Looking to buy new boat for duck hunting and fishing (marsh, MS river, small cypress lakes). My last boat was a 1648 and was a great duck boat, but I'd like the next one to be bigger...just not sure how big yet.

Looking for comments on favorite sizes of boat, and what might be considered too big from experience.

18' - 20' in length and 42"- 60" in width depending on what your needs and want are. What kind of loads do you carry? What conditions do you run? What kind of speed are you looking for?

For what you want I think a 18x54 would be great.

One trip in my buddies x54 made me wish I had one.

I love my 18x54. Its not too wide but that extra 6'' makes a hell of a difference with stability. Handles great, i can still make tight turns and go most places the 48's can.

I love my 1854 -- I have had it from mud flats to marsh -- even out on the coast in the gulf a little bit

I'd go 18x52

Def get a huntdeck. Remember though it will add about a foot and a half. 17x50 hd is what I run. Great boat

x2, 17x50 huntdeck, the best all around IMO.

like said before the 18x54 is probably the most comfortable hull and can be used for anything

I agree that the 17 - 18' x 54 is the way to go, but I'm curious if anyone with a 60" bottom has any comments on how easy their boat gets into the timber.

If you plan on gettin in the timber stay 48" or narrower.

x4 Get the 1854. I have had mine in the marsh, flats and deep water with decent white caps. I love my Excel 1854.

x2 on 48 or narrower if in timber and how would the hunting deck affect the hull space it behind where you sit and can still fit a battery under it

I always hear go 48 for timber but I have run in timber with my 54 following some 48s and I have never had an issue

Brad you are just used to putting big shit into small spaces,like putting 10 pounds of shit in a 5 pound bag

to each his own but i crawfish and i find myself saying if my boat were two inches wider it would be nasty but then again i guess you could reroute

1948 0r even a 1954 would be good running big open water of course I have had my 1854 and 1852 hulls in some nasty water and have never felt uneasy. Both ran the timber fine as well.