Sorry if asked, couldn't find anything on here, Gator Tail question

Yes and No

So yes, i have a pin that is movable and no i have not had other holes drilled out. All you need is a stock 90 Mercury outboard pin and it works just fine. Reason we do it is so u can pull the pin out and drop the engine angle all the way down. Helps when u are in some really nasty stuff and u need some extra bite. Once you get out the nasty trim the engine up and slide the pin back into the stock hole setting.

The Pins are cheap and I keep two extras in my boat at all times.

Pending on what engine u are running i would go with fat two blade. I put one on my XD37 and it made a hell of a difference. More Reverse and i also picked up 2-3 more mph without the prop being cleaned up. I keep my 3 blade as a spare only. All my buddies are running the two blades as well unless they are running a bulit engine.

im running an 18/54 center console with a 37XD. Stock Engine and Stock Exhaust

Any mercury dealer will carry them in stock normally. Yes those old cast lowers are kinda delicate. But I know ppl that run two blades.

If you’re looking for a new engine soon I would wait. Gatortail is coming out with an engine that will have a YZ clutch and not the planetary design. It has more reverse torque and more top end.

Might be able to find a nice used 37 or 40 unless you want to spend the extra money and buy brand new.

I have been wondering if they were working on something new. I think I saw prodrive came out with some hybrid outboard mud motor that was 50hp so I assumed GTR was gonna come out with something.

I found some online at a mercury dealer I ordered. I am still not sure what to do, don't imagine there is much market for that old of an engine despite the low hours and don't really wanna stage it, but I figure a 40 would push that boat a lot better. I believe I mispoke it wasn't Baggy who told me that it was Chris (about the two blade) which I am sure I could get away with in a normal year but this year the lake was kept extremely low and that ground stays dry half the year where I hunt so it is a bit harder ground most of the season and eats props up pretty bad until late season when they let it get real deep but I never ended up getting last years replacement 3 blade worked (which is already pretty dinged up). Probably wouldnt be a bad idea to get a 2 blade. Props are easy enough to change out on the water if necessary.

@theduckhunter I appreciate you letting me know. I probably will try to get him to work one at some point if he can fit me in. I didn't figure dropping the pin would make that much difference on that old 35 as I'd always heard it was more like 31hp at the prop and it works hard getting going to begin with but it can't hurt. Also, good to know that you can run a two blade on the cast. I know 3 blades suck for reverse but that is about the one thing that it seems to do well with in mud, granted I haven't ever reversed with a two blade 37 or 40 GTR, 40 MB, or prodrives fpr so I realize it is subjective and I would probably be shocked at the difference.

All iin all sorry to clog the forum but I do really appreciate the advice.

That is true. I definitely am going to try to get a 2 and 3 blade worked. I should have made time this past summer to bring it down to Chris so he could run it, work just got in the way and then it was teal season.

It isn't a bad engine, I got it from a childhood friend who exclusively used it duck hunting, as have I, and I get that was the newish "big engine" back then but the boat would probably be more suited for an outboard given its weight but I think if you put it on a lighter Jon boat without all the flotation material, catwalks, pods, and compartments everywhere it would work a little more as intended. It'll get up to about 27 on plane with me and a buddy who is maybe 100 lbs soaking wet, and I am about 185. It weirdly runs better under a slight load. But never fails to want to run 22-23ish (in a good wind) or in the teens while still rpm'ing at around 4300-4500 when we throw guns, a vortex and blind bags in and it's cold. Luckily we leave decoys out all season or that would be an even bigger pain.

Granted it only ever goes on a ten-twenty minute ride down the river and to the mouth of the lake so it doesn't have a far journey and fast is usually better but I'd trade fast on plane if it isn't losing whole shot or power to get back up when leaving, that is never good. I usually end up bringing more than one buddy and I have one certain friend who is a giant of a guy, and it HATES running with him aboard lol (I constantly make him move around to try to balance out the load but never fails that the rpm's wanna go crazy and it just goes slow.)

That is the main concern is being able to handle bringing a few buddies when they are in town and not losing as much speed as it does when trying to get up out of the flooded cuts in the woods, granted I think that is more the boat. But the giant buddy usually has no problem just pulling it back out of the blind cut so I usually make him mule it if he is with me lol. I will say once on plane from the river it will keep going through an inch of water but once you stop you're in for a bad time. A buddy who keeps his new 40xd by mine at the lot will pile 4 guys who are just as big as my buddy and crank up and fly off.

I have looked at Stage 2 for the sake of looking at it for being able to bring an extra buddy or get a little better speed and I read stage 2's sort of shine for running under load (not sure if that is completely true) but it is a cheaper option than trying to sell and buying a new motor (even used xd's have gotten pretty insane and early last season I was looking at the 40s new and I wanna say when I checked they were $8900ish and now theyre a solid $11k after tax), which everything has gone up iin price recently across the board so not surprising. I just wasn't sure if the maintenance went up a good bit with mods. I am pretty overzealous about all the service stuff (oil filter, oil, grease, spark plugs, valves, etc) but I assumed mods meant more maintenance.

I guess while I am writing novels, a buddy mentioned a placed called Peltier Engine Services in maybe Morgan City but other than that and the big YouTube shops I am far enough into CenLas where the mad scientist boat shops are not really around. Is there a mod shop that people on here would prefer if one did go that route.

ETA: sorry for the novel.

That was what I was afraid of. Like I said, not a huge market for old ones but I figure a bone stock one that runs decent would be easier to sell or maintain that staging it. I could be wrong but I assume it is like looking at use four wheelers that are snorkeled and rebuilt (nothing wrong with that but it tends to make one think it has probably been sunk and ragged out). Thanks brother.

ETA: You are probably correct in that the hull isn't the best choice for that motor.

Yea I agree With Kemo. Hull plays a huge part. I have just an open boat. No Cat walks no gun boxes now I do have the style where the back deck and the chair goes into that. I never have the seat in tho just because I always stand to drive. Got to remember the more metal the heavier it is.

I run a center console just because I like the comfort and my dad use the boat also and he's in his 60's so it's easy for him to run. Normally me (I'm 6'3" 280) by myself I can run 32-33 with my dad who's my size also and my dog and gear I can run 30mph.

If you can afford it i would by a whole new rig. Sounds like that boat is way under powered. Can you maybe run a 90 tiller with a drilled-out pisser and hydro jack plate? My BNL run that and goes everywhere i go.

If you go on the Gatortail website I have package 4. Camo boat black engine

I'll jump in too. I have a 2013 35 GTR on a 1760 gator tail extreme hull. Redfish package (center console, catwalks, extended front deck, no rear deck but do have hunt deck) Couple years ago I was in your shoes. Essentially the same performance.

My boat is short and wide shaped like a barge so it didnt plane as well. I put a stage 2 on it and kept the same original 2 blade CA-19 prop on it. I was running a consistent 27-30mph depending on load and water depth. My "normal" hunt load is 2 guys (415lbs), 3 kids and 5 yeti buckets loaded with shite. Sometimes decoys and a kayak. Still ran 26-27. I have the original 3 blade but it sucks in holeshot, reverse, and vegetation so I never use it.

My buddy just got a new boat and gave me his stock 2 blade CA-57. I picked up about 2mph just getting a new unworn prop. I can run that hunt load at 28-29 now. Never ran it solo, but with just my son and I light gear Im around 30-31. I'll probably get it worked or get a MB Big Blade or Marine Power/BoatDr prop and work it, and that will likely get me anther 2mph.

Props and hull shape make a HUGE difference. All things equal, a square chine boat will always run flatter and faster than a tapered chine, which both of those will run faster than a rounded chine. It's just a function rear flotation. The square boats slide in turns whereas the round ones turn on a dime. Tapered is "most popular" since its the best of both worlds. It will drop off in and turn sharp, but gives a little more floatation and flatter running angle than the round chine.

Dont be afraid to work your old motor. A good stage 2 build will last just as long as a stock build, especially for you're short runs. Stage 3 and above are the high compression time bombs for the most part. The prices of new engines are astronomical.

May be selling my stock GatorTail 37xd soon. 2017 model, barely used (105 hours).

Any ideas on an asking price?

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Because ya'll keep asking for new shite
PD with instant reverse $13,500 before tax.
PD with Hotzu will be $20,000
My Tohatsu BF 250 was $24,000.00
I could buy the damn Honda Accord with the same engine for a smidge more.

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You aint lying its gotten crazy for motors much less the hulls.