# outboard motor and shallow marsh water



## aharvey010 (Feb 22, 2008)

hey guys, im using a endura 36 on my 12 ft alum john to duck hunt. It gets me there and beats paddling but i was wondering what others have experianced using a small outboard, like a 4hp yamaha. My trolling motor get tangled with weeds pretty easy and i end up paddling, how much better in the weeds will the outboard be?, will they damage it, and how about hitting logs and that? I know a mud motor is the way to go but i dont have the money for that, any input will be appreciated


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## cancan (Feb 28, 2008)

my little evinrude 15 goes thru the logs mud and weed just fine....In those conditions i tend to put it on half tilt and leave the latch unlocked, I expect to go slower and it works great. Ive had fellas in weed choked potholes ask me "how is that thing still chuggin along so well" .....I never know what to tell them....it just is.

They do make a weed cutter attachment for cutting heavy weeds, worse case i have to slow down , put the motor in reverse and rev it a few times ....drop it back in forward gear and go...no troubles.

when it gets real shallow your just gonna have to pole or paddle. my boat has oar locks and rowing is a breeze. I wouldnt trade my oars for paddles for nothin!


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## crewhunting (Mar 29, 2007)

Get a small beavertail. They work great expecially if your just going to be hunting out of it they are really really nice i love mine.


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## just ducky (Apr 27, 2005)

Little outboards won't be as good as a mud motor, but they get you through the shallows fine. I have a couple small outboards that I use all the time with canoes and small boats, and often have to tilt them in the real shallows, but only high enough so you're still taking in/peeing out water. One thing you need to know though...chugging through mud, sand, etc., will wear out the impeller quicker, so if you do a lot of this kind of running, I'd advise you to change the impeller yearly.


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## aharvey010 (Feb 22, 2008)

what about the differance between a water cooled motor like a yamaha 4hp i was looking at and a air cooled briggs and stratton 5hp. The only thing thats really intreging me about the briggs is not having to worry about keeping the debre of the inlet for the motor to cool, how big of a problem can this be for the yamaha?


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## crewhunting (Mar 29, 2007)

how much is that motor????? THe six horse beavertail arent that bad of price i am telling you..!! you wont go wrong with one they are great!


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## aharvey010 (Feb 22, 2008)

briggs is 799 yamaha about 1000 i just think the beavertails are heavy


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## crewhunting (Mar 29, 2007)

its the same motor soo i dont think weight would be much diffrent


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Might have to check out the impeller and replace it sooner but they work pretty good. I have a little 6 HP Mercury that can be tilted easily and is great for such areas.

Good luck,
Dan


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## just ducky (Apr 27, 2005)

aharvey010 said:


> what about the differance between a water cooled motor like a yamaha 4hp i was looking at and a air cooled briggs and stratton 5hp. The only thing thats really intreging me about the briggs is not having to worry about keeping the debre of the inlet for the motor to cool, how big of a problem can this be for the yamaha?


Air cooled doesn't have the same issues with plugging up that a standard water cooled has. I've had both kinds. Air cooled are light, but they won't troll down as smoothly as a standard water cooled engine, and are very loud compared to a water cooled. They aren't nearly as good for all around use, like say a fishing motor as well as a duck hunting motor. Here's my two cents...if the only thing you ever want to use this motor for is pushing a duck boat around, and you really don't care about speed (high or low), then get the Briggs. You won't be sorry. However if you ever think you may use it for fishing or something, then get the Yammy.


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## just ducky (Apr 27, 2005)

crewhunting said:


> how much is that motor????? THe six horse beavertail arent that bad of price i am telling you..!! you wont go wrong with one they are great!


Yes they are great for one purpose...pushing a duck boat through very shallow water. Don't try them on big water where you may want speed or more control (like the open waters of the great lakes here where I live). Plus remember that "mud motors" do not have reverse, so control can be an issue. If you plan on being in some bigger water where speed or control may be an issue, or you may want to go fishing, the beavertail is out. So it all depends what you plan to use it for.


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## crewhunting (Mar 29, 2007)

Well i dont think a twelve foot boat will be on big water!! atleast i wont!! And well as of speed mine goes fast enough for a duck boat it keeps up with a 25 horse out board.


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