small mud motor?

[calvin]

Planning on buying a smaller mud motor for my 14ft riveted jon this year. Mainly a muskrat setup. My apparent options are the Honda 9hp or the Kohler 12hp longtails. Comparable weights and price. Anyone use either or...suggestions.

[TurTLe]

You could always try the Rickshaw motors. Not sure if they have what you're looking for, but might work good on a muskrat rig. The price is right, that is for sure.

www.rickshaw-motors.com/Rickshaw_Mud_Motors/Home.html

[mustelameister]

Rickshaw is an interesting motor. Hadn't seen that one yet. I'd like to try that on the back of my Sportspal.

Calvin, I do believe the 9 horse Honda would suit you well on a 14' riveted jon boat. The 12 horse might weigh too much.

[mustelameister]

Here's another peewee mud motor I've considered for the Sportspal:

www.crawdadmotors.com/

[rk660]

Riveted as in heavy gauge and wide? prolly would need to be. The ave skinny shallow 14 ft you might tear transom off, or fold in half going over obstables with a 12 horse. I'd almost opt for a skinny small 14' boat, with a good honda or kohler 6-7?? narrower boat to slice thru cattails. both motor and boat nice and light to be dragged in where no ramp, is what Im kinda getting at. I think less weight and little less power might be more desireable at times, depending on acess/water depth.

Mike, how does a small V nose boat slice thru reeds compared to a jon? almost wonder at times kniving thru with v nose and spreading the reed, would work better than a flat nosed jon which seems to flatten them down in front of ya, and take more power to slide over? I kniow youd be "the" man to ask.

Saw a game warden in IA that had a small evenrude "weedless" outboard they made for a spell. Kinda a big prop like a surface drive mudmotor, and set at an angle. lower unit was angled and sloped for less fouling and weedchopper type prop. he said it worked darn good on a squareback canoe. Anyone have any experience with them?

Was enlightened to a "push pole" this fall. Never ever launch a boat in a rat slew without one again.

[trappnman]

the standard duckbill push pole, is indeed a must in rat marshes, IMO.

[calvin]

Thanks for the replies. I should have specified abit more on the boat. Its a riveted 1442 jon. Not the wide one and not the narrow one: 42" bottom width....as I do use it for coon/beaver if not going far or too many traps. I have a 15hp outboard for it but want the mud motor for certain rat marshes that the outboard wont get me to. Yes, I/d like to keep it somewhat portable on a drag in type deal if I have to...but I do have a canoe for that if I have to, also.

I see the 9hp Honda (was my first choice) and the 12hp Kohler are pretty comparable in weights, so probably a wash there. Now thinking maybe even smaller would work?

I have not tried the push pole. Sounds like I/m missing out. One of those things you finally try and mad at yourself for weeks because you remember all the times when you could have used one.

[mustelameister]

Mike, how does a small V nose boat slice thru reeds compared to a jon? almost wonder at times kniving thru with v nose and spreading the reed, would work better than a flat nosed jon which seems to flatten them down in front of ya, and take more power to slide over? I kniow youd be "the" man to ask

"the" man, eh? You funny boy.

I'll take the V-bow any day in a marsh. Used to be a flat man, but now believe V-bows have definite advantages over the square nosed jon-boats.



That V-bow for sure cuts through cattails much nicer, rather than riding over them. Running at night you glance off stubs in the river rather than coming to a screeching halt squared up to them. And you can load the front end up much heavier without having to worry about shipping water over the bow.

That being said I've sold this rig now that I'm trapping the big river. Bumped up to a 16-foot V-bow with a 23 horse Go Devil. Fine rig.



The T-16 XL was only made for about 6 years back in the 80s. Lightweight and strong. Bumped the transom up to 20" by my welding buddy that I described in great detail here last year. This rig floats real high and easily pulls through shallow water when I'm out and wading from one spot to another. Also rows well, and the pushpole works very well. Yuppers, pushpoles rule. I've got an pole vault pole that I've thrust into the duckbill that is very lightweight and floats. Ask around the local highschools for older polevault poles, you might be surprised. They make excellent poles for this and carp spear poles.

Now as Calvin pointed out, the weights on those two motors are very similar. I believe the 9 horse starts around 140 pounds and therefore the trailer is a must.

Here's the canoe, that, IMO, is "the" canoe for trapping back marshes.



I owned a Radisson for nearly 20 years and just sold it for a hundred bucks. It's got life left in it for sure, but came across a used Sportspal in Indiana that was worth the price of driving there to pick it up.

Must weigh somewhere around 45 to 50 pounds. I flip this canoe over in my 16-foot V-bow and it neatly fits over the bow. When I get into a back slough heading into a marsh, just flip it over, load and go. Fitted it with a 2 horse Honda, but now looking for a "mini" mud motor. That's why I found this thread more interesting with Turtle's link to the Rickshaw motor. I also like what I see withi the Crawdad.

Calvin, a 5 or 6 horse mud motor would be okay for your flat, but you won't be able to get up on plane if you're loaded down, and that might not be a big deal. If you're launching into a marsh or it's just around the bend, might be just fine.

As I'm getting older, I'm finding ways of doing things on a smaller scale. My shoulders and arms are telling me at 3:00 in the morning that I've got to get smarter about lifting things. The lightweight Sportspal with a lightweight mini mud motor will suit me just fine this coming fall.

[Rally Hess]

Rich,
You might want to look at some of the Grumman sport boats out there. They are really a wide stout canoe, with V bow and relatively flat bottoms. They'll take a small OB and part the cattails like a canoe. I don't think the original Grummans are still made but there are a couple copies out there. I hear Coleman is making one in fiberglass, or something close. Don't waste your money on one of the Cranberry Creel fiberglass, SB canoes. They are like a pop can in the wind. Tried mine in SD this year. Was all I could do to keep from shooting holes in it just for the satisfaction of doing it.

[mustelameister]

Rally, got one of those too. Too heavy to throw on top the roof racks or think about flipping in and out of a larger boat. But it does part the cattails nicely. Stable, but gunnels are too low IMO. However that makes it an excellent sneak boat for duck hunting.

Another plus is the sponsons are internal and covered, whereas the Radisson and Sportspal are both external and take a constant beating from whatever you're squeezing through. Get into that thick swamp brush and it'll rip chunks out of that foam.

I use mine early spring when the landings are still shut down and you can skid the boat across the ice/snow and work sets that way. 4 horse Johnson is a nice mate if speed isn't an issue.

Would like to find a smaller trailer just for this boat.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Mike, tell me more about that canoe.

I've got a 16 foot Old Towne that is heading for the garbage pit here shortly.

How long is your canoe?

Whats the weight rating? I'm a pretty big dude so that gets to be important Lol.

Pretty stable? My penobscot isnt and it has to go.

[ScottW]

May 9, 2011 0:47:58 GMT -6 rk660 said:

Saw a game warden in IA that had a small evenrude "weedless" outboard they made for a spell. Kinda a big prop like a surface drive mudmotor, and set at an angle. lower unit was angled and sloped for less fouling and weedchopper type prop. he said it worked darn good on a squareback canoe. Anyone have any experience with them?

Was enlightened to a "push pole" this fall. Never ever launch a boat in a rat slew without one again.

I have a chance to purchase one of these old evinrude "weedless" outboards. I have no experience with em' and I ahven't even seen it, but just heard a buddy of my dads has one for $150 he wants to get rid of. I think it's a 3 horse if I remember right? I'm curious now too, might be worth $100 for something to have in a certain situation?! Happy trapping. ScottW

[Rally Hess]

Mustel,
You looking to sell that sportboat?

[mustelameister]

Rally, nope, sorry, took me awhile to find this Grumman sport canoe. Nice niche boat.

St49er--the Sportspal is made both in Canada and in Michigan. A link to the Canadian model is here:

www.bwmarineproducts.com/canoes.htm

And a link to the Michigan version is here:

www.castlecraft.com/sportspal_square-stern.htm

IMO, the Michigan version is the better of the two. As said above, I did own a Radisson, which in Canada is similar to the Sportspal, but was never happy with the canoe itself. The Michigan model has a thicker hull and does not have seams on the side. So I've been looking for a used one and did find it.

I just drug the two of 'em out from under the spruce tree and took some pics. Here are some comparison shots of the Sportspal and the sport canoe by Grumman. Their transoms are even up to compare length and width.











For me they have their own place on my riverline. The Sportspal is lightweight enough I can easily lift it out of the water, lay it over the side of the V-bow, and roll it over in place. Nice to work back marshes and light enough to drag through the woods and over beaver dams. With those thick sponsons on the outside I can easily lean over the side of the canoe, work a set, and it will not roll. I prefer to row this canoe, rather than paddle.

The Sportspal comes with foam seats that sit on the floor with backrests that you can lean against the struts. If I'm not rowing, I'm usually on my knees on a lifejacket paddling facing forward.

The sport canoe is a beautiful "working" canoe with it's size and protected sponsons. Paddles easily, but I prefer to row this one and have had a 4 horse on it that allows it to scoot right along. A little difficult to get up on roof racks though, and that calls for a trailer, whereas the Sportspal slides into the back of my pickup or on top the roof racks. Really shines for me when the landings are shut down and I can skid it across the snow and ice into the drink and head out into open water from there. In some stretches it pays to be the first one to be setting beaver traps.

Anyway, for what it's worth. And St49er, just how big a dude are you? I'm 6'2" and weigh 230, and have no problem in either of these boats. You can even step back into the Sportspal from the side without fear of rolling it.

[calvin]

Is that cross member in the middle? It looks like it's more towards the rear. How does a guy carry it on his shoulders?

Also in need of buying a new canoe. Been looking at the Osagian Lil Missouri (16ft).
www.osagian.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=osagian&Category_Code=CANOES

I see benefits to the lighter hull....and the heavier, too. I like the floatees on the Sportspal....but do they get in the way when paddling?

[mustelameister]

May 10, 2011 16:12:59 GMT -6 calvin said:

Is that cross member in the middle? It looks like it's more towards the rear. How does a guy carry it on his shoulders?

floatees on the Sportspal....but do they get in the way when paddling?

Cross member is towards the rear. Those small oar locks are about dead center. I carry this canoe over one shoulder and carry traps and such with the other arm.

Sponsons don't get in the way, either paddling or rowing.

[RiverRat]

Was enlightened to a "push pole" this fall. Never ever launch a boat in a rat slew without one again.

I drove back home over 25 miles once and got on the water 2 hrs late, just to get my push pole. I wont go with out one.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Anyway, for what it's worth. And St49er, just how big a dude are you?

Ha, I got you beat by 50 lbs mike. I aint that tall though.

[mustelameister]

Here's a pic off that Crawdad website. Shows that 2 horse Crawdad motor bolted on to, what I believe is a wide stern Sportspal.

The 2 horse Crawdad weighs all of 15 pounds. Other than that, I don't know much about it. The video on their website looks interesting.



Lists for about a grand plus shipping. If 'rats hold strong next year this thing would pay for itself in a season easily with the extra traps one could run by cutting out the paddling in those thick marshes.

Me thinks Santa might come early and leave one under the boat rack this fall.

[Rally Hess]

You sure you won't sell that Grumman?