New Boat!

[WestEndAngler]

Well, many of you have seen the few pictures of it and with the two waterfowl reports I posted might have gotten a good glimpse of her.

I took the blind off seeing as its no longer hunting season and tied it up in the rafters of my storage unit. Very convenient and the blind weighs maybe 20-30 lbs.

The boat has great open space and I can't wait to get my trolling motor all hooked up (well I have to buy it first, there not cheap... :furious: ) not to mention do some engineering work on a trolling motor plug... I'm leaning towards MinnKota or MotorGuide (more towards MinnKota)

The winch power cord and remote take up the spot where I'd put a trolling motor plug so I think I'll have to make an adapter or quick disconnect to save some time and money.

Still contemplating on a battery for the trolling motor, 12V system any ideas places that aren't too expensive? Walmart?

Anyways the motor has been functioning great, she hardly burns any gas. We ran from Teakwood to Karankawa back to Greens Lake, all the way up into Greens turned around ran through some mud for maybe 20 min and then made our way back to HarborWalk, stopped to top off... 3 Gallons is all she wanted.. I still had 6 left :D

I'm still getting use to getting her up quick in the mud there is some skill required but I've begun to get the hang of it and its becoming very easy now.

I've driven it through shell/mud mix and it just eats right through everything... The mud in some places has been thick but no match for the Gator-Tail. Robalo shot me a message saying he had seen the mud streaks from where we left out near Karankawa last weekend :D

The hull of the boat is smooth which allows me to slide very easily the stern has a slanted angle on it making reversing in the mud easy plus having the hunt deck in the back filled full of floatation the boat naturally wants to sit higher.

The boat has floatation installed in the rear deck, the two stern boxes (seats) and under the forward part of the bow. After seeing and recovering one Jon Boat in West Bay this past year I wasn't going to take any chances!

She runs quickly for her size at 28MPH with me and a full tank of gas. Loaded down 2 guys, 2 dogs, decoys, guns, ammo, cooler full of "Dr. Pepper" :cheers: she makes 24-25 MPH.

I have put 9 hours on the motor so far and have 6 more to complete the break in period, little to no maintaince which is nice, my next purchase for the motor will be a new stainless steel exhaust, that will be coming before next Duck Season...

Here are some shots of the boat, nothing out of the storage unit yet I'll get some this weekend.

F.W.E. Shallow Water Rescue Service... We'll bring you more beer :D

[WestEndAngler]

Here are some more photos...

[Beach Bum Bailey]

That thing is a beast! :cheers:

[majek_maniac]

Looks awesome. I am very jealous, I have been wanting one of these for some time. But I think my next "hunting vessel" will be an airboat!

Is the winch pre-wired to run off of 12v? If so, you could probable splice into with a piggyback type connection and wire that to the trolling motor connection. You could only run one at a time, but odds are if you are winching it is too late for the trolling motor and if you are trolling you wont be needing the winch.

For the battery, if you are running a 12v, I would spend the extra $$$ on a optima or other gel battery. They are smaller, lighter and last way longer. I wanted them, but buying two of them was not doable at the time I put my trolling motor in. I definately want to upgrade in the future. If not, I bought my batteries at Academy. They are the biggest regular deepcycle batteries they had, I think they went 70-80 bucks each Their cheapest batteries were 49.99 I think. Also, most auto parts stores carry deep cycles in the same price range. Good luck, cant wait to go for a ride.

MM

[Tiny]

Sweet... we need to take it in Moses lake and hit the Way back waters and look for some reds in the shallow mud flats!

[WestEndAngler]

All I need is a person that knows the area and tells me where I need to go :D

[FlatoutFishin]

Sweet... we need to take it in Moses lake and hit the Way back waters and look for some reds in the shallow mud flats!

Hell my boat will run there Tiny...we need to take him behind Greens, with a NW wind.

[Shin-Diggin]

Behind Greens with a NW wind, been there done that. I wasn't in near as bad shape as this Keener was though. He kept cutting circles and could never get on top.

[WestEndAngler]

Behind Greens with a NW wind, been there done that. I wasn't in near as bad shape as this Keener was though. He kept cutting circles and could never get on top.


Here's what she can do :D

http://www.gator-tail.com/galleries/Gator-Tail%20-%20In%20The%20Mud/images/gator_tail_pics__2_18_07__055.jpg

[WestEndAngler]

Hey Shockwave.... where's a pic of your rig?

[TXSHOCKWAVE]

no here's what they will do. I have been all over greens when it was dry way in the back by the water tower.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q123/txshockwave/th_100_0498.jpg (http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q123/txshockwave/?action=view&current=100_0498.flv)



I have a boat similar to coes. I still have some more work to do on it.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q123/txshockwave/Picture762.jpg

[007]

I'm ready to go for a ride.

[WestEndAngler]

James, can you build me a poling platform that removable?

[TXSHOCKWAVE]

yeah sure just bring it by my shop. I'm sure we can fix something up.

[TTU Wader]

Thats awesome haha.......mud

[coachlaw]

Growing up in the bayous of Louisiana, I was always so jealous of those guys with the Go-Devils. I would have sold my little sister for one of those to put on my little flat boat. :D

I'm still quite enamoured of them. They were all long tails in the old days. Those new ones go in reverse too I imagine. Looks like a cool ride.

I've got a very cool place I could take you to with that baby, not far from the camp. I can only get in there in my pirogue. Hasn't been fished since well before Ike.

[WestEndAngler]

We'll hit it up Saturday then Coach! Whats the bottom structure like? Mud or Sand?

[billytoj]

Man, congrats on the new boat. Those gator tails just cant be stopped by anything!! Can't wait until next season when we can take her out. Hopefully work will have calmed down to a steady pace then.

Also did you end up taking it out last night? I never got a cal back so i'm guessing not.

Billy

[WestEndAngler]

I told you to call me when you got off work... and yah I took her out met up with Bailey around 8:30 in Baytown and drove it around for an hour. Up to 10 Hours now.

[XtremeAngler]

no here's what they will do. I have been all over greens when it was dry way in the back by the water tower.

:eek: Now that video is cool

[Primer]

Saw one at the boat show had twins on it.

[WestEndAngler]

Was it a Gator-Tail or MudBuddy?

[majek_maniac]

Nope, Pro Drive all the way!!! Haha, just kidding. I am super jealous of your boat Coe. One day I may be so lucky.

MM

[Primer]

I think it was a go devil or mud buddy but I'm not sure just thought it was neat.

[coachlaw]

I'm pretty sure the twin motor model at the show was a Go-Devil. They were the originators of the long tail as far as I know. All the ones at the show were the kind you have. Surface drive?

[mallardslayer77]

That pic is friggin awesome