MM Brand: Gator Tail
Horsepower: 35
Boat Brand: Gator-Tail
Boat Size: 1854 pointed bow
Boat Layout: short deck, gun box, driver's seat box

Speeds | Shallow Water: not available yet
Speeds | Deep Water: steady 26.5 bumped 27.2
Total Boat Load With Gear Etc: me, battery, life jackets, 6 gal fuel
Conditions Tested In: oxbow lake, light ripple from 5-8 mph wind

Comments:
Over the last several months I have pieced together my new rig. I picked up a 08' GTR with 17 hours, a Bear trailer on a foreclosure deal, and then the Gator-Tail team built me an 1854 hull spec'd the way I want it and put it all together and rigged it for me. CamoDesigns did the Natgear and I brought it home and added the hydroturf. I've still got a few little things to do: wire up the onboard charger and the front lights, get and install some type of battery mount under the deck overhang, and get a new blind sometime before season. I'm going to add guideons to my trailer, a spare, and GT's new trailering bracket asap.

As for the hull, we went with a very short deck with hatch and rear overhang. I dont really fish so the front deck in a boat is really wasted space. Only my dog sits on it. This gave me a hatch to keep life jackets, etc in and the rear overhang protects the onboard charger, the fuel, and a backup battery. This plan maximizes my floor space for hunters and hauling decoys. I went with the pointed bow because the boat will run rivers and lakes then dive into the timber. There are no trails in the woods where I hunt. GT added some tabs to mount my Quickset at the rear and seat bases in the floor other than that its the standard GT hull.

On its maiden voyage, I was very pleased. The hull is solid and handles very well. This is the first short tail I've ever run and it is a great blend of outboard and longtail qualities. It had very minimal tiller torque and no tendency to bury the corner of the boat or rip the handle from you in hard/fast turn like a longtail. After I began to trust it, it was fun to make it skip like a rock in the hard fast turns (slide). The steering/turning of the boat seemed very accurate at low speeds which will help in the timber.





More pictures here: http://s625.photobucket.com/albums/tt340/tmorelli/boat/

Sweet rig!!!

I like the 3 seat base....looks like i would hunt good and comfortable......open floorplan works best IMO!

Boat turned out nice! You still thinking bout a move to okc?

Damn nice lookin rig you gots dere!

Congrats on the new job! We need to get together for a ride sometime.

JLKoos- you have a PM.

Update- I just came in from riding a bit. This is the first trip I've made with a light load since I made the initial runs. I broke my previous speed substantially and got it to 28.9 mph in deep water. It readily cruises at 28-28.5 with just me, 6 gal fuel, the basics, and two batteries.

I am wanting to add nat gear hydroturf on my rig. How many sheets did it take you to complete your boat? 4?

Nice rig