I have a 16x44 GD boat 125GA. with a 23LT and am wondering what speeds other people with the same rig are getting solo and with a load? I am trying to figure out if my floatation could be water logged or if I have some other issue. Thanks.

I have a 16x44 gd boat with a 25 gdlt and just put a new prop on it and I am getting in the low 20's alone and about 19 with me (200lb) and another guy about 200lb. I did remove the foam from under the floor about 3 weeks ago and that stuffs was water logged so bad I bet it was about 150lb+ worth of wet foam. I did replace it with house wrap foam to make the floor less soft when you walk on it and it helps with structure of the bottom of the boat from getting dents when you run over stuff. Hope this info helps.

I run (1) 16x44/25GDLT & an 18x44/25GDLT for my guide service.

The 18 with Frog Spit on the bottom runs 18mph (GPS) with (2) two hunters, dog & gear.

Surprisingly, the 16 with the same load would only run 16mph under the same conditions.

I also removed the water logged foam in the floor from both boats.

Where I gained the speed on the 16 is when I fabricated & welded floatation pods onto the transom.

Right out of the gate, I was running 19mph with the same load.

One of my other guides with the 16 had the same issues.

The only thing we could figure is the 16's just didn't have the planing surface of the 18, even though lighter.

Once the float pods were added to his rig, we got the same performance as mine.

My suggestion is to have a local welder customize pods for the rear of the boat.

You can buy premanufactured pods but many leave a gap @ the trnasom due to the box design which can really get tyou in trouble is stuck in the soft mud.

They act like a front end loader & the mud or vegatation clogs up around the pods.

Make sure you use a good welder because the rounded chines are a biotch to weld if you don't know what you are doing.

Good Luck!!!

water = 8.34lbs per gallon. This is proof that water logged foam will slow you down

16x42 skiff all 1/8 with 20hp go-devil runs 20.3 by myself with a new prop!
an around 17-19 with a load!

16x44 GD w 23GDLT - 20 solo and 17mph 2 man loaded

16x48 GDSD w/same 23GDLT - 22 solo and 19mph 2 man loaded

I did forget to mention I have Frog Spit on the bottoms of both hulls.

Before applying it, the speeds averaged about 1mph less.

Thanks for the help guys. Did any of yall have to replace the floatation in the front nose of the boat?

I didn't replace the foam in the front of mine it just seemed like to much work to do that. I wouldn't think that it would get wet by the way that it is sealed and it is a different foam type.