Looking to build a new setup
Looking at a 1638 skiff 90 gauge open empty hull for strictly cypress swamps an grass beds
Motor will be a 23 swomp
I need to draft as little as possible from my experience a 14x36 riveted boat preformed about perfect as far as bouncy an running, but the ribs kept hanging up an I would rather a pointed nose...
So any experts can suggest any tweeks to the skiff I am looking to get built to suit my needs for bouncy for hard bottoms running 4-6" of water if needed an be able to man handle the rig if needed to pull over logs

I have one, you'll love it , can go anywhere .

H Finn

Your skiff is 16x38?
How tall of sides ? I'm thinking of 17"

No it's actually 15'x 36" with 16" sides .

H Finn

Fin, how deep do you draft at a stand still with just you in the boat?
An how shallow can you plane off in running empty?
I have a prodrive so this longtail stuff is new to me

4-5 inches is about correct , you can take off really skinny , longtails like a long skinny hull .

H Finn

What about rake?
How much rake should I get ? An long rake I'm thinking 4'?
The less rake the better it will float? Or would rake not make that much of a diffrence....
I need enough to go over logs.
Anyone have a godevil duck skiff to chime in on?

If you want to run real skinny and draft less consider building your skiff with a hunt deck.

Huck, what HP you running on your rig?

It's a 23 backwater swomp SS, 59" but she's modded to hell and back. She runs.

H Finn

Was the hunt deck filled with foam or was the motor mounted to the false transom at the front of the hunt deck? Otherwise a hunt deck shouldn't do anything with the way the boat drafts compared to a regular transom. Show a picture of your boat

The end of my hunt deck is 6 inches tall. We have more catfish on the floor of the boat in this pic. How deep do y'all think this thing drafts? The sides are 16" tall, 48" width at the chine.

I never had to "dig" my motor in the mud to get this rig moving.