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Anyone ever built a small shallow water motor

Outdoorsman33

Outdoorsman33

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2019
Messages
366
Wanting to build about a 3hp long tail mud motor to make access quick for some of my hunting spots. Wondering if anyone here has tried to do the same yet.
 
I had thought about making one from an old weedwacker but never got around to it.
 
Outdoorsman33 said:
I’m from central East Louisiana what hp motor is that?
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3 HP Predator motor from Harbor Freight tied into the Mini Swamp Runner longtail kit. Only needs about a foot of water.

I bought it as an experiment because I already had the canoe. I thought maybe I could run upriver in shallow trout streams, and you can...just not very fast. I get maybe 6-7 mph on flat water and 2-3 mph against the current upstream.
 
I’ve been in the mud motor game for 20 years now. I’ve built my own and purchased brand new. Knowing what I know now, I’d recommend just buying a 6.5 go devil brand if that suits your needs. Those things are durable and reliable.
Last place you want things to go wrong with a motor is in a deep swamp that you can’t walk out of.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
DB4x4 said:
3 HP Predator motor from Harbor Freight tied into the Mini Swamp Runner longtail kit. Only needs about a foot of water.

I bought it as an experiment because I already had the canoe. I thought maybe I could run upriver in shallow trout streams, and you can...just not very fast. I get maybe 6-7 mph on flat water and 2-3 mph against the current upstream.
Click to expand...
That’s the exact set up I be been looking at to put on a ascend h12 kayak or my 12 foot pirogue. How much would you guess that motor setup with a full tank of gas weighs?
 
Swampfox said:
I’ve been in the mud motor game for 20 years now. I’ve built my own and purchased brand new. Knowing what I know now, I’d recommend just buying a 6.5 go devil brand if that suits your needs. Those things are durable and reliable.
Last place you want things to go wrong with a motor is in a deep swamp that you can’t walk out of.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...
Weight is the big issue because I have a kayak that has a 450 weight capacity that I want it on that I have to build a transom for. If it wasn’t a weight issue I’d have a 6.5 I just think the 6.5 would weigh too much. I have a 12 foot pirogue I want one on but it’s really shady very easy to flip.
 
I am wanting to put this motor on a kayak that isn’t intended for a motor also.
 
Outdoorsman33 said:
That’s the exact set up I be been looking at to put on a ascend h12 kayak or my 12 foot pirogue. How much would you guess that motor setup with a full tank of gas weighs?
Click to expand...

Ballpark guess... About 40 lbs. If you trailer it like I have it setup in the photo, it's not bad since most of the weight is directly above the transom and the tail is tied down tight inside the boat on foam blocks.

Just note that it is air cooled, so you're likely not sneaking up on anything. There is no stealth mode, haha.
 
DB4x4 said:
Ballpark guess... About 40 lbs. If you trailer it like I have it setup in the photo, it's not bad since most of the weight is directly above the transom and the tail is tied down tight inside the boat on foam blocks.

Just note that it is air cooled, so you're likely not sneaking up on anything. There is no stealth mode, haha.
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A big use for me is duck hunting really but would make it a lot easier to take some of my deer out since your not supposed to take any guts out any animal you kill on it. What size boat is that motor on?
 
Outdoorsman33 said:
A big use for me is duck hunting really but would make it a lot easier to take some of my deer out since your not supposed to take any guts out any animal you kill on it. What size boat is that motor on?
Click to expand...

It's a 15.5' square stern canoe. Real wide. Originally bought from ****'s years ago.
 
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