Surface drive or longtail for coast

For hunting backwaters on the coast what would you pick? The areas I'm wanting to get to would not be possible with a tunnel hull outboard so that's out of the qustion. Which will run shallower? Most of the areas I want to go have nasty thick mud and not much sand.

What kind of boat do you have?

Surface drives id say would be better around the coast since its mainly gona be mud.

I don't have a boat yet but I'm going to get one before the season, I'm just doing a little research to see what will be better for me

No expert, don't even have mud boat but hope to get one in the not too far future. But from what I have read, the only advantage a longtail has over a surface drive is cost.

My buddy runs a 1648 flat bottom with a long tail. There have been around half a dozen times we would pass groups pushing their surface drive while we were cruising along. I don't know if it's the angle or what, but his just plows through mud/vegetation with no problems.

I have a surface drive and love it. I have run it a few times at POC with no problems anywhere. I have owned longtails in the past and can say as a lot of people do that a longtail will get you going on plane quicker on a hard bottom due to the length and angle of the shaft. However, I find that most surface drives are easier to drive and faster typically.

Dave

Thanks guys and how do either of them act if I run up on some sand somewhere?

I've run a surface drive on the coast for 5 years. I chose it over a longtail for one big reason. Many places I hunt are not close to the ramp. I find it easier on long trips with my sd due to speed and control. As far as sand goes, unless your in an airboat it sucks. I run a 20x60 go-devil so I stay away from sand because I dont want to break my back pushing. Mud motors dont take away the common sense factor. You need a bottom that the prop can grab into. Hard packed coastal sand is just gonna bump your prop off the bottom and not bite in like it would in mud.

I have run both for more years than I will tell the truth about. What truth I will tell you is there is zero comparison between a surface drive and a long tail. Long tails are outdated donkey manure compared to the surface drives out now. If I had to choose between the two and a surface drive wasn't available, I would walk.

You have been reading the wrong information.

I still run a long tail and probably will until it just falls apart...then I'll just tear up a lawnmower and rebuild it...BUT..if I was in the market for a new rig I'd probably get a surface drive...better speeds, easier to handle.

If you're going long distances a long tail will just wear a man out. For all of the hunting and navigating I do, my long tail is perfectly fine. If I was on big water then I would get a surface drive.

surface drive....

Gator Trax, and Mud Buddy...


END THREAD.

-Matt

Does that cover it all?

Wait... you mean walk away from the sell, not carry all your stuff on your back for miles on a death march like Guy does, right?

He asked SD or LT...I think that covers it all.

IF he would have asked X, Y, Z, sand river bottoms, etc etc...then maybe we could expand the discusion into airboats, etc...

otherwise it's your legs.



Oh. And get a winch/anchors for your boat because you will get stuck at some point.

-Matt

When I was younger I needed the winch and all that stuff. It has been a long time since I was stuck. I just try not to go where I don't know I can make it. I am old, fat and tired. I just don't push it beyond what I know the boat can do, because of the days I used to get stuck all the time. Getting stuck just sucks.

I like to think of it as wiser I don't push the limits myself much these days either. If I KNOW I can blow across a sand flat or gravel shoal then I squeeze the lever to the grip. If in doubt I'll stop, get out and walk the area ahead of me to see what is what. Waaaay too much stuckness in my younger years. Winch or no winch I don't wanna mess with all that if I don't have to. And I damn sure ain't pulling and tuggin a heavy mud boat around anymore

I am right there with you Homey da clown. I like watching the "Hold my beer and let me see if I can make it through here" videos. Not my style anymore. I have only had to buy one prop in every 2.5 years. Way too expensive to leave a prop behind on shoals or sand bars.

Go ahead you honyock bug @#$%^&*s call me cheap, I can take it

Surface drive all the way, better choice for all types of situations, much easier to operate.
I would expand your options and not stop at Mudbuddy though. They are an option, not the best or the worst but there are other surface drives to look at.
Not going to start that debate on here but if your interested spend some time on www.mudmotortalk.com.

I've hunted three years on a longtail at the coast. Sure a SD is faster, but the coast has sand. You can feather a longtail to ride the wake and keep your $220 prop out of the sand. You can't dig your prop in the sand like you do mud and go or your prop will turn into a large washer.

LT, SD, Airboat....Sand can and will stick them all.

I have one for sale in the classifieds if anyone is shopping.