I have a 23 godevil surface drive right now. I am looking to buy a custom mud boat for next year's duck season. My boat will have a hunt deck, 1/2 seat with a chair on top for driver, and one more 1/2 box in it. The problem is I have a 23 Surface drive now I am going to buy the boat for next year's season and then use that boat and my same motor now for that season 2014-2015). Once I am done with that season I will sell my 23 and step up to at least 27 and possibly 35. How do I decide what boat to get for my 23 next year but won't be too light for a heavier motor the next season? I am only 20 years old, so I can't buy a whole new rig all at once. What size boat should I get and also what motor should i get after I sell my 23 for my custom size boat? PLEASE HELP ME, Thanks

Well I can go ahead and say, eliminate getting anything smaller than a 35.. You'll always be wanting more power.. you can never have enough with these applications.

Describe the terrain you run, and the load that you normally carry during season.. Also, what all will you be using your boat for?

^^^^^^^ he can help you out he a gtr rep with all your needs

Ignore this guy... Hes immature, whos single, with very little friends. I am not a GT rep.

Oh really.......... Guess u happen to be a liar then

Well I am 20 and my dad bought my 23 for me so it was free for me so I wasn't going to turn it down. I live in New Orleans, Louisiana. I hunt in marsh. Water during duck season is usually no more than 4-5 inches deep, but can get as shallow as nothing. I will always have a dog with me, but I do not have decoys in my boat with the exception of 4 days during the season. (The day before opening day, the last day of first split, the day before second split starts, and last day of season) I usually hunt with 3-4 hunters including me.During the offseason I live in primetime red fishing and speckled trout fishing area so I'd use it to fish as well, but I am buying it and setting it up mainly for a duck hunting rig. I also will not have the weight of a pop up blind on my boat as well.

Sorry for messing up ur thread I will stop now just making a point
Good luck on something that works for you!
I would get a 35hp

I do not care if you are a gatortail rep doesn't matter to me. I just want some opinions that are actually useful and if you are a rep than you are the perfect guy for my answer I would think because I was leaning towards a gator tail anyway in the future.

I do not care if you are a gatortail rep doesn't matter to me. I just want some opinions that are actually useful and if you are a rep than you are the perfect guy for my answer I would think because I was leaning towards a gator tail anyway in the future.

i pass through nola some with my rig if you wanna check it out

I am going to get a 35, but I do not what size custom boat I should get that my 23 GD SD could get me by just for this season and next season. I will be using the rig I have now this year, Next duck season I will be using my custom made boat with my 23 on the back(2014-2015). Then the year after that I will be using the same boat, but with a 35 Gatortail on the back.(2015-2016)

The GT rep thing was me telling a lie to someone on FB because of something she said. He has no life and insist on stalking people on here.. What would you do if you were a douchebag juice head with no woman, and no friends?

From the sounds of it, id go with a 1854 with a 35 GT. The instant reverse would suit you better for fishing. There are other variables as well that may set GT over a PD. I don't own either, but have ran both in a lot of different conditions and have favored the GT of PD.. Mainly because of weight difference, and prodrives drive angle and skeg really hurt PD In performance in anything shallow, especially hard bottom. My advice would be to keep the boat as open as possible.. If you absolutely have to have boxes, have a gun box or two, and a storage box built into the front deck. Id still keep it somewhat light up front as well, to keep from plowing.

The GT rep thing was me telling a lie to someone on FB because of something she said. He has no life and insist on stalking people on here.. What would you do if you were a douchebag juice head with no woman, and no friends?

From the sounds of it, id go with a 1854 with a 35 GT. The instant reverse would suit you better for fishing. There are other variables as well that may set GT over a PD. I don't own either, but have ran both in a lot of different conditions and have favored the GT of PD.. Mainly because of weight difference, and prodrives drive angle and skeg really hurt PD In performance in anything shallow, especially hard bottom. My advice would be to keep the boat as open as possible.. If you absolutely have to have boxes, have a gun box or two, and a storage box built into the front deck. Id still keep it somewhat light up front as well, to keep from plowing.

Oh and keep the boat you have now if you can and tough it out another season until you can afford a motor too..

Would you suggest a bow shape like that or a bow shape like gator trax boats?? What are the advantages for both and disadvantages?
https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 8266_n.jpg

1846......its perfect. Just writting out the numbers feels right.....

sent from the former Republic of Texas.

Regular bow..... dont get one of those goofy ass pointy bows... you would look like a yankee.... get the huntdeck because it looks cool and its easy to step up on.

sent from the former Republic of Texas.

If your gonna fish go with 17 or 1854.... ...

sent from the former Republic of Texas.

I've always like the gator trax square bow. Like the rouge. About 1' to 1'6" wide with pipe in front. But that's my opinion.


Sent from my beeper.

You could go with an 18x46 or maybe a 17x48 all 1/8 and still be fine with a 23. It will be slow with a 3-4 man load but not unbearable. Then when you decide to upgrade engines to a 35hp you will have a big enough boat to accomadate.


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I had a 1748 all 1/8 with floor and boxes with a 23 mbsd and I could get on plane with 3 man huntin load. And 4 was a little heave for it.


Sent from my beeper.

my hull is prolly 600lb... i do 28 solo and with a hunt load it will scoot along at about 23..... i think if i had 4-6 more inches of bottm width it would run 24-25 with a load....

if you running open marsh w/o alot of trees and fishin out the boat, go wider... id say 50-60" bottom.. i like 16-17' length... i do it all out my boat which is 17'8"-54". i can comfortably hunt 4 out of it if needed also. I will say get an idea of what you plan on having in the boat the majority of the time and have ample space to put it.. recently had a buddy get one built. he got caught up in everyones recommendations to not put any storage in it so the few times weve been out sofar the floor was just cluttered with sh!t. Id rather have a spot for everything to stay in the boat, out the way, dry, and clean than save a few lbs and have to pull out a bunch of stuff to wash the boat like my buddy. for my boat two half boxes and the bow storage are plenty(lifejackets, etc. anchor, rope, castnet, tools) i also have a rack on the side for rods, puddle-pole, cajun anchor, etc. with the wider boat someone can still hunt between the boxes and youve got plenty room so theyre not in the way when youve gotta work the motor.

Go ahead and get the idea out of your head that your gonna find a happy medium in a boat that the 23 will perform good, and the 35 will also, and you be comfortable with it... Your best bet is to either get a boat built that will match your 23 better, or wait and not get anything and stick with what you have until you can afford to just sell it as is and get what you really want. I do recommend a hunt deck, and atleast a 48 wide boat.. The ideal boat for what you will be doing is a 1854 with that type of load and uses..

This is my 20x42 pushed by a 25 with 7 people, 3 dogs and 4 ice chests full of beer . I think your 23 will be fine on a 17' boat.

Thanks that makes me feel a lot better about it. Thanks for the help, much appreciated.

I got a skiff I will sale u


Sent from the baddest mudmotor out there

^ Niqqers these days...

That was in response to the picture. I guess I waited too long to respond, and several responses came through first.