One of the great things about the first mud motor, the LT, is that it can be slapped on virtually any jon boat and perform pretty well. We all know a true flat bottom (GD for example) is optimum, but has anybody had a custom hull made up for your LT? As much as the shortail crowd are largely correct about a .125 hull, we can get by with a lot less. Where I run, light gauges have been successfully used with LT's since there is little mud, no beaver dams, cypress swamp, etc. I envision an 1848 .090 gauge flat bottom, longitudinal runners, powered by a 35 HP LT. Is this feasible and does anybody build them in that gauge? I presently have a .100 1648 tracker grizzly (around 395#) that is heavy enough and not optimum but gets the job done with a 27 LT. I would think that an 1848 short transom, 20 inch sides, in .090 can be built that weighs no more than 400#. Any thoughts?

I would think that if you know for a fact that you are not going to hit anything that would cause dents or holes . Then a light gauge hull would work. I would do at least .100 tho. I think you grizzly is the same

If your going thin, why now just get a production hull? Some builders dont like using less than. 125" because its harder to weld.

The crimps in the bottom of thinner aluminum give the strength to get away with the thinner gauge.

You will be hard pressed to find someone to build you a slickbottom out of less than .125

18 x 48 skiff style including a 16" full hunt deck with 16 inch sides. Build the boat in kevlar. It'd be strong, light and fast.

0.100 is the thinnest you'll get a custom welder to tackle, and you'll have to arm twist for that. calculate the difference in weight and the go with .100 and sleep well.

a 35slt on a thin hull 1848 should scoot.

Thank you, gentlemen! .100 is presently on my grizzly 1648 weighing around 400# as I added a .090 floor myself. As I've said before we have run much thinner gauges here for years without a problem. If the weight difference is minimal, I'll go with .125. Am I wrong in thinking an LT 35 will produce less stress on the transom than a shortail 35? Indawoods, that's what I'm thinking about the 35 performance on a lighter 1848 hull. Believe me, 20 mph with two hunters and gear is plenty and if I get 24 mph it will that much sweeter. Don't care to go faster, don't want to spill my coffee. One feature I like is the gunwale channel like the Phowler, to add accessories. Maybe a Phowler 1848 is the way to go?