# Go-Devil Surface Drive Vs. Pro Drive Boat



## VTGOLFER (Nov 25, 2007)

To those who own or driven a go-devil or pro drive. Wanting your opinion on what boat you thought was better? Mainly looking at 35hp Vanguard and 18X54 hull.....Im looking at getting a new boat here after this season and debating which one I should pursue. Will be hunting the coast as well as some freshwater lakes/flooded timber. Also, thinking about getting a center console setup? Any advice would be great.....Thanks, hope everyone's duck season is going well.


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

If you decide to expand your horizons, I have a 35 Gatortail on a 18ft GatorTail boat going up for sale soon. 2008 model in excellent condition.

If you are sticking with those 2 choices, I was say PD.


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## remi19 (Feb 27, 2008)

http://www.mudmotortalk.com/ everything you need to know.


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## SeanSFA (Oct 7, 2009)

mudmotortalk.com is awesome can find used boats at good price too. I have freinds with all three. after using all theirs i went prodrive... reverse is awesome if you ever need it.


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## SV_DuckBuster (Sep 18, 2007)

SeanSFA said:


> mudmotortalk.com is awesome can find used boats at good price too. I have freinds with all three. after using all theirs i went prodrive... reverse is awesome if you ever need it.


X2!!!


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

SeanSFA said:


> mudmotortalk.com is awesome can find used boats at good price too. I have freinds with all three. after using all theirs i went prodrive... reverse is awesome if you ever need it.


I didnt know you had a PD dude!

By the way, got some more reels, they are going fast!


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

This weekend was the first time Ive ever seen the FPR actually needed... We launched the boat into 2-3" ice.... the boat wouldnt come off the trailer obviously... 

The FPR pulled the boat through the ice with no problem. The boat was frozen to the trailer as well and it ripped it right off....

Ran like a top... 11 degrees.... I took some video of us busting across the ice on Saturday.... I will upload it and post it this week.


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## SeanSFA (Oct 7, 2009)

well tech its half mine but its in the family...yeah, Ill be down their soon im having a jackplate put on my bay boat right now..so after duck season is over...lets hit the bay up..im gonna bring stephen. turkey neck gone wild style


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

SeanSFA said:


> well tech its half mine but its in the family...yeah, Ill be down their soon im having a jackplate put on my bay boat right now..so after duck season is over...lets hit the bay up..im gonna bring stephen. turkey neck gone wild style


Oh lord help us!!! Ol Turkey Neck!!!

Ive been trying to get him on some fish for years, but we just have never hit it just right with the scheduling...

Let me know when yall are planning a trip and if your pops wants any of the reels I have.... same deal as before.

I drove by the Mallard Mansion this past weekend but didnt see any movement over there.... The whole **** creek was froze up anyway.


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## SeanSFA (Oct 7, 2009)

Yeah he's ready to go now. I think were going this weekend to mallard mansion or heading to Arkansas. hell I've only made it to mansion twice this year before split got few spoonies and woods but not only a couple greens. Jeff ran turkeys tire off his pd and destroyed the rim last week


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## jjtroutkiller (Jan 28, 2005)

VTGOLFER said:


> To those who own or driven a go-devil or pro drive. Wanting your opinion on what boat you thought was better? Mainly looking at 35hp Vanguard and 18X54 hull.....Im looking at getting a new boat here after this season and debating which one I should pursue. Will be hunting the coast as well as some freshwater lakes/flooded timber. Also, thinking about getting a center console setup? Any advice would be great.....Thanks, hope everyone's duck season is going well.


I had a few custom boats made for mudmotors, my latest was a 1854 Gator Trax with a 35 hp MudBuddy surface drive. The Gator Trax is a great boat and I would not hesitate to have Kent at BFC Marine build another but the surface drive motors are worthless unless running with a couple of people and a few dozen decoys. If you are running over sand most of the time you would be better off with a tunnel and outboard.


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## jjtroutkiller (Jan 28, 2005)

If you decide you need a mudmotor keep in mind long and skinny and as light of a load as possible.


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## shauntexex (Dec 12, 2007)

You've been listening to mojo281 too much! Your boat is perfect besides being a few years old don't get rid of it. A pro drive is very similar to driving an outboard tiller handle much easier than yours from what I've heard and it's gear driven unlike mudbuddy that is belt driven. If I were you just get the top of the line gatortrax 20X54 with an HD7000 on the back pro! Oh and if you sell yours I got first dibs on it


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

He's not selling his boat Shaun.... We were talking about my plans to buy a prodrive the other night and he thinks that I should go with a devil. He kinda has a bias view being that he runs a devil!


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## Marshman (Jul 24, 2008)

jjtroutkiller said:


> If you decide you need a mudmotor keep in mind long and skinny and as light of a load as possible.


+1 Cooo-rect! I have a 20' southfork, no floatation, with a 40 merc, AND a 20' GD with a 35 GD SD. The only downside with the longer boat is long rides across open water, the bow catches a lot of side wind and you have to lean hard on the tiller.

A buddy has the same motor, 18' boat, but much wider, his is about 68", mine is 42". His has spunout in tight turns a couple times a year, mine never. Mine is also slightly faster, his slightly drier, not that it matters both are pretty good at that.

Others in our locale have PD and MB motors, they have nice features, that are electric trim and reverse. Nice features are just that, and are the first thing to break. 3 years on mine, only routine maintenance, not so with MB or PD, we are talking motors that get a lot of use.

MM


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## Johnboat (Jun 7, 2004)

*Regulations*

I hear McFadden WMA restricts to 25 hp max. Other nearby areas may be the same.....Fed and State public lands. This may not be a factor but I would sure check it out.


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## Yellow Cat (Aug 10, 2009)

*Go devil*

Im with you marshman. i have a 35 Go devil with the 1848 go devil boat. It is an awesome duck hunting machine which has never left me stranded. I have the smooth bottom and that is the way to go if you ever run into very shallow sand. We hunt a lot in the lower laguna and if anyone's every been there, they know its all pretty much sand. We have ran up to a hunting spot and the tide go out dramatically and left the boat left on 1 inch of water. and i was able to push it out no problem a couple hundred yards with that smooth bottom. Obviously it wasn't floating but it slid very well with that smooth bottom!
Go Devil does not have many parts to them and are very easy to work on. The trim, transmission, and reverse are going to be the first to go out.


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## Yellow Cat (Aug 10, 2009)

*Go devil con't*

For the above post. Sorry guys i accidentally sent the message prior to finishing it up. But mine does not have the trim and reverse. I'm not sure if go devil even sells them like that. But i have gotten very use to not using reverse and trim, and its worked out very well!!


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## artys_only (Mar 29, 2005)

*Pro drive or go devil*

prodrive are great if you are making long runs and need speed , but if you are going to run really shallow in muD a strait shaft go devil will be what you need ..... good luck


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## Marshman (Jul 24, 2008)

Yellowcat, GD doesn't offer reverse or eletric tilt/trim, for a reason. it breaks. The fine folks at Go-devil are pretty experienced in building things that don't strand you. The most reverse I ever use is a push pole getting out of the boat hide. 

The long tail models are good in hard bottomed marsh, the SD units go about as well in as long as the bottom is soft. The long tails... are MUCH more challenging to drive, and are not as fast eiter.


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

Marshman said:


> Yellowcat, GD doesn't offer reverse or eletric tilt/trim, for a reason. it breaks. The fine folks at Go-devil are pretty experienced in building things that don't strand you. The most reverse I ever use is a push pole getting out of the boat hide.
> 
> The long tail models are good in hard bottomed marsh, the SD units go about as well in as long as the bottom is soft. The long tails... are MUCH more challenging to drive, and are not as fast eiter.


I was in a PD this weekend that a push pole would have been useless.

Its first time that we have ever actually NEEDED the Full Power Reverse, but we would have never gotten off the trailer without it.

The boat was frozen to the trailer and we launched it into 2-3 inches of surface ice....

The lower portion of the PD actually rotates 180 degrees, its not just a prop that rotates in the opposite direction. I think the option runs 5-6 hundred dollars, but when you are spending 15k on a boat, you might as well get piece of mind with it.


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## Cat Man (Jan 11, 2007)

WOW! I have read some really intellegent posts here! I run a Go-Devil 35 SD on a Go-Devil 18X56 (round chine) boat with grass blind, poling platform, headlights, etc. Warren Coco has defined the K.I.S.S. principal and it works - that is Keep It Simple Stupid. The engine trims itself to get maximum performance. Reverse is not needed if your boat will go forward. I have never had an issue with my engine and I have run Go-Devil since 1997. Now for the disclaimer:

I have been a Go-Devil dealer for the entire 6 years I have been in business. Come see me and I will take you for a demo ride.

RDR


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