its all about personal preference and what your budget can allow. Pro drives FPR takes a little while to engage but comes in handy when stuck bad and Gator-Tails instant reverse is nice if you frog alot or cant drive worth a damn around boat docks
. That 16x48 wont be as fast or carry a load as good as an 18 foot boat the same width, the thin hull wont handle abuse as well as a mud hull either. I was faced with this same problem. (I destroyed my outboard in a matter of seconds on a submerged log in the channel) I had a small budget and couldnt afford a new SD rig like Id like so I looked around and found a used 13 hp longtail to put on my boat (14x42). So far, im happy with it. Ive ran it in some bad stuff and yet to get it stuck. From my understanding SDs are easier to drive and also a little faster, but these longtails can grind out of situations better because of the long reach it has. The down side is they are harder to drive and way slower hp to hp. If i were you i would by a used 23 gdlt and save up for a complete SD rig (The lt may be all you need and you might find out you dont need a sd rig)
Good luck and THE SEARCH BUTTON IS YOUR FRIEND