Advice form the pros on set up and engines

[goldhunter_2]

Ok I am building a Mudboat for my duck hunting but my air boat I guess I need to fix up and just use for scouting/playing :lol: boat is a 14' glass hurricane about 6' wide with a some what tunnel hull no poly but my dry running will be mainly marsh like the hayfeild in lake "O" it is currently set as front seat control I will change that to rear seat control . When I bought this I got a package type deal on some stuff and ended up witha 4 cyl ford engine with prop hub for direct drive (motors need rebuild for sitting) My cage has about 36"-38" form the engine stand to the back of the cage by the rudders and the bolt pattern form side to side is like 11 1/2" and top to bottom is like 9 1/2"
(can chage if needed) I think my max prop would be about a 70" (72" clanence) I don't want any problems with power! need to carry , at times , four people and light gear run water , marsh flats made a dike now and then. I don't have alot of cash right now spent my "mad money" on Materials for my mudboat to hunt out of so I am thinking of selling or tradeing my old jeep for engine and prop and need to get the best setup for my needs

Ok what engine do you think? I am leaning towards a aircraft motor so I don't have to deal with cooling system

How much Hp do I really need? I don't want underpower problems

What prop?

what would a fair price be on the engine and prop?

sorry I don't know how to post pictures on here[/img]

 

[cntry141iq]

Normally the hayfields in okeechobee are not dry. Your best place to start would be with a trip to the junkyard or landfill with that hull after you used a chainsaw on it so no one else could ever use it again. That is exactly what I did with mine. That hull was never intended for any type of dry ground runnin at all. It typically was used because it would turn in water and it was maybe easier to plane in water due to the tunnel hull style. I can tell you that was one sharp turning baby you could screw the bow down under water and throw the rudder the other way and stand on the throttle and she would launch like a submarine on an emergency blowoff manuver. However if you were not ready for it you would have to change underwear. That hull will never run dry worth a flip it wasnt made to do that and no amount of horepower is gonna change it.

Look around on the for sale boards here and at airboat trader and get a wore out boat with a 220 ground power and you will be light years ahead of where you will ever be with that hull.

not trying to be rude but a sows ear will never be a silk purse no matter how much money you put in it. dont wate your time it is to precious

 

[goldhunter_2]

Yes I understood it was not a true dry running hull I meant with my comment abut the hay feild that was as close to running dry as I would do with this boat. my weight reffernce was more towards being able to carry four poeple and maybe some gear

honestly I don't want to spend the money to buy another boat that I an only get limited use out of running 7-8 days a year I just can't justify by another boat I was just thinking if I could get this back going reasonable I may as well since it is sitting here


Thanks for the input

 

[cntry141iq]

I am not sure about the weight capacity but if your short on things to do might as well work on it. I was always short on time to work on em and it cut into my fishin time too bad. they were good hulls if your not runnin dry ground or soft mud. I have seen them seriously stuck in soupy mud that hull forms a suction really good and it fills up the tunnel part and you cant go sideways to spin a 180 to break it loose. So I would stay in the water if I could and if crossing a dike I would stay straight once leaving the water and if it is soft I would use the mud boat your building. And really you are carrying buddies on the boat so what are buddies for ... helpin to pull it loose. Just keep the cash invested low and save up for another one butr you will have fun and learn a lot while drivin it. I did.

 

[goldhunter_2]

well time I have as I don't do allot of fishhing but when it gets closer to duck season all project get set aside until next summer