Gator Tail 35

[mobilaltima]

My buddy and I duck hunt out of his gator tail boat with a 35 Vanguard (Briggs) Gator Tail mud motor. It has around 100 hours, just recently he had an aftermarket cam and exhaust done to it. When were on the water and especially on the mud flats, we run it full throttle, 99% of the time. He changes the oil every 50 hours usually with straight 30 or Rotella 15W40, but I saw recently Briggs came out with a 15W50 oil and they recommend it in the 35-40 hp Vanguards. He was considering either Mobil 1 15W50, or either of the two oils in the link below. The Valvoline 20W50 oils have high zinc, which Im thinking is good for the cam and high rpm operation, but would the 8.5 TBN be ok for a 50 hr interval, or is the TBN not enough? One is synthetic while the other is conventional.

https://www.valvoline.com/our-products/motor-oil/vr1-full-synthetic-racing-motor-oil
https://www.valvoline.com/our-products/motor-oil/vr1-racing-oil

 

[rubberchicken]

My advice is to tell your buddy to stop running it 99% all the time. Its air cooled right ? Back it down a bit to help engine longevity.

 

[mobilaltima]

Its necessary in the shallow water we run in.

 

[rubberchicken]

Originally Posted by mobilaltima
Its necessary in the shallow water we run in.


Why ? As a life-long boater, I fail to see what you gain other than a slight speed boost. Lets say your top speed is 30 mph at WOT. Dropping down to 26-27 mph and 90% of WOT would help mpg efficiency, reduce stress on the engine. The only thing I can see is it might cost a few millimeters in draft. Just a thought, maybe I am missing something.

 

[ragtoplvr]

They are not running in water. They are in a swamp, mud, weeds, stumps, fallen logs and some water. it is a specialized boat and motor, and on the mud if you let the boat fall off plane and settle into the mud you will have some slow going.. It is duck hunting, cold weather and the motor is still governed, so it might be a full rpm but half power as long as the boat is moving along.

Rod

 

[Snagglefoot]

The Gator Tail guys are crazy! Wow. Watched a few You Tube videos. These boys are not dropping down to 90%. No way. That was Sum Fun!

 

[bullwinkle]

Those look like fun, as long as you don't hit something & rip the transom of the boat off!

 

[mobilaltima]

Exactly what ragtoplvr said. Alot of times we'll have it full throttle and not going fast cause of the mud, and when you get stuck you have to use the power to get out the mud. Invented, abused and loved by Cajuns.

 

[mobilaltima]

Bullwinkle, they are designed to "jump up" when hitting a log or anything submerged.

 

[rubberchicken]

Originally Posted by mobilaltima
Exactly what ragtoplvr said. Alot of times we'll have it full throttle and not going fast cause of the mud, and when you get stuck you have to use the power to get out the mud. Invented, abused and loved by Cajuns.


OK, I admit I learned something new today

 

[mobilaltima]

I'd like to get a 35 Vanguard soon and do the works to it, cam, heads, pistons, rods, and carb and exhaust. I'll be putting it into a different type of mudboat, a custom aluminum hull where the motor sits inboard and you sit on a frame on top of the motor and steer with a long rod connected directly to the rudder, this is the "old school" type of mudboat down here. the 35 should move the boat pretty good.