Im looking at getting an Xpress AWD hull with a 50hp Yahama outboard on it. I plan on leaving the outboard on for the summer for fishing but will want to put a SD on close to duck season for shallow water in Venice. The price is right on this boat but my only concerns are that it is a mod V hull and not a true mud hull. Ive done some research on here and found little info reguarding my concerns. Ive heard the mod v takes away performance from a SD mud motor but Im wondering if its that big of a deal? Will I still be able to get through some really shallow water at all say if im pushing it with a 36 PD? I would rather a true mud hull for hunting but have been having trouble finding the right one for the right price plus the Xpress would be really nice for fishing too. Any input on mod V hulls with surface drives in low water would be appriciated.

Heres some pics of it:

I could be wrong but those look like two different boats. The second doesn't look to be a V hull.

After watching this video it doesnt seem like its going to be too bad because it is not a true V hull. But still any added info would be helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kVeFVF-y1g

Its the same. Just the angle of the pic makes it look that way.

Your wasting your money....find a true mud boat. Flat bottom, reinforced transom, .125 aluminum. Thank me later when your hot throwing away a junked hull and spending more $$

Second picture sure looks like a bayou series.. either way you are probably going to regret it unless you have the outboard and don't really run shallow.. If you want a mud motor get a mud hull.. otherwise you will be unhappy.

You go half ass with the boat and motor, your gonna get half ass performance... Theres really no "Best of both worlds" when it comes to having a hull that will run well in open water with an outboard, and still have good performance in shallow water with a surface drive. Its two completely different design of boats and motors. If your only running a little bit of somewhat shallow water, you may want to look into getting a tunnel hull boat, with a jackplate. Run one on our lease in pecan island, and it will suprise you on the places it can go.

Thanks for the info. Where we hunt its pretty deep water up until we get in our pond. And once were in its only about 200 yards to our blind. I dont need it to run high 20s with a SD in mud but other than the approx. 10 weekends of duck season the boat wont see less than a foot of water. I just need it to get to the blind and get out. Is the performance with this type of hull so bad that it wont get me 200 yards in less than a foot of water with a 36 PD?

that yamahamma should get you 200yds in a foot of water...just make sure your on step when you get in the pond

It surely will and if thats all that you will be running I think that you will be much happier with a tunnel hull boat with a jack plate. It will run that, and you wont have to worry about buying both an outboard and a mud motor.

It does get lower than a foot on some occasions but is never just mud. What about just putting a jack plate on with the yamaha on this boat? This video is kind of discouraging. Basically the same boat (Bayou Series 16) with a 35 GTR. Granted he doesnt know how to drive it and needs to trim up but still doesnt help the decision...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cWv3tNg ... r_embedded

Skip through a little and turn the volume off unless you want to hear him rambling on about nothing..

Tried the same thing. Had me a excel with a 40 merc on er and tried my pd. I barely got that 15' boat on plane with my pd. Aint no good. I had a jack plate with that excel an that was the way ta go with that boat. I got myself my current 18' flat within a month a tryin my pd on that excel.

Don't do er

A friend has a express with 35 Gd sd and it runs good however it is not a mud boat and gets stuck quick and then we push! It does run deep water good and semi shallow we usually run 4 with a dog a deeks average about 15 mph

I bet there are some topwaters looking on eBay now for a big drake stencil like that one on the boat in the first pic!

Or salt life lol

I wouldn't do it my buddy had that boat with a 35 GTR at the beginning of last season and it wasn't a good match with the GTR so he sold it after the season ended.

you live near saltwater brasso? you really cant live the salt life if you live on a fresh water lake.....