Ok right now I have a 14ft semi-v.. I like it but it's only 40" wide and wobbly as all get out. I hunt two guys and a dog and it's just too thin for us. I have a good 9hp long tail that I want to keep and use, i may upgrade the motor to 12hp or so but not looking at anything much higher power. I am looking for a 14-16' boat. I want something that I can use the long tail and also put my small outboard on to fish from occasionally and would like to have two seats, but main concern is hunting. I found the 15' GatorTrax with side gun box as seating. My questions are whether a 44" is wide enough or is the 50" much better? My boat is semi-v and straight up gunwales so I get a lot of rocking. I don't want an extra wide boat, just don't want to rock! Also can I use an outboard on a flat bottom boat? It's only 15hp but still need to know. I usually hunt smaller ponds or in some backwater off larger ponds that I need the long tail. I do occasionally go out to big rivers like Mississippi so that's why I want to use the outboard too. It's my first nice boat and always used Jon boats so I'm not sure what better options are. I would need a good hunt deck for the dog too.
Not sure where to go, but any recommendations would be nice. Would like to keep price to $5k-$8k with trailer max. Unless that's unrealistic.

Good luck on your search. Best time to get a good deal is after waterfowl season. Having spent a lot of time duck hunting off the Mississippi out of Sharkey country region, I would say that you are going to wish you get a larger (18 ft and heavy gauge ) jon boat if you are hunting big rivers and you will need to consider a larger motor at least a 25.

I drive an 18x44 GD with round chines - the GatorTrax are also
round chine.... I can tell you that I also had a 17x42 WeldBilt
with square chines and it was more stable at rest due to the
square chines than the longer wider hull with round chines....

With less HP - square chines in a very light .90 or .100 gauge hull
might give you the best for what you have outlined above....

The 17x42 WeldBilt was a true slick bottom mudhull that only weighed
about 350lbs - but would get 2 guys on plane with my 9.9 Merc
4 stroke outboard and would fly with my 27GDSD...

17 or 18 foot length - is far better with 2 or 3 guys than 16 foot
unless you go out to around 60 wide and then the small HP motors
would be too weak to work... Like Joe suggested go longer and
you will be happier...

Good Luck !

Yea I do like the design of the GatorTrax with the side gun box storage, but I'm not running 2" water so I'm not sure about a completely flat bottom boat. Getting into the occasional big river I want the all-around boat! I run a lot of weedy water that the long tail helps push through and I don't want to get something that I can't run shallow, but I'm not always in 2" water. I need to be able to run an outboard too. I saw the Alumacraft V, but is that a shallow enough V-hull to run a long tail? What is a good semi-v that can run long tail and stay semi-shallow?
Anyone ever get a GatorTrax hybrid?

Yea I want to stick to 14'- 16' max

What kinda waters are you hunting the hybrid in and you did you choose the hybrid?

Is there such thing that can run shallow with mud motor and also throw a 40hp outboard on and get through big rivers?!!

I have been looking around and I don't wanna fork up for a sd and would like to stick with my longtail. I really like the design and layout of the Alumacraft Waterfowler but I don't think they are great for longtails. Option two is GatorTrax 15gt.. any other thoughts of a mix between the two boats??

Ive got an 1840 and its a lil wobbly until I put my spud poles in and then its rock solid stable.

sent from the former Republic of Texas.

a 9hp longtail on most of the boat options you have mentioned will do little more than boil water.

Yea I'm going to upgrade to something else. I just want to figure the boat out first, I'm not as picky about the motor as comfort inside the boat.