I have finely saved up enough to rig my first duck boat. I plan on using the boat in the marsh and bayou's in South La for hunting and fishing. I know I want a 50" bottom and am leaning towards the 16' or 17' with a huntdeck for a total length of roughly 18 to 19'.

Will a 36 Prodrive be enough to get on plane with decent speed? It will usually be 2 hunters 1 dog 2 dz dekes.

My dad has a 1650 Gator Trax with a 40 Merc and loves it. How does Outboard HP compare to PD HP?

Also what can be done to maximize the 36 PD?

Thanks for y'alls help.

a 36 pd is probaly = to a 25hp outboard.

I don't know if you've thought about it or not... but ProDrive's don't really work that well on a hunt deck. short tillers, and you won't be able to get to the FPR T handle on the back of the reverse plate. What is your reasoning for wanting a Huntdeck Gatortrax boat for a ProDrive?

x2 on the pd/huntdeck. u might want to semo ride one first before u decide on what u want.

I hate to agree with Crews statement, but he is CORRECT. Unless you adding steering.

The hunt deck will extend your motor approx 24" back.


Uncle J

I was looking at the hunt deck because it would be a good place to put the dog while hunting. As for the reverse feature I was planning on getting the Hydro reverse. Wouldn't that take the issue of the reverse pin out of the equation? Prodrive sells extension for the tiller in 8 and 12 inch models. Shouldn't I be able to extend the tiller handle to compensate for the huntdeck?

Not arguing with y'all I really do appreciate the input.

Looks like you got it figured out..
Just one more thing.... Make sure that The hunt deck is not under your hand (not even close to your hand) when you hit something, the tiller WILL smash your hand if so.

Good Luck

Uncle J

Thanks for the tips on clearance. I was planning on comng 6 to 12 inches inside the "transom" for ease of operation hadn't even thought of tiller kick and fingers. Good Point.

I would go with a GatorTail boat if you are wanting a huntdeck!!

Can't have a GT boat with a PD.
That's almost as bad as having a black man in the white house. Though, it happens.

Uncle J

Do you think 17' with huntdeck and 35 PD will get me in the mid 20's mph?

I'm not a speed racer but what to get there. What would y'all think the mph would be on a 17x50 or 18x50 not looking at brand of boat but at teh 36 PD

You going to get 27-29 Probaly 26 loaded down.


Hope this helps..
Uncle J

Also like having a mental retard on MMT. It ain't right but it sure as phuck happens.

you do fully understand the differences between a round chine and a square chine boat? Although Gatortrax makes a nice boat, I think choosing one just because they offer a hunt deck would be a big mistake.


personally, I'm with Jimmy on this one. I think you'd be much happier with a Gatortail boat, if you just have to have a hunt deck.

I have a friend that runs a 1750 gatortrax with a huntdeck and a 36 PD stock. On the best day, that boat will run 26 in deep water. 22 with 3 guys and a hunting load.

If you go that route, definitely get the hydro reverse and a 12" tiller extension. That will get the handle far enough in the boat for you to drive.

Here's a couple of vids of his boat running:

http://www.youtube.com/user/akmccall#p/u/12/IJQx6QZ7dNw

http://www.youtube.com/user/akmccall#p/u/13/PSBKVSY0sWc

http://www.youtube.com/user/akmccall#p/u/11/QUXliSMoIBY

The boat turns great at speed, but tracks terribly at idle.

I agree with the other comments...if you want a hunt deck, go with the gatortail. On the gatortrax boat, the first "false" transom runs all the way down to the floor, basically defeating the purpose of longitudinal stringers. Over time, it will develop a hook in front of that first transom that will hurt your performance. On Gatortails huntdeck boat, the huntdeck is open, so there is nothing extending down to the floor to cause that problem.

I have 2 good friends that are very smart on building lots of horsepower with these engines and have played around with alot of combinations,The first to run over 40 mph with a ProDrive and both RC and Rail ran ProDrives on GatorTail boats! just my 2 cent!

I wasn't wanting to clown on Gatortrax boats too much... but yeah, I've seen the same type results with that size boat. need a lot more horspower to make that size round chine boat perform like a stock motor will on a square chine boat.

I'll be happy to say it. Gator Trax boats SUCK! I've owned one.

It was a pig. Every lid on that mofo rattled. The front dry box wasn't so dry. They didn't weld the forking vertical piece from the front deck to the floor at the floor. So when you got water in the inside of the boat it would run into the box from the floor soaking everything. Also, they put the drain holes for the front deck lid draining into the front dry storage. Must have been a Friday build.

I have owned two GatorTrax boats with hunt decks. The most recent one was a 1650 Hunt Deck (17'8" overall length) that began with a 35 Sport Hyperdrive on the back and ended with a 36 HP Prodrive. I really like the hunt deck GT boats. I do not thread my way at a crawl through timber, so I cannot comment on low speed steerability. To heel a round chine boat into a hard, hard turn under full power is a lot of fun. This chine design is solid as a rock under that condition.

I ended up keeping the Prodrive and selling the GatorTrax. I am a huge fan of the hunt deck but I didn't think the PD with hydraulic trim and manual FPR was a very convenient motor for the hunt deck configuration. The hydraulic pump and reservoir has to be inside the inner transom, with hydraulic hoses snaking over the hunt deck. You have to use a tiller extension. You have to park your butt out on the hunt deck to reach the FPR lock knob. And I found after running the floating handle Hyperdrives that the fixed handle Prodrive on a short transom motor means I have to squat to grab the tiller...and I like to drive standing. I love the Prodrive so much that I sold my beloved hunt deck GatorTrax. I am now running a tall transom Phowler and I really like the hull.

A PD on a hunt deck GatorTrax is doable, but has it's too many limitations for me to recommend it.

Just have Geaux Custom build ya a hull with a hunt deck.

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