water pickups would make things a lot worse, not better. I feel this way due to the type of thick mud that would just clog it up. It really cakes on, kind of like clay.

I think I'm going to ask my in-laws to get me the Smart Tabs for Christmas. At least they can contribute to the disease. LOL

T

[Cracker Larry]

A 15 hp airboat I was thinkin more like 350 hp. Actually I've been considering building a GF 18 as an airboat. Wonder what Jacques would think of that?

I too have put a stump through a boat bottom. A cypress knee to be more exact.

[Jerry-rigged]

We've got a 5hp air motor on our 15' tunnel hull (along with the 60hp outboard ) We use it to push the boat at about .5 to 1 mile an hour for floundering. For crossing channels we throttle up, it will almost get the boat up to hull speed.

[Cracker Larry]

Jerry, that's an innovative idea Flounder gigging is one of my passions, but we usually just pole along with the current, using the gig as a push pole. I'd really like to see some pictures of that, if possible. Feel free to email me direct. lteuton at aol dot com.