First review and first surface drive mud motor. I built the boat.

The boat is 17.5 feet long with a 60" floor and 30" sides. I used 1/8th inch sheet for sides and bottom. It has 9 2x2x1/8th inch wall thickness longitudinal braces with two 2x2 cross braces which also tie into the sides as well as a length of 2x2 spanning the side between the braces themselves. I installed a .1 floor over the braces as well as a 3 foot front deck which will eventually house the gas tank and batteries. The boat has a few interior things that I need to button up as well as paint and eventually a blind for bird season but I have ran it for about 10 hours so here is my initial review.

-With a 2 man and a dog load plus 1 battery, 12 gallons of fuel, and about 50 more pounds of miscellaneous stuff the boat held 28mph at 4100 RPM which was GPS verified on two devices. My guess is that we were at about 600 to 700 pounds in the boat.

-With 4 people the boat plus the same gear load out the boat held 26 all day. I would say this load was more like 1000 pounds.

Obviously this review doesn't cover every aspect that this boat or your boat may encounter, but hopefully it gives you an idea of how this motor performs with a light load on a heavy boat and with a heavier load in the same boat.

I couldn't be more happy with how the boat performs from handling to speed to load carrying and everything else. I wasn't expecting a speed demon due to the weight and how I designed the boat, rather I was hoping it would get up and go with a heavy hunting load which is why I constructed the boat in the first place. With how it ran with the four person load (which would reasonably replicate a 2/3 man load with gear) I can say that I will be very happy come duck season and that the entire package was a success. In addition I love the 60" floor I can stand full grown men on the very edge of one side and the boat doesn't even worry about stability. You can walk about it freely without feeling like you were going to tip or fall over. Also the 30'" sides are awesome and I can't wait for the added protection they will provide on the sub freezing hunts we participate in every year up here in Minnesota!

Heres a video of some riding around we did in the boat last week. Quality isn't the greatest as I took it on my phone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cYyDPG830I

good job - nice looking rig for sure

Thanks baron! Haven't finished the side to transom transition because I may need it as an opening to get into the blind. We shall see


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Looks good but I would definitely consider a hunt dech or sport deck with 30" sides. It's gonna be hard to get in there in sloppy conditions

One thing nice about 30" sides is, you always have a place to lean against when driving! LOL


Most liberals seem to suffer from the same mental condition....it's called stupidity!

No kidding blue I tend to just sit on the side half the time! As for decking in the back I am planning to build at least one step... Which will probably fold back. That and I'm building a detachable ramp for my dog for up front which im going to build heavy enough that I or anyone else can use as well. I have plenty of 2x4 that's 3/16 wall thickness from my transom that I will make into a stairway type ramp for the dog so I have no concerns that it will hold a person.


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That looks fuking stupid

Oh, I don't generally pay attention to it. But there comes a point when you have to ask, are you that mad about waking up every day? Or just that stupid. I realize he's just another typical Gator Tail cool-aid drunk moron. Just gets wayyy old reading that juvenile shit all the time. And if he is in fact an older fella (never met the guy, doesn't sound like I need to) that makes it that much worse. It's usually young guys that talk that kind of shit. Sort of pathetic to be honest.

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Jimmy, just say the word little guy, I'll send you a fresh box of crayons whenever you need them buddy.

Haha hey I bought a GATORTAIL and like it, and I feel neither drunk not moronic. But I get what you're saying there's a lot of people on here, or perhaps the Internet in general, who seem to derive a lot of pleasure from just spouting bullshit from their cock holsters. I built the boat the way I wanted to for my duck boat, and how it would suit me and my needs best. Just because a person doesn't like something doesn't mean they need to trash talk it. Pathetic is a good way of putting it.


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Well I like your damn boat. Damn it. It's a nice fuckin boat

Sent from...wait, Where am I?

Hahahahahaha^^^^

I know I was just sayin!


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not for me but if its what makes you happy F the other guys. congrats on the boat !

Depending on the area you frequent tall sides are paramount to safety do to some of the larger lakes..

I would say make a human/dog step that you can just hang over the side of the boat for easy of getting in due to the nasty conditions we have.

I like the look of the build. Do you weld an ice breaker into the rake as well?