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 First boat - Excel 1651... 
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Post First boat - Excel 1651...
Hello all - purchasing my first mud rig and I like the Excel 1651. After looking at and sitting in as many different boats as I could (War Eagle, Gator trax,Polar Kraft, Lowe, Express, etc) I like the layout of the F4 shallow water the best. This will be a duck rig for my son and I first but will also see fishing duty in summer.

I have spent hours reading in here and see a lot of negative Excel reviews although I notice a lot are from 6-8 years ago. My question for you- have some of these issues been corrected at Excel or is the opinion of most of you to stay away from Excel? Layout wise I like these first by a significant margin and then perhaps Express second. Am I making a mistake considering these? The Excel 1651 would be powered by a MB 37EFI.

Thank you in advance. If it matters we run heavy marsh but very few stumps in our hunting areas.


Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:34 pm
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Post Re: First boat - Excel 1651...
You could have a nice custom built for what they get for those Excels.


Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:48 am
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Post Re: First boat - Excel 1651...
If you buy a 16 foot mudboat you will wish you the got the 18....

18x48 seems to be the sweet spot - my 18x44 GD performs better in rough
spots than my original 16x48 GD and I like it much more overall because of
the way it balances a load....

A longer hull balances the weight of a heavy mudmotor much better
and improves shallow water performance and stability....

Excel went thru an evolution after the hurricanes 8 years ago and seems
to be a much better product these days....

Find a dealer who will let you test drive a rig before you buy....

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Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:58 am
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Post Re: First boat - Excel 1651...
I agree with the custom built. Get a price before buying a cookie cutter. A good "gator glide" on the bottom if your gonna run stumpy areas is a must! This is the first duck season I have had a bottom coat, I will never have another boat without it!

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Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:28 am
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Post Re: First boat - Excel 1651...
My son and I run a 1851 F4 with MB7000, have been pleased with it. Although very heavy dragging across sand bars. It has held up great to the continued Ice breaking we do with it. Hull is still straight with out dents. IMO I would put as much power on it as you can afford. The 7000 will push it into the mid thirties with a lite load and 25-28 loaded with 1000# of gear and people. Both are 2013 models.


Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:37 am
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Post Re: First boat - Excel 1651...
Thanks for the replies. I am struggling a bit with the cookie cutter vs custom thing... I think I have an idea but who you guys recommend for custom builds? My research has shown there is some savings on the blank hull/boat but by the time I add a few others things I want the prices are fairly comparable. This will also be used for fishing so I need to keep that in mind while designing the boat.

Just for grins, if this was your money where would you be spending it to come up with a boat similar to the Excel F4 but with a much lower price?


Fri Nov 24, 2017 7:52 pm
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Post Re: First boat - Excel 1651...
Go Devil... Test drive one...

Love my GD 18x44 and it turns on a dime compared to most mudboats that slide in
the shallows - just like the F4...

Custom guys don't build round chine very well and it would not have USCG approved
floataion either....

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Fri Nov 24, 2017 8:28 pm
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Sun Nov 26, 2017 5:08 pm
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Post Re: First boat - Excel 1651...

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Sat Dec 30, 2017 8:18 pm
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Post Re: First boat - Excel 1651...
If it were me, I'd build an 18-20x60 with no extras and put extra money into engine mods!

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Sun Dec 31, 2017 8:10 pm
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Post Re: First boat - Excel 1651...
Also remember for size they measure their boats to the back of the pods so a 1651 is is 15 fee on the inside. My buddy had an excel who loved the boat, but my brother bought one and hated it, had bad welds on it


Sun Dec 31, 2017 9:26 pm
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