Looking to buy mud boat...preferably used so I get a good deal. My biggest concern is most are commercial rated (i.e. no floatation). Before I had my first child it never mattered, but now it's a priority.

I recognize the models that do come with floatation (godevil, excel, gator trx mudbudy ed...etc), but few come up for sale or the wrong combo of boat/motor.

*** Is it practical to add floatation?

The guys at Gator Trax and Gator Tail say they have not done the retrofit. If anyone has done it, how much did it cost?

The "trick" is to achieve level upright floatation....

ProDrive - I hear is experimenting with an 8 inch layer under floor
open layout design - I wonder if it will stay upright ???

The system most commonly used of larger "boxed floatation" front
and rear that comes up to the gunnels or near them helps to maintain
the upright position....

I would imitate what those with USCG certification are doing if you
were to try to modify an existing commercial hull....

But myself - cause my grandkids and wife will be onboard - I could
never commit to an uncertified hull ! Just a personal decision....
Also having seen two commercial hulls go down in under 2 seconds
to the river bottom is a real eye opener too... It happens just that fast...

I had Gator-Tail put flotation in my hull. (The hull was designed with flotation) I told them that I needed it and wanted it. My goal was to put flotation in the hunt deck and the two pods that sit on either side of the stern. I am not sure if I have any bow insulation or under deck because I was not there during construction but it is a nice security blanket crossing open bays like GigaFowl & I do on a regular basis, River rises, currents etc, mother nature is unpredictable that why we always try to be prepared!

The coast guard requirement for newly manufactured boats that are not "commercial" is to have full level flotation. That means that with the full rated load in the boat, when swamped, it will float level and upright. Determining the proper amount and placement of foam to achieve this is part of the design of the boat and is done at the factory. Factors such as a 300 pound motor hanging on the back are calculated in. It might be hard to get it right in a retrofit situation. You don't want to find out when you swamp your boat in the middle of big water that she'll bob vertically with the nose in the air.

Exactly the confirmation that I need. Good comments. Thanks for all the help!

Those pd's with the floatation under the floor are nice!

They showed us pictures and videos of them filling it up with water and shiftin all the weight to one side, it barely tipped.

It feels wierd bein that high up off the floor though.