# float pods



## MrSpooky (Jun 27, 2012)

hi, im new here, and new to south Ga... thats my intro.
 I have a question to anyone who has aftermarket pods. I have a 16' alumacraft tunnel hull wit a jackplate and 50 merc and I was wanting to add float pods. The boat sits a little lower in the water in the back than Id like.From what I understand, the pods can eigther be bolted on or welded.
 Im not sure Im comfortable with drilling holes in the back of my boat to bolt them on,,,BUT, Im not sure if I trust someone welding a hole in my boat eigther,,,I know, decisions right???
 Any way, have any of yall bolted these pods on, and if so, howd it turn out? Also, for those who have had them welded them on, howd they turn out, and whos a trustable welder close to Tifton???
 thanks in advance
 spooky


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## capt stan (Jun 27, 2012)

http://www.jphilarnold.com/pods/firstpage.htm


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## ThunderRoad (Jun 27, 2012)

Read this one first:

http://www.duckhuntingchat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=181186&p=1551506#p1551506

This one has some good info as well.

http://www.duckhuntingchat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=185429&hilit=pods


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## MrSpooky (Jun 27, 2012)

Thunder Road, Iv reasd those post in the past and thats whats got me wondering the pros and cons of each.
 @ capt stan,,, is this your boat in the link you gave? Iv seen that  before as well.  If it is your boat, how have they held up, and would you have done anything different?

  thanks for both replies
 spooky


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## capt stan (Jun 27, 2012)

No, not my boat I found that link as I have been researching the same thing. I am about to get a new lil hunting / fishing rig and am seriously considering pods on the back.


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## MrSpooky (Jun 27, 2012)

capt stan said:


> No, not my boat I found that link as I have been researching the same thing. I am about to get a new lil hunting / fishing rig and am seriously considering pods on the back.



whats your thoughts on bolting them on?
 thanks 
 spooky


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## MrSpooky (Jun 27, 2012)

So Im just starting to understand the basic dynamics of float pods and Im wondering if the Excel pods (or the likes) are truly pods? do they work as float pods? 
  I thought that float pods were positioned _on each side_of the engine to help distribute the weight (for floating) and also were positioned at each side of the point of thrust (prop) to help plane off quicker. With the excel (or the likes), the engine is mounted behing the "pods" wich to me is no different than mounting it streight to the transom. 
 they just seem like a step...Am I wrong in thinking this? 
 thanks
 spooky


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## GSURugger (Jun 27, 2012)

MrSpooky said:


> So Im just starting to understand the basic dynamics of float pods and Im wondering if the Excel pods (or the likes) are truly pods? do they work as float pods?
> I thought that float pods were positioned _on each side_of the engine to help distribute the weight (for floating) and also were positioned at each side of the point of thrust (prop) to help plane off quicker. With the excel (or the likes), the engine is mounted behing the "pods" wich to me is no different than mounting it streight to the transom.
> they just seem like a step...Am I wrong in thinking this?
> thanks
> spooky



The excel (or gator Trax) "pod" is what is called a huntdeck. Designed for mudmotor applications in order to move the tiller back, make driving easier, add addl length to the hull (MM's run best with a long slende hull), and also to utilize all the available space in the hull. There is normally flotation in the huntdeck.  Makes a nice step up too.  outboards perform no different on them. Now a surface drive with two pods, one on either side, performs like crap, due tithe fact that SD MM's like clean, non turbulent water. An outboard setup with two pods will draft slightly less water.


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## GSURugger (Jun 27, 2012)

Also, I just saw where you said you owned a tunnel hull. Two pods would work. A huntdeck would not, unless you had one built with a tunnel in it as well


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## MrSpooky (Jun 27, 2012)

that explains alot...  thanks.. Like I said, Im just understanding "pods",, and now Im understanding "hunt decks".
 thanks
 spooky


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## GSURugger (Jun 27, 2012)

No problem. Here is another example of a huntdeck





A here are pods on a G3 a buddy used to have


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## MrSpooky (Jun 27, 2012)

I see that the pods on th G3 are level with  the bottom of the boat.  I have read soooo much about having them a inch or so above the bottom for optimal proformance, and then I have also herd  that theres little noticable diference if there level.  Did yall notice any difference  in praformance of stock V/S  with pods? I honestly dont think Im "high tech" enough to notice a difference, but maby Im wrong. 
    Also.. now looking at the hunt deck, I could see(in my mind) a surface drive being  better suited for the hunt dck rather that a outboard...
 thanks for the pics!!
 spooky


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## capt stan (Jun 28, 2012)

MrSpooky said:


> whats your thoughts on bolting them on?
> thanks
> spooky



Im not going that route will get them welded,

Also think of a "huntdeck" the same as an "extended transom" on an offshore boat, serves the same purpose.


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## r_hammett86 (Jun 28, 2012)

i have welded pods on a 1546 xpress. i have my 6 gal gas tank battery and a 20 johnson on the back and it sits fairley level and rides good too. it worked even better with a Godevil longtail on there in shallow stuff.


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## MrSpooky (Jun 28, 2012)

r_hammett86 said:


> i have welded pods on a 1546 xpress. i have my 6 gal gas tank battery and a 20 johnson on the back and it sits fairley level and rides good too. it worked even better with a Godevil longtail on there in shallow stuff.



were your pods "stich" welded on, or is there a beed all the way around?
 Also, how did you mount them in regards to the bottom and sides of the boat? or better yet, do you have a pic from the rear ?
 thanks
 spooky


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## r_hammett86 (Jun 29, 2012)

My pods are welded all the way around. they are flush with the bottom of the boat. i'd prefer to have them made into the boat but these work just fine. i'll try to get a better pic up


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## MrSpooky (Jun 30, 2012)

those turned out reel good.!   If you wasent so far north from me, Id ask who welded them. Did you have any bolts of rivets that the pods had to cover?  If so, howd ya do it?
 thanks
 spooky


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## webfootwidowmaker (Jun 30, 2012)

here is mine


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## lxbowhunter (Jul 1, 2012)

boyds welding built mine,they are very reasonable.I had mine stick welded.  Boydwelding.com


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## MrSpooky (Jul 1, 2012)

I e mailed them saterday,, i recon Ill get a responce soon. My main concern is the rivets in the back.. 
 spooky


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## lxbowhunter (Jul 1, 2012)

i had a hard time getting a response from boyds, i left several voice mails.  I measured my angles {side angle and transom angle}then i ordered them from their site.  The pods came in about 6 or 7 days.  That was about 18 months ago, they have held up well, they have performed just as i was hoping..


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## MrSpooky (Jul 2, 2012)

I talked to Mr. Boyd today and he said that sometimes a cavitation plate will limit the size of pods you can use, or might get in the way of the pods. I have a cavitation plate on my engine something like this one. would a  cavitation plate benifit a tunnel hull with pods, or would it just be a extra part? Im not sure just what they do.
 thanks
 spooky


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## GSURugger (Jul 2, 2012)

Cav plate keeps the prop from cavitating, which is the collapse of air bubbles on the props surface. These "implosions" are quite energetic and overtime can damage or even break a prop because of the high pressure shockwave.


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## MrSpooky (Jul 2, 2012)

GSURugger said:


> Cav plate keeps the prop from cavitating, which is the collapse of air bubbles on the props surface. These "implosions" are quite energetic and overtime can damage or even break a prop because of the high pressure shockwave.



  hmmmmmm,, recon Ill just keep it on then and design the pods around it..  If there so important, why dosent/ dident the engine come with one factory?
 thanks
 spooky


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## lxbowhunter (Jul 2, 2012)

i have a cavitation plate, it helped alot on my holeshot, other than that i can't tell it does much.


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## guywholikeshunting (Sep 11, 2013)

What do you guys think about a hunt deck extension on a classic gheenoe?  Worth the time?  Cheers to reviving old threads


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## thompsonsz71 (Sep 11, 2013)

Gill bracket and or hunt deck/ pods would not be worth the time on a gheenoe


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