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 go devil outboards
#795168
07/11/09 08:00 AM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 470
mrbigtexan
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 470 |
has anyone got a go devil longtail or surface drive. if so how do you like it and if you had it to do again would you buy something different? thanks in advance for your advice.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: mrbigtexan]
#795169
07/11/09 08:15 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735
helomech
THF Celebrity
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I had a long tail, and it was awesome. Depending on where you plan on running which is better. If I had to do it again, where I live now I probably get the surface drive, but where I used to live I would get the long tail again.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: helomech]
#795170
07/11/09 08:57 AM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 757
kellygunner
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 757 |
go to mudmotortalk.com and you will get more info than you will ever want.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: mrbigtexan]
#795171
07/12/09 05:25 AM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,659
Hopedale
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,659 |
Marc Hannon had his Gator-tail stolen after Hurrican Katrina. He's finally put the money together to get a new motor and he is going with a Gator-tail. As much as he swears about this motor, he should be selling them. http://www.gator-tail.com/According to Marc, Go-devil worked him to much. It was good in its day, but surface driven motors seem to be the new motor in South Louisiana.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: Hopedale]
#795172
07/12/09 05:30 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735
helomech
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 13,735 |
Quote:
Marc Hannon had his Gator-tail stolen after Hurrican Katrina. He's finally put the money together to get a new motor and he is going with a Gator-tail.
As much as he swears about this motor, he should be selling them.
http://www.gator-tail.com/
According to Marc, Go-devil worked him to much. It was good in its day, but surface driven motors seem to be the new motor in South Louisiana.
It just depends on the area you use them. The surface drives do not allow you do dig in the mud with them like the long tails. There is no way to force the surface drives into the mud. The surface drive is great, and easy to drive, but will not do some of the things the long tail will do. I have a couple friends that went from the long tail to the surface drive, then back to the long tail.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: helomech]
#795173
07/12/09 07:44 AM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,951
lakewaydr50
Pro Tracker
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I don't own a surface drive rig "yet" but I did help a couple of boys get unstuck opening morning this past season with their surface drive rig. They don't like logs and stumps. I don't know how a long tail rig would handle this.
Isaiah 40:31 "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: lakewaydr50]
#795174
07/12/09 08:14 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735
helomech
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 13,735 |
Quote:
I don't own a surface drive rig "yet" but I did help a couple of boys get unstuck opening morning this past season with their surface drive rig. They don't like logs and stumps. I don't know how a long tail rig would handle this.
That is one of the places a long tail excels. I have never gotten mine stuck.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: helomech]
#795175
07/12/09 10:26 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788
wal1809
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Your going to get a whole lot of different answers. I have owned several rigs, motor brands, long tails and surface drives. Where people get the idea you can't dig into the mud with a surface drive I have no idea. I can bury my Go Devil surface farther than I need it to. I have never been stuck on anything but sand (all boats get stuck on sand).
My opinion =Long tails suck compared to a surface drive.
We can argue all day about the brands and we won't get any farther than the keyboard. I went with Go-Devil surface Drive. I like it simple and less to work on later. They will all have to be worked on later. I like the galvanized carbon steel frame. If it busts (which I doubt) then I can grind it, weld it and cold galv it myself. Simple tough and stupid. 8 bolts and I can get at the u-joints and belt. The rest is the motor itself. Easy to work on.
I don't want bells and whistles when it comes to a mud motor. I want to turn the key, drive to hunt and most important drive back. The more whistles you got the more trouble you will have later. I dang sure did not want the hassle of clutches. You can forget that in my environment.
I started with a Beavertail longtail years ago. I had Mud Buddy as well. None of my previous motors can even come close to the GDSD. It is a night and day difference. I have yet to find a good mud flat that could stop the boat. Sand and oysters yes it will stop it, mud-no way.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: wal1809]
#795176
07/12/09 10:38 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735
helomech
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735 |
Quote:
Your going to get a whole lot of different answers. I have owned several rigs, motor brands, long tails and surface drives. Where people get the idea you can't dig into the mud with a surface drive I have no idea. I can bury my Go Devil surface farther than I need it to. I have never been stuck on anything but sand (all boats get stuck on sand).
My opinion =Long tails suck compared to a surface drive.
We can argue all day about the brands and we won't get any farther than the keyboard. I went with Go-Devil surface Drive. I like it simple and less to work on later. They will all have to be worked on later. I like the galvanized carbon steel frame. If it busts (which I doubt) then I can grind it, weld it and cold galv it myself. Simple tough and stupid. 8 bolts and I can get at the u-joints and belt. The rest is the motor itself. Easy to work on.
I don't want bells and whistles when it comes to a mud motor. I want to turn the key, drive to hunt and most important drive back. The more whistles you got the more trouble you will have later. I dang sure did not want the hassle of clutches. You can forget that in my environment.
I started with a Beavertail longtail years ago. I had Mud Buddy as well. None of my previous motors can even come close to the GDSD. It is a night and day difference. I have yet to find a good mud flat that could stop the boat. Sand and oysters yes it will stop it, mud-no way.
You can't force the surface drive into mud, the handle does not let you push it up. Soft mud is not what I am talking about yes, they will sink in soft mud, but you can not lift the handle up forcing the prop into hard mud. Does your handle free float so the motor can kick up? If it does, and everyone I have ever seen does, then you can not force it into the mud. I wish I still had my long tail, because I would bet title for title I could go places the surface drives can't. I used to run through sand and oyster shells every night, mostly oyster shells, and the long tail will chop them up and keep the boat on step. You just have to hold force on keeping the prop in the water.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: helomech]
#795177
07/12/09 11:05 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 311
duckkilla
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 311 |
I wish helomech still had a longtail too, so that I could take his title. I currently run a 35hp GDSD and it will go anywhere that a longtail will go. There are pins on the side of the handle that allow you to lock it, so that you can dig down in the mud, or leave it free floating for hitting stumps. I leave mine locked and just don't put anything that will break (like kneecaps) below that handle. I ran a 20hp GD longtail for 5 years, a 29hp mudbuddy longatil for 5 years (biggest POS ever invented) and now have the GDSD. The SD is much easier to operate and will run circles around the longtail. Some people need to get there facts straight before they blabber on the internet. Surface drives do just fine in the logs and stumps, you just have to know how to drive one.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: duckkilla]
#795178
07/12/09 11:29 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735
helomech
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Quote:
I wish helomech still had a longtail too, so that I could take his title. I currently run a 35hp GDSD and it will go anywhere that a longtail will go. There are pins on the side of the handle that allow you to lock it, so that you can dig down in the mud, or leave it free floating for hitting stumps. I leave mine locked and just don't put anything that will break (like kneecaps) below that handle. I ran a 20hp GD longtail for 5 years, a 29hp mudbuddy longatil for 5 years (biggest POS ever invented) and now have the GDSD. The SD is much easier to operate and will run circles around the longtail. Some people need to get there facts straight before they blabber on the internet. Surface drives do just fine in the logs and stumps, you just have to know how to drive one.
Wish I did also. Would love to have some fun, and make a bet. The other problem comes in when you go over a log slow because of obstacles. The surface drives like I said before are great, but there are places the long tail does better. I had the 23hp vanguard go devil 72" shaft. And where I used to bow fish it is better than the surface drives, oyster shells and sand. Never said the long tails were faster, or easier to drive, but you have to admit there are places they are better. Trying to push that surface drive in hard mud is next to impossible. I have has mud so hard I had to lift my long tail out the water and slam it into the mud over and over again to get it to bite. And when that spot is wore out I can move it over and slam it some more. I would love to see the surface drive trying to get a bite in sand, the long tail is hard enough. I have also had to jump a highway that was flooded for the hurricane, with almost enough water to float the boat. Went over logs that where laying in the water, but where still over a foot out the water. Even the long tail had trouble reaching the water to push. Also like I said earlier if I were to buy one where I live now it would be a surface drive, but for bowfishing where I used to live it would be a long tail. Just depends on the situation. I really want one of each.
Have you ever had a chance to run your surface drive in small creeks, with some rocks on the bottom. There are some places I want to go frogging when I get my surface drive and was wondering how it would do.
Speaking of things below the handle, I thought I broke my ankle one night when I hit something and the handle got ripped out of my hand and ran down my leg and hit my ankle bone. Hurt like hell.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: duckkilla]
#795179
07/12/09 11:35 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735
helomech
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735 |
Quote:
Some people need to get there facts straight before they blabber on the internet. Surface drives do just fine in the logs and stumps, you just have to know how to drive one.
I know my facts, the fact is the surface drive only extends below the boat so far, and when the back of the boat is a foot in the air on top of a log the surface drive will never touch the water. The long tail will, well the will when you remove or get a shorter stop bolt.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: helomech]
#795180
07/12/09 11:46 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 311
duckkilla
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 311 |
I have never run my new SD in small creeks with rocks. We don't have may rocks where I run, but if we did I would avoid them. Rocks will tear up a prop no matter what its on. As far as reaching for water with the prop when going over logs or beaver dams, I just hit it with enough speed so I know the whole boat will clear it. Go devil boats are built like a rock so if you hit something on the other side you probably are not gonna hurt the boat (might hurt a passenger though). When crossing sand bars you just have to keep the boat on plane and pray it does not come to a drastic halt. If you stop and the sand bar, be prepared to push. If your not sure if you can make it over an obstacle, just hit it wide open and hold on.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: duckkilla]
#795181
07/13/09 12:05 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735
helomech
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 13,735 |
Quote:
I have never run my new SD in small creeks with rocks. We don't have may rocks where I run, but if we did I would avoid them. Rocks will tear up a prop no matter what its on. As far as reaching for water with the prop when going over logs or beaver dams, I just hit it with enough speed so I know the whole boat will clear it. Go devil boats are built like a rock so if you hit something on the other side you probably are not gonna hurt the boat (might hurt a passenger though). When crossing sand bars you just have to keep the boat on plane and pray it does not come to a drastic halt. If you stop and the sand bar, be prepared to push. If your not sure if you can make it over an obstacle, just hit it wide open and hold on.
Some of the flooded cypress swamp I used to travel was to thick to go fast. I had to cross lots of laid over trees, and I just had to go until the front fell in the water, and then use the prop to push the back over. Didn't want to hit another tree on the other side. I used to jump a levee a lot, it was about 5 feet tall, and about 20 feet wide. The key was hitting it fast enough to make it over, but not so fast that the front of the boat hit the water and took a dive. I did that once, and almost sunk the boat.
I didn't have a go-devil made boat, had a all weld. Really wanted the go-devil boat, but at the time could not afford it.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: helomech]
#795182
07/13/09 01:04 AM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,895
1187 supermag
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Both sound like they're a lot of fun. How does the GDSD and longtails compare to airboats? Not to jack my man's thread though.
Take 'em!
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: 1187 supermag]
#795183
07/13/09 01:07 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735
helomech
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Quote:
Both sound like they're a lot of fun. How does the GDSD and longtails compare to airboats? Not to jack my man's thread though.
Can't beat a airboat, but they are very loud. Airboats will go over cement, grass, or mud. This is the boat I want, but it is out of my price range. I rode in one of these, and beat the hell out of a mud boat, long tail or surface drive go devil.
http://www.ronniesairboats.com/mudboats.htm
Last edited by helomech; 07/13/09 01:09 AM.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: helomech]
#795184
07/13/09 08:46 AM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 757
kellygunner
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Nov 2008
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airboats aren't allowed in some places.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: kellygunner]
#795185
07/13/09 06:54 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788
wal1809
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 11,788 |
On my GDSD I can drop the prop down just as far as my longtails it is just not 6 foot behind the boat. I have my handle pinned so I can push up on the tiller handle and push the prop down into the mud if needed. It usually does not need to be push up though. Just hit the gas and it eats it's own hole. So far as oysters and sand. When I speak of running over the top I am talking about no water. Nothing can push it longtail or Surface drive. If I have water then it is not an issue. When I say the boat stops it is not because of the motor it is because of the friction and no force less than the friction under the boat can do anything so far as propelling the boat.
If I had a situation where I was running gear over shallow water to and from a blind that was not far away then I could have stuck with a long tail and been just fine. I find that is not the case. I go where the birds are and at times they are not where a long tail can really function that well. Places like 20 miles up a flooded river in timber. Going against the current of a flooded river with a longtail is not fun. A surface drive will get on top and go and steer better in that situation. The last time I took my longtail up the river we put it on the highway and it took 3 hours to get to where we had to go. SD motor would be a 30 maybe 45 minute trip.
So far as logs. Never had a problem fast or slow. Just let the motor drop and go over it. As I said before I have had several of both long and surface drive. I would rather have my arse whooped than go back to a long tail.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: wal1809]
#795186
07/16/09 02:01 AM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 556
bigrustyjackson
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 556 |
I would not buy one without reverse. I hear good things about gator tails, but I would not buy a go devil does not have reverse and neither do longtails. I own a pro drive and love it, my boat is built like a tank and that is key too. I hunt in an area with flooded mesquite trees on a hard bottom, and sometimes just end up plowing the trees out of my way. I have no problem digging my pro drive in the mud, the tiller handle does not float so you can push the motor down into the mud, or dig a hole on a hard bottom. I have been stuck numerous times and I just ratchet my lower unit around and it has got me out every time will full power reverse. Im a believer that longtails can go in shallower water easier, but they are slow slow slow, can I emphasize the word slow enough. My boat is not terribly fast it runs about 26 on top end. Longtails are harder to drive, and if you run in timber it can become hard to steer with a 6' tail sticking out of the back. They key to any of it is speed, logs are not an obstacle as long as you have enough speed to go over them, stumps, my boat laughs at stumps, I run on plane through fields and bounce right off of them.
Lifetime NRA Member
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: bigrustyjackson]
#795187
07/16/09 05:18 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788
wal1809
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Posts: 11,788 |
I won't speak a bad word about other brands. They all have their features that are better than the other. Out of all the years of running mud motors I have never needed reverse. Because when I screw up, I screw up. Your getting out of the boat when I stick it because usually your on land anyway and reverse aint getting you anywhere.
So far as a long tail running more shallow than a surface drive I don't get it. It aint happening. You sound like you know what your talking about but their is no way on this earth a longtail will run continuously across a mud flat with zero inches of water. They just don't have the RPMs at the prop to be able to do it.
I do agree they are SLOW!!
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: wal1809]
#795188
07/16/09 05:34 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 13,735
helomech
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 13,735 |
Quote:
It aint happening. You sound like you know what your talking about but their is no way on this earth a longtail will run continuously across a mud flat with zero inches of water. They just don't have the RPMs at the prop to be able to do it.
I do agree they are SLOW!!
I have run across many mud flats, with no problems. Zero water, now it was in soft mud, but there was no water. Moat of the places I fished were ponds that the only way to get through was to run across mud flats.
Mine empty ran about 22 mph with a 23hp, now when I loaded it down it would maybe hit 12. But that is with 3 people 2 ice chests, bows, a 5k generator, and 9 500 watt lights. Oh, did I mention lots of beer.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: helomech]
#795189
07/17/09 08:51 AM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 470
mrbigtexan
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 470 |
thank you for the advice, keep it coming!!!
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: mrbigtexan]
#795190
07/17/09 04:23 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788
wal1809
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 11,788 |
MrbigTexan, I say don't listen to advice see for yourself. Who has a longtail that wants to run against my surface drive? Lets get Mrbigtexan and let him run yours and he can run mine. Let him decide for himself which one runs the muck better than the other.
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Re: go devil outboards
[Re: wal1809]
#795191
07/17/09 08:41 PM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,895
1187 supermag
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,895 |
Quote:
MrbigTexan, I say don't listen to advice see for yourself. Who has a longtail that wants to run against my surface drive? Lets get Mrbigtexan and let him run yours and he can run mine. Let him decide for himself which one runs the muck better than the other.
Good idea Wal
If it were to happen it would be good to video record it too.
Last edited by 1187 supermag; 07/17/09 08:42 PM.
Take 'em!
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