GO-DEVIL

What GO-DEVIL does

GO-DEVIL Manufacturing Company of Louisiana LLC is a privately held designer and manufacturer of shallow water marine propulsion systems and aluminum boats, founded in 1977 by Warren Coco in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The company pioneered the shallow water marine drive category, holding a patent on the original longtail design and producing over 1,800 engines per year from a 40,000+ square foot manufacturing facility. Its core product lines include Longtail engines (6.5HP-40HP, the original shallow water architecture with an extended drive shaft) and Surface Drive engines (23HP-40HP, featuring belt-driven mechanical reduction), along with complementary aluminum boats in Duck Hunting (rounded chine) and Surface Drive (tapered chine) configurations, floating duck blinds, stainless steel propellers, and accessories.

The underlying technology centers on enabling propulsion in water as shallow as 1/4 inch on soft mud or 5 inches on hard bottom, using a combination of extended-shaft drive trains, custom-designed Super Weedless propellers refined over 40+ years, and Warner electric clutch FNR transmissions. Every product is hand-built at the Baton Rouge facility, with backward-compatible upgrades that allow any engine in the installed base to be retrofitted with the latest drive train technology. The business model is pure hardware sales, with engine prices ranging from $2,395 (6.5HP) to $13,290 (40HP FNR electric trim) and complete boat/engine packages up to $29,604. Distribution is omnichannel: an extensive authorized dealer network covering every state and province of North America, direct sales from the manufacturing facility, e-commerce via godevil.com, and LightStream financing referrals.

The customer base is narrow and hobbyist-driven, with primary demand from duck hunters needing access to swamps, marshes, and cypress-laden waters inaccessible to conventional outboards, and secondary demand from sport/commercial fishermen, commercial crawfishermen, and general outdoorsmen. Founder Warren Coco remains the owner-operator and is personally accessible to customers, with no institutional investors, no M&A activity, and no public financial disclosures. The company is profitable and operationally mature but operates as a deliberately small craft manufacturer.

Name

GO-DEVIL

Legal name

GO-DEVIL Manufacturing Company of Louisiana LLC

Website

https://godevil.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GO-DEVIL is a founder-owned Louisiana manufacturer of shallow water marine propulsion systems and aluminum boats, primarily serving duck hunters and fishermen across North America with patented longtail and surface drive engines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Shallow Water Marine Propulsion & Aluminum Boats

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Engines & Turbines (3510)

akta.pro primary industry

Propulsion Drives, Gearboxes & Shaftlines (IMAJAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Propellers & Waterjets (IMAJAHAE)

Keywords

• Shallow water engines
• Marine propulsion systems
• Aluminum duck boats
• Longtail outboard motors
• Surface drive motors

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marine Engine Sales: GO-DEVIL manufactures and sells Longtail engines ranging from 6.5HP to 40HP, and Surface Drive engines from 23HP to 40HP. Engines are sold with various power options using Vanguard, Honda, and Kohler engines. One-time purchase model with prices ranging from $2,395 to $13,290.
2. Aluminum Boat Sales: GO-DEVIL produces Duck Hunting Boats with rounded chines and Surface Drive Boats with tapered chines. Boat models range from 16x38 to 20x60 dimensions. Prices range from $6,550 to $10,595.
3. Duck Blind Sales: Sale of Floating Duck Blinds (Low-Profile and Standard models) ranging from $6,925 to $14,995, and Grass Blinds for boats priced from $625 to $1,030.
4. Accessories and Replacement Parts: Sale of propellers, options and accessories including trailers, push poles, seats, lighting, and replacement parts. Propellers range from $185 to $275.
5. Duck Processing Equipment: Sale of Duck Picker product for feather removal from ducks, available in gas-powered ($450) and electric models with shroud ($595).
6. Financing Referrals: GO-DEVIL refers customers to LightStream for boat loans, earning referral fees through their financing partner.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GO-DEVIL designs and manufactures shallow water marine propulsion systems (Longtail engines from 6.5HP to 40HP and Surface Drive engines from 23HP to 40HP) using Vanguard, Honda, and Kohler powerheads. The company also builds complementary aluminum boats (Duck Hunting Boats, Surface Drive Boats, and Center Console models), Floating Duck Blinds, Grass Blinds, and accessories such as stainless steel Super Weedless Propellers and Duck Pickers. All products are hand-built at the 40,000+ square foot Baton Rouge, Louisiana facility and sold directly and through an authorized North American dealer network.

Product overview

GO-DEVIL Manufacturers produces a comprehensive portfolio of shallow water marine products, primarily targeting duck hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. The core offerings include Longtail Engines (the original shallow water outboard motor with extended shaft, available 6.5HP-40HP) and Surface Drive Engines (available in Non-FNR, FNR Electric Trim, and FNR Manual Trim variants from 23HP-40HP). Complementary aluminum boats are offered in two lines: Duck Hunting Boats with rounded chines for rugged swamp navigation, and Surface Drive Boats with tapered chines optimized for surface drive engine performance. Additional products include Center Console Boats, Floating Duck Blinds, Grass Blinds, stainless steel Propellers, Duck Pickers, and various Options and Accessories. All products are hand-built at the company's 40,000+ square foot facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and backed by industry-leading warranties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Longtail Engines Shallow water marine engines with extended drive shaft protruding behind the boat, designed for mud, stumps, rocks, and vegetation. Available in 6.5HP, 9HP, 16HP, 20HP, 22HP, 23HP, 25HP, 35HP, and 40HP models using Vanguard, Honda, and Kohler engines. Marketed as 'The Four-Wheel Drive of Marine Engines' and primarily sold to duck hunters, fishermen, and crawfishermen operating in shallow water environments. Prices range from $2,395 to $7,345.
• Surface Drive - Non FNR Engines Surface drive engines with belt-driven mechanical reduction generating torque for larger propellers, designed for maximum performance through thick mud and shallow water. Available in 23HP, 25HP, 35HP, and 40HP Vanguard models. Prices range from $5,650 to $8,595.
• Surface Drive - FNR Electric Trim Engines Surface drive engines with forward-neutral-reverse capability and electric trim adjustment via electro-hydraulic actuator, featuring reduced steering effort and up to 25 inch prop tilt range. Available in 35HP and 40HP Vanguard models. Prices range from $10,100 to $11,250.
• Surface Drive - FNR Manual Trim Engines Surface drive engines with forward-neutral-reverse capability and lever-activated manual trim (EZ-Trim), featuring Warner Electric Clutch for neutral and reverse operation. Available in 23HP, 35HP, and 40HP Vanguard models.
• Center Console Boats Aluminum boats built for maximum comfort and versatility, utilizing Surface Drive Boat and Surface Drive FNR engines, featuring center console with hydraulic steering and complete electrical package. Includes complete rig packages such as the 18x60 Center Console Package priced at $29,604 with a 40HP FNR engine.
• Duck Hunting Boats (Rounded Chine) Aluminum hunting boats with rounded chines designed to mimic an alligator's bottom side, featuring slick bottom with no corners for navigating timber-laden swamps and narrow ditch environments. Available in 16x38, 16x44, 16x56, 18x38, 18x44, 18x56, 20x44, and 20x56 models. Prices range from $6,550 to $8,775.
• Surface Drive Boats (Tapered Chine) Aluminum boats designed specifically for surface drive engines, featuring 1/8 inch thick hardened marine-grade aluminum hull (5086), tapered chines for bank and obstacle clearance, and maximum bottom surface area for hydro-static lift. Available in 16x48, 16x54, 16x60, 18x48, 18x54, 18x60, 20x48, 20x54, and 20x60 models. Prices range from $9,795 upward.
• Floating Duck Blinds All-welded aluminum floating duck hunting blinds with foam-filled construction and slick bottom. Available in Low Profile (16x7x8) and Standard Hard Top (16x7x8, 12x5 towable) models with wheelchair accessibility. Prices range from $6,925 to $14,995.
• Grass Blinds All-aluminum frame boat blinds with Avery RealGrass camouflage covering, designed for quick field assembly and adjustable positioning. Available in 14'-16', 18', and 20' sizes. Prices range from $625 to $1,030.
• Propellers Stainless steel shallow water super weedless propellers designed for longtail and surface drive engines. Available in multiple sizes including 7x5, 8x4, 9x3-9x7, 10x4, 10x6, and 11x12 3-blade surface drive props. Prices range from $185 to $275.
• Duck Picker Briggs & Stratton engine or 1/2 hp electric motor powered device with duck picking head for quick feather removal. Available in gas powered ($450) and electric powered ($595 with shroud) models.
• Options and Accessories Range of engine and boat accessories including trailers, push poles, trolling motor brackets, seats, lighting, fuel systems, and storage solutions. Galvanized trailers range from $3,095 to $3,795.

Quantifiable outcome

• Engines can start from standstill in 9-10 inches of soft bottom (water, mud, vegetation combination)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ducks Unlimited (DU)minorOthersGO-DEVIL strongly supports Ducks Unlimited, a major waterfowl conservation organization. This appears to be a charitable/organizational support relationship rather than a commercial partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mud Buddy: Mud Buddy is a direct competitor in the shallow water mud motor category, manufacturing long-tail and surface-drive motors for duck hunters and shallow water anglers. The product offerings, target customer (duck hunters), and distribution model (dealer network) closely mirror GO-DEVIL's.
• Pro Drive Outboards: Pro Drive produces surface drive and longtail shallow water outboards for the hunting and fishing markets, making it a direct competitor in specialized shallow water propulsion.
• WAMME Marine: WAMME Marine manufactures mud motors and shallow water propulsion systems for duck hunters and commercial users, operating in the same product category as GO-DEVIL.
• Gator-Tail: Gator-Tail specializes in shallow water outboard motors and mud boats for duck hunters and fishermen, nearly identical to GO-DEVIL's product line. They compete head-to-head in the same dealer channels.

Broad incumbents

• Tracker Boats: Tracker Boats (Bass Pro Shops) is a major broad-line aluminum boat manufacturer with hunting/fishing models. They represent a scaled incumbent with national distribution and brand power in the outdoor recreation market.
• Mercury Marine: Mercury Marine is one of the largest outboard motor manufacturers globally. While their products are not specialized for shallow water like GO-DEVIL's, they represent a deep-pocketed competitor that could enter or expand into the shallow-water category.
• Lowe Boats: Lowe Boats manufactures aluminum fishing and hunting boats, including models targeting duck hunters. They are a broader incumbent serving similar customer segments with wider product breadth.
• Alumacraft: Alumacraft is a broader aluminum boat manufacturer producing hunting and fishing boats. While not specialized in shallow-water mud drives like GO-DEVIL, they compete in the duck hunting boat segment and serve overlapping customers.
• G3 Boats: G3 Boats (a Yamaha company) is a major aluminum boat manufacturer with hunting and shallow water models. They represent a broader incumbent with overlapping shallow-water product offerings and stronger dealer relationships.

Regional players

• Xpress Boats: Xpress Boats produces aluminum duck boats and hunting boats primarily in the southern U.S. market. They overlap with GO-DEVIL in aluminum duck hunting boats but with a broader product portfolio serving bay and lake fishing as well.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GoDevil1977
• Facebookfacebook.com/godevilmfg
• Instagraminstagram.com/godevilmfg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/go-devil-manufacturing-co.-of-la.-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GO-DEVIL