As some of you know I was looking to get a sweet custom boat built and get a SD motor for it, something in the 19X54 range and a stage 2 GTR. Well I had a bomb dropped on me and I need neck surgery done here ASAP so I am off work on short term disability of course during our busy time in the oil patch where I pad my pockets for my toys and hobbies.

Well the funds are just not there for a custom 30K mud boat so I am looking into an second alternative to get me by until I have my bank roll built back up. I found a couple boats that I can get locally and what I think is a fairly cheep price.

Tracker boats but they have 3 degree hulls on them? What kind of difference will that make? The first is a 17x54 welded john boat
http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3592

The second is a 16x54 welded john with duck hunting in mind. I have an e-mail in to see what the price would be without the motor package. I am guessing this one will be about $6500
http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3614

For a motor I was thinking on putting this out over the ass end of it
http://www.backwaterinc.com/swomp-35.html

The more I think of it the more I am liking this one, EFI, made in the USA just not sure if it would push those boats, one is 500 lbs and the other is 611 lbs
http://www.backwaterinc.com/swomp-27.html

I have not done much research other than you tube videos on the motor but it looks to be like a possible option to get me in the 10 grand range with a blind on it. That I could probable swing even being off work for 5 or 6 months.

Any input would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Phil

Sorry to hear about your situation...

I'd wait until you're at full steam again and get the custom boat. Anything in between will be a disappointment. My brother tried that same 1654 with a blind on it... and was disappointed form day 1.

Bro-in-law has that hull with 35 hd. Runs good doesn't handle very well.as far as the boat, its very comfortable and stable.

Bro-in-law has that hull with 35 hd. Runs good doesn't handle very well.as far as the boat, its very comfortable and stable.

Bro-in-law has that hull with 35 hd. Runs good doesn't handle very well.as far as the boat, its very comfortable and stable.

10k...That's still a pretty good budget to work with. Can get a wide open hull built for around 5k painted and rigged. a trailer for 1500 and a motor for around 5k, little over budget. But for a complete rig it's not bad. And that'll give you time to learn to drive, learn exactly what you want and need in a boat. Just an option

Go smaller and used. Like 16 foot boat with small block. Should be able to get something well below 10.

Problem is all those used boats are "THERE" in LA or TX used. Trust me I look at the complete rig sections and drool there was a nice rig for 15k I think if I were with in 20 hrs I would have grabbed it. I will not be able to make the 5000+ mile trip driving this spring or summer to pick it up and I looked into shipping a complete rig from Dfou and a few companies came gack with quotes, I gave them maybe a bit larger dimensions for a boat motor and trailer. Shipping prices were upwards $7000 some more. This is the reason I am trying to stay local with the boat at least.

No major thoughts on those hulls and that long tail. I hear they can be a little on the wild side to drive and beat a guy up lol.

Thanks
Phil

Are you opposed to buying used and were are you from? I live in mn and mud boats/motors are hard to come buy used as well.


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Well, you're about 1,400 miles from BackH20

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=grand+pr ... CAkQ_AUoAQ

Guys that have them seem to love them! PM Frankthetaue on here.

Give backh20 a call. I heard they were thinking of getting into the boat game too.

Sorry to hear about that Phil. But as stated above you can get a custom rig for decent price know prodigy bare are pretty cheap five range for 1854 with that swomp, buddy had the 35, that's a great motor for price. Hell I'll deliver for cheaper than that. And my truck carried insurance for anything in tow under 18k pounds

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I know it seems like a big project to bite into, but......... you might put some serious thought into building your own.

You don't need plans. It's a damn barge with an engine mount on the back......

You can teach yourself to squirt gun (mig weld) in no time flat. Get a cheap welding machine (you can get one for around $300 that will do 90% of what a high end machine will do) and start playing with it.

The hardest part would be finding someone with a big ass sheet metal brake if you wanted a 1 piece hull or a big pimpin gatortail style crimp on the sides. With all the threads and pics on custom builds here and the wealth of knowledge you could tap if you ran into problems you could get it done.

For someone who has never welded or built a boat it seems like a very daunting task, but it really isnt that hard.

Craigslist


But it would be like a 140 machine and probably not come with a spoolgun or even be spoolgun ready. Definitely not 90% of an expensive machine though. Buncha goddamn headaches is what it sounds like to me.

My bad..... $400

I paid around 300 or less for mine a couple of years ago if i recall correctly. It's some no name junker but it welds just as good as the big ass miller with profax spool gun I used to have. About the only difference is max amperage (never maxed out the miller on aluminum anyway) and duty cycle.

Either way I can't turn shit into sugar like Dfou can LOL Can a TIG do it because I think that is what the small one is the wife's uncle has. It looks like the same kind welds Nasty posted on his build.

Later
Phil

TIG can do it, but TIG welding aluminum is a real art. Not something you will get proficient at in a weekend.

Have you checked out Widowmaker boats in Utah? Chuck may even deliver to Alberta if the timing is right and could get in some goose hunting.

Nope never heard of them thanks, checked them out and he looks to be pretty custom. I have a custom guy for the big build lol but thanks.

I did how ever find one and only one in all the effing boats I looked at that has a V rake and has a 0 degree dead rise problem is it is only a 15x48 that is the biggest "commercial cheap boat" it is a G3 boat nice looking boat but now I am getting smaller and smaller.

Although performance would be a lot better out of that long tail everything else has a minimum of 3 degrees to 3 1/2 to 6 degrees all the way up to 8 on some. From all the reading I have done the dead rise is the killer on a long tail motor for performance for sure. Faaaackk I just can't see going smaller than a 16x48 boat. I may just say fack it and give up until I can get what I want.

I will put a shout out to Back Water long tali mud motors I gave a call and the were very helpful as well as getting me off delivered to my work place costs in a matter of an hr. Costs are very reasonable shipped to where I live, being a work place and access to loaders, forklifts and cranes the shipping was cheaper. Still very doable I just have to find the right boat in driving distance of me. You faaarckers are all so lucky lol. Thanks for all your help, it seems like you really want to see a fella in a rig hunting.

Later
Phil

For a "cheap" rig for now look into an alumacraft 1648 flat for putting that backh20 on. My buddy has one with a 27hp Beavertail lt and it runs great. It's thin so it's not good for beating the piss out of on stumps, but for marsh he's happy with it. We've had it hit rocks at low (very low) speeds and it has held up ok.

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No, I bought my miller brand new. Paid something like 2,000 or some shit for the profax spool gun and black box.

The link I posted isnt the machine I have. Mine is a miller knockoff. It welds 1/2" just fine (just wont do it continuously like my old miller would)

Dealers are finally calling back with some prices I will list them in Canadian $$ when I get them all. LOL I think you guys are going to shit your pants when you see em.

Phil

why dont you get a 1754 lowe roughneck with a 35SD

available in canada and priced well

Yup. Bevel it down and weld both sides.
My little crackerbox is 180 amp

What would be the smallest machine you could get away with to build a boat? Would a skiff be a good first boat to try?

It was just an example from a 2 second google search.
Take a chill pill. I already said that wasn't the machine I have. I was too fuggin lazy to go get the info off mine.

My old Clarke has been discontinued upon further search. It looks like that $400 machine is about as cheap as you can get away with. The bottle isnt much of a factor since he can just lease one and figure that cost in with consumables.

Still looking and looking, not giving up yet. I had a dealer call me that deals with G3 boats, pretty nice boats but I almost shit my pants on two of them.

LOL I will start at the top and work my way down, G3's dedicated 1652 duck boat, a pretty sweet boat but not for $9200 boat and trailer not to mention 660lbs.
http://www.g3boats.com/gator_tough_1548 ... _jon_boats

Next which I really like is the outfitter 1652 boat at $8400 boat and trailer
http://www.g3boats.com/gator_tough_outf ... _jon_boats

Now back to lower budget lol which are riveted hulls

1652VBW at $5000 with trailer and the 1548 at $4300 (pretty steep I think)
http://www.g3boats.com/riveted_and_welded_jon_boats

Becoming closer and closer to saying "fuck it" and just wait and it is still only January, we don't get open water till may some time usually the 3rd week.

Later
Phil

the lowe roughneck SD is a MB - I had to look it up.

MB has a video of it on their website.