Ok I have decided that I need to get a boat I want a Mud Motor. I'll be duck hunting with it. Now most of the time I am hunting a Large Lake but I hunt off the small coves. I am not getting into that thick mud but 6" to 2' of water and full of Hydrilla, Salt Cedar (Juniper), Retama, and dead mesquite stumps.

So most of the time I've got 3-5 miles of deep water then maybe 1/2 to 3 miles of shallow water on any trip in the morning.

I've been in friends boats. 21ft Skeeter Bass Boat and we almost get there but then have to use the trolling motor and then pull the boat. (although cruising at 70 mph is pretty awesome) My other friend has a G3 with a tunnel hull and 90hp Outboard. At 1-2 foot of water we start sucking in too much mud so we have to get out and pull that boat. Although it gets about 90% of the way there.

Now either one of those setups would work but I want to do some exploring of my own and check out some other water so I am pretty set on a mud motor.

Here are some of my "problems"

No boat parking. I have to put this in my garage. I have a two car garage that is 18 ft long on one side and 20 foot long on the other.

Cash is Limited. I've got about 2-3k to start out with.

I'll be hunting most of the time 2 guys, dog , dekes, and gear. Maybe a 3rd every now and then.

I was thinking that I should find a 16ft Jon with a tiller motor for now. The upgrade to a long tail.
The problem I am seeing is that while reading posts I see the advice is usually get a true flat hull. because a mod V is going to rob performance. I also see get a "mud hull". So does that mean I can get a flat bottom Jon with no ribs (sea ark, alumaweld, monark, etc) and it will work well with a long tail .. (I was thinking 1648 or 1652).

So what I want to know is can I buy a boat now and run the outboard and covert it to a longtail with out much of a problem? And what type will convert easily.

Sorry for the length and the rambling I am just trying to make a good purchase and not end up with something I hate and I'm trying to sell in a few months.

Tell your buddy to buy a jackplate for the tunnel. and you can save your coin.

It has one. The problem is that buddy and I can't ever find the time to hunt together. I am tired of relying on someone else for water transportation so I need to get a boat of my own.

So no one has any advice for buying a boat now with a plan to upgrade it to a mud motor later?

I run a 27 GDLT on a 1644 alweld. It gets me every where I need to go. My longest run is probably 10 mi, but normally run less than 5. So, I'm in no rush. It runs like most other LT setups. 21 unloaded, 18, two people light light, 13 loaded 2-3 people and everything headed to the camp. I don't think you'll find much worth the money for the price you're asking unless, you're willing to do a good bit of work to it. I dunno good luck.

For the money your looking to spend....look for a 23 longtail. Find a 16x42 or 16x44 welded john boat. Stick with one of the major brands and not a home made longtail. You'll run from 17-20mph if set-up right.
If you expect to hit allot of stumps you should probably save some money and buy a mud boat.
Boats with cross braces will not last in the stumps

Thank you very much for the advice. I really do appreciate it. I'll look for that. Can you find welded jons that have a true flat bottom vs the ones with little fins?

Weldbilt makes a slick bottom Jon boat, Not sure on the price of them though.. but if I were you I'd look for a used 1644 gd hull.. They're longitudinally braced (cross braces cause hooks, hooks=sucks) and its made out of 1/8th aluminum as opposed to .80 or .100 like the weldbilt.

John boats have ribs to strengthen the hull. They are usually .100 gauge hulls.
Mudboats with smooth bottoms are usually .125 thick and sometimes .187 thick bottoms with longitutal stringers or braces.
You could get away with 15x44 but don't go shorter than that. It actually hurts performance. I find 16x42 to 16x44 about perfect for the 23 and gives you enough room.

brother i been where your at and i will tell you for starters dont get wrapped up in all the slick bottom, rigid crimped bottom, i used and ole standard .80 thickness xpress 1546 welded hull with a 23 hp go-devil and it did me well, yeah i gained a few dents in it but it got through till i knew what i wanted. I wouldnt have gained enough to justify spending more $ just for extra 1mph. I now have a 1750 huntdeck GatorTrax boat with a 45 mag let me tell you something, after spending 20k i only get rough if its my only way out other than that i ride channels.
figured it be good to hear some truth not fantasy

That's right. With a SD you actually have speed that can be lost due to hooks. With a LT, not so much. It's already slow so, 1 or 2 mph won't be noticed.

Watch the classifieds.

Save some more money.

Use the money you have for a down payment, get a loan, buy a new or used rig.

Cottonmouth has some nice package deals and you are getting a good rig especially for the money.

I appreciate all the advice here. FYI I figured out that I probably won't get the most out of a mud motor. Yes it would be nice to get real skinny but I took most of my trips to the blind in a 21ft skeeter bass boat.

I ended up finding a good deal on a 2006 1652 Lowe Roughneck. And a very sweet deal on a 65 hp Johnson.

Maybe I'll repower and put a jet drive but after I build a boat blind I'll be set for a while.