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Swamprunner Longtail Kit
- Thread starter Nutterbuster
- Start date
My wife was the same way. After we married we bought our first place. I rent a tractor so while Trying to turn old field into new yard she is going to “cook” a frozen pizza so we don’t have to head back to town to eat and can get more done. We’re in the middle of a drought. I’ve harrowed six acres three times and box blades in both directions. The air is the color of flat dark earth. So I look up and she’s got the doors and windows open. I’m all *** can she not see the clouds of dust. It’s about lunch time so I go inside. Apparently new ovens have new plastic, cardboard, and styrofoam on the inside and you should probably check it before preheating the oven.See!!!! I told you it happens
She actually cooks good now. She still pulls I don’t know how to on some things like salmon. I didn’t eat her until I did it. When I grew up salmon meant patties not steaks.
@Nutterbuster Where's that video?
Forthcoming.
I've ran it the past two days down in the marsh. We don't have a lot of mud flats, but we have lots of really shallow, weedy water loaded with hydrilla. It runs like a champ. We have a good amount of teal in the delta right now. I saw several large flocks and lots of singles, doubles, and triples. I checked out two small ponds at the end of really narrow, twisted sloughs. One had a blind on it, but one was empty with no signs of somebody having ran through it. Water is 6 inches to a foot deep, loaded with vegetation, and about 800 yards off a big bay loaded with blinds and birds. I'm thinking about cutting a load of bamboo on my lunch break and heading out there this evening to brush a spot in. I think folks will start shooting and birds will get pushed to the pond. A dozen decoys and a mojo dove should give them something to look at.
I'm psyched.
Quick videos of the swamprunner in action. Two are on a facebook link, which I apologize for. I managed to somehow delete them on my phone and you can't get them back off of Zuck's platform.
I've got 20 hours on it so far. It's handled 2 hunters and decoys, joy riding with the missus, and a lot of scouting and hunting for squirrels and hogs so far. Longest trip I've made is 15 miles solo and I still couldn't burn a full tank of gas up. It scoots over downed logs without missing a beat, can run in ankle deep water with a sandy bottom, or just wet mud. Thick vegetation like cattails will slow it down and stop it if you lose momentum, but that's a HP restriction and not a design one. Only maintenance I've had to do was the recommended oil change and greasing the shaft zerks after every outing. I went ahead and purchased a spare carb for $20 just to have, and have a few spare props ordered. I'm still on my original though, and it looks fine.
So far it continues to impress. Starts right up cold on the first pull most times and hasn't given me a single issue.
I've got 20 hours on it so far. It's handled 2 hunters and decoys, joy riding with the missus, and a lot of scouting and hunting for squirrels and hogs so far. Longest trip I've made is 15 miles solo and I still couldn't burn a full tank of gas up. It scoots over downed logs without missing a beat, can run in ankle deep water with a sandy bottom, or just wet mud. Thick vegetation like cattails will slow it down and stop it if you lose momentum, but that's a HP restriction and not a design one. Only maintenance I've had to do was the recommended oil change and greasing the shaft zerks after every outing. I went ahead and purchased a spare carb for $20 just to have, and have a few spare props ordered. I'm still on my original though, and it looks fine.
So far it continues to impress. Starts right up cold on the first pull most times and hasn't given me a single issue.
Vtbow
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2018
- Messages
- 5,516
Dude, bungee down your minnkota would ya!!! every time you went under a branch I tensed up...
Yeah, that mount is supposed to let you angle it down flat, but i gotta mess with it to make it do right at some point. Surprised I haven't cracked the housing.
I'm waiting until I get a new jon to build a removable deck that'll span from the middle to front seat. When I do I'll build in a block for the motor to mount to that's straight up-and-down. Put a pedestal seat on it too. And I may shop around a find a boat with a middle seat livewell. Then I can tote my little Lowrance fish lo-k-tor and enter the bass tournamentents
Alright, after 60 hours and a full duck season I feel I have a pretty good handle on what I like and don't like. Got a jibber-jabber video to go with this post, but here's the cliff notes.
Pros - Very cheap to buy, build, and maintain. Can be completely disassembled with basic hand tools. Fuel efficient. Runs over logs, mud, and shallow water no problem.
Cons - I hate the aluminum props. I went through 3 or 4 of them in one year. Only broke one, but sand and mussel shells chew them up quickly and then you loose a lot of speed. I'm probably going to buy a steel prop over the summer, despite warnings that if the prop doesn't break something more important will. It does seem load sensitive. Two passengers vs one and you lose speed.
If you don't have a lot of money and want to run shallow, I think it's a great option. Especially if you don't have gravel, sand, or shells. It's not a speed demon, and getting it trimmed right is a bit of a trial and error thing. But it's dirt-simple which I like. At some point I may look at ponying up and getting the Briggs Vanguard 16 or 18hp v-twin, which I think would push it up to 20+mph and make it run better with 2 guys and a hunting load.
Pros - Very cheap to buy, build, and maintain. Can be completely disassembled with basic hand tools. Fuel efficient. Runs over logs, mud, and shallow water no problem.
Cons - I hate the aluminum props. I went through 3 or 4 of them in one year. Only broke one, but sand and mussel shells chew them up quickly and then you loose a lot of speed. I'm probably going to buy a steel prop over the summer, despite warnings that if the prop doesn't break something more important will. It does seem load sensitive. Two passengers vs one and you lose speed.
If you don't have a lot of money and want to run shallow, I think it's a great option. Especially if you don't have gravel, sand, or shells. It's not a speed demon, and getting it trimmed right is a bit of a trial and error thing. But it's dirt-simple which I like. At some point I may look at ponying up and getting the Briggs Vanguard 16 or 18hp v-twin, which I think would push it up to 20+mph and make it run better with 2 guys and a hunting load.
swampsnyper
Well-Known Member
Nothing runs well in gravel or sand except those crawler rigs. Definitely get a stainless prop. Put a shear pin on the shaft if you think it will be a problem.
Gobblergetter23
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2016
- Messages
- 115
My advice would be to save your money up and get a Backwater inc. I have had three of the oversea kits and 2 american kits the. I got tired of breaking props. Melting the delrin Bearing and being stranded. I put almost 150-200 hours on a rig in duck season. I went to a backwater long tail and never looked back. Saddle hunting is awesome but it just holds me over when I am not waterfowling.
Props are a thing. The owner of swamprunner says they can handle a steel prop. If I can put a steel prop on it that solves my only real complaint so far. If a steel prop causes issues I'd definitely consider a backwater.
As for bushings, swamprunner has a new bushing that is WAY tougher than the delrin and nylon ones. I thought it might just be marketing hoopla, but after burning out a delrin one in just a few trips I figured what the heck and bought 2. I've put 50 hours on it so far running in lots of weeds that wrap the prop and it hasn't worn at all. I would figure at most it's an annual replacement thing for my circumstance, which is acceptable. I always swap impellers yearly anyway so I'm used to consumables.
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2019
- Messages
- 1,294
@Nutterbuster have you given any thought to super slick 2000 or wetlander bottom coating? It’s what they use to coat the bottom of airboats and the manufacturers claim you’ll gain speed out of it.
I have seen it but not been super interested. Seems like it'd add weight and wear off. I'm skeptical of their claims too. I'm sure it'd slide over vegetation a bit easier, but I don't think it'd make a huge difference in open water
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2019
- Messages
- 1,294
I’m planning on using it on my duck boat this summer when it’s warm enough to apply it. Mainly I’m trying to seal the bottom and to make it easier to launch in skinny water. I’ll let you know how my “bottom coating” goes.
swampsnyper
Well-Known Member
Be careful launching. Ive heard of boats sliding off before you get to the water.
Mengle
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2017
- Messages
- 622
It will happen, especially if there is any ice involved. I have a buddy that just put it on his trailer. It helped and wasn’t too slick. I think he used gator glide.
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2019
- Messages
- 1,294
Lol, yep. I’ve heard of that happen. I think it’s even on their warning label!