In your opinion who makes the fastest hull in the 16' category? I will be using this rig mostly for fishing and have long stretches to run between stops. I like the idea of not having to worry so much about water depth, but dread the thought of being maxed out at 25 MPH!

I am leading towards the Excel hulls, but really have no point of refference, they just look nice!

Thanks for all of the help you guys have provided, never actually seen a mud motor up here in PA so I am learning a lot here.

Waste

Under the 25hp limit --- the best performing rig I have ever
seen in action is the discontinued 18 foot Go Devil Skiff and 23 GDSD...

Ran with one this weekend actually saturday afternoon... The owner
is a MMT member and can really make that thing go thru de chit as
well or better than the bigger rigs.... Top speed solo I would guess
is about 25mph and 23mph with two guys under 200 each...

They also had a 16 foot version....
http://www.godevil.com/16x30-36_Duck_Skiff.html

Maybe you could find one on the used market --- saw one in
craigslist not long ago in Houston at a pretty good price with
a longtail on it...

As for current 16 foot Go Devil's the 16x48 and the 16x60 GDSD tapered
chine hull both break 30 mph solo with the stock 35 GDSD...

24mph was my best with a 23 hp and 26mph was my best with the 27hp GDSD on the 16x48 --- would not go anything but the 35 on the 16x60...

Hope that helps...

"16 category - under the 25 hp max rule" --- pickle breath

BTW - why didn't you contribute to the thread somethin but yer azz-typin
don't you have a 16 with a big ol GTR (Get The Renchs) --- and the answer
to yer querry the 27 GDSD on the 17x42 (very light) Weldbilt (square chine)
and would hit 30 in shallows going into the Sun (gravitational acceleration)
in the shallows with the perfect ripples and a hint of tailwind - 30.4mph
best number it ever spit out the GPS on that hull....

And.....

Since our man Wasteman has only 6 posts - I was bein
helpful and reading a few words between the lines - you
know since he is a new guy - I was attempting to be
a nice guy and offer him up some help...

That and that dang lil skiff just flat impressed the heck
out of me this weekend - we had us a half dozen plus
GDSDs of all sizes and shapes and he was the only one to
actually follow "the ole man" when he told us to try to keep
up and follow his trail blaze... Sometimes 25mph is a pretty
cool number - especially when some boats are not able to
get thru at all.... I know cause I was last in the string
playin "straggler roundup" and had a great view of it all...

I gave the man info on 3 or 4 hulls in that category
powered with 3 or 4 stock GDSDs ---based upon
firsthand ownership and eyewitness accounts in the
field --- that is what this MMT thang is all about...



"Matter O Fact" - as Brooks might say on occasion...

Most of them get good numbers from a 16x54 or 16x60 but it all depends on what you want in the hull and what will be pushing it.

I got a 1650 gatortrax with a gdsd35 and itll break 30, but just barely. IMO id go with something a little longer if possible. the 1746 I did have would run 32.6

1660 Phowler with stock 36 PD will run 27-28 mph with two guys and fishing gear all day.

PW

I have a 16x48 custom bateau that is pretty close to the Pro-Drive version of their boat. Also has an 18 gallon built in gas tank and other extras. I went fishing yesterday me and a fat ass buddy with ice chest, trolling motor and all the other gear that goes with it and we were running 26-27 with my PD 36 bone stock except for MM exhaust. My boat will run 28-29 just me and minor gear loaded.

The 16x48 boats are great one or two man boats where the situation calls for it. Once you start to load it down it will drop off in speed but still get it done. This year I had 3 guys in the boat with pop up blind and gear and was running 23-24. So you can see it does drop off some compared to longer hulls, but it does get the job done.

Thank you all for your help and insights. The more research I am doing the more I am leaning towards the Mud Motor as they seem to be able to do things a jet could not even think about without sacraficing a whole lot.

My two primary concerns was being able to move w/ decent speed in open water and the noise factor. Based on what I am hearing upper 20's to low 30's is possible and the noise is not much louder than a two stroke. Additionally it appears these motors are pretty easy to work on and appear to be built better / stronger than an outboard.

Not sure I can go wrong with any of the set ups mentioned. My only concern is there are no dealers for any of these boats in the Northeast (except Excel). I am apprehensive about ordering and shipping something w/o ever running it or seeing it in person.

That being said all of your experience is appreciated and I want to thank you for answering what may be obvious questions.

Waste

Ran a Gator Tail 16 60 right at 32 mph alone, and over 30 with 2 people with a stock 35 GTR.