need some help from the experts on here im looking to buy my first surface drive motor and boat and was wanting some input on which boat I have already decide on a GatorTail 35gtr motor. I live in south Alabama and the area I hunt ranges from shallow water with heavy grass very little strait mud and deep rivers and open bay. The water can rough very rough ive been in a smooth bottom gator trax in that rough water and its scary. So what are yall recommendations to which boat would be best for me. Thanks

Definitely excel!

Give Prodigy a looksie

Ill give it to ya honestly.... lol.

My first boat is an excel which is what Im currently running. Its alot better then what these guys make it out to be, but if I knew now what I knew then. I wouldnt be running one. Its what I got, and I love the layout of the boat, but its not a pure mud boat and I wont see the performance of a true mud boat. And she is HEAVY. But Im sure Ill be running the ole girl for the foreseeable future. My buddy just had a boat built by Prodigy and man its a jam up boat.

Since your getting a GTail motor, you gotta give their boats a hard look as well. GatorTrax makes a very nice rig.

A few custom guys here make some quality stuff too. Dfou comes to mind.

Also, any true mud hull is not gonna do well in rough waters

I like my excel

I would talk to the custom boat builder and explain the conditions you'll be running . There is no one boat that does it all ( a guy needs 5 boats) but a good boat builder will be able to tell you which will fit you best and build it.

Have you looked at the gator trax with the hybrid front? I've had mine in some 3'+ waves on the arkansas river and I was still comfortable. In a normal chop its actually pretty comfortable and its tough as hell!

I've looked at the hybrid gatortrax and its a great looking boat just cant get past that price tag. they may be a mark up cause only place down here to look is bass pro. A good v bottom boat with a tiller handle would be fine if it wasn't for all the grass in the delta. Thanks for the info guys I will defiantly look into the custom builders seems like a better way to go.

id get the boat and motor from the same company.

Do you run many stumps? If not, buy a Gator-Tail boat with your Gator-Tail engine.

If you run alot of stumps, try looking at custom builders and ask for a 3/16th bottom.

Not in all cases. Sometimes shit happens to ur equipment or shipment or weather fuks shit

im waiting on some info back from prodigy. what are some other buliders as well. also does gator tail offer any kinda of hybrid hull?

hey GeorgiaRiverRun if u don't mind me asking whats was ur price tag on that prodigy u have in your sig

Thanks guys for all the info pulled the trigger on a 1748 prodigy v-rake rear half box, catwalks, with a 35GTR. So glad i went with prodigy Chad has been great to work with and answer my questions and advice since this is my first surface driven boat. Looking foward to adding some more goodies soon.

I don't think you will be unhappy!

Unless your paint starts flacking off

You don't have to get the boat gator trax has at cabelas. They will make exactly what you want. Just because they got the contract for Bass Pro shops to carry their boat does not mean they can't customize a hull for you. I'm having an 1850 built right now with 3/16 and 21" sides because I travel in rough water sometimes. You can't get away from the smooth bottom for riding on a mud flat and expect to be comfortable and dry in the same boat on the rough days. I took a GTRAX 1854 with hybrid and hunt deck in some nasty stuff but got wet. Only a deep V will help in rough water. Having said all that get the taller sides and 21" transom! Don't get a short transom.

You don't have to get the boat gator trax has at cabelas. They will make exactly what you want. Just because they got the contract for Bass Pro shops to carry their boat does not mean they can't customize a hull for you. I'm having an 1850 built right now with 3/16 and 21" sides because I travel in rough water sometimes. You can't get away from the smooth bottom for riding on a mud flat and expect to be comfortable and dry in the same boat on the rough days. I took a GTRAX 1854 with hybrid and hunt deck in some nasty stuff but got wet. Only a deep V will help in rough water. Having said all that get the taller sides and 21" transom! Don't get a short transom.

Loving the GTR so far. Got some deep water speeds the other day 2 guys light hunt load 25 mph, 3 guys and light hunt load after moving around gear and people was able to bump 23. Went by myself the other day in shallow water 3dz decoys and few other thing was running 28 bump 29 a few times. Motor doesn't even have 15 hrs yet so still learning where it likes to be as far as trim and rpm's

What he was implying is that their hull is always the same. You can get it in any of the lengths they offer and any of the widths they offer with any of the accessories they offer, but they won't stray from what they already build, which is a rounded chine hull in a set number of sizes.

Buy em books, send em to school, ....

Yep I got thread jacked.