I have a 24 honda mud buddy on a mod v hull. I understand mod v isn't a good platform but got a good deal a few years back with intentions of a new hull. Now I am ready to start thinkin about what to get. I've heard long and narrow is best but want real world ideas. I was thinkin maby a 17 36 or 42 or maby a 16 42. Any ideas and experiences would be helpful

Ran that motor for years on a 1546 xpress jon. Ran good. Get a 16 or 17. Lighter the better. .80" thick welded will hold up fine with that motor.

I have the same motor on a 1638 gator trax rogue with the hunt deck (17'-6" overall length) and am very happy with it. With a 2 person/1 dog hunting load (dozen and a half goose floaters and 3 dozen ducks) and a slightly worn prop I get 16mph. Round chine plus narrow boat turns on a dime. If your normal load is only 2 people with an occasional 3rd I would go for 38-42 bottom. If your planning to take 3 or 4 regularly I would definitely step up to 44+ bottom. Also length is your friend when it comes to balancing a load especially in a narrow boat. 17-18' is what I would recommend.

I am going to get the boat built and I run a lot of stump fields so was thinkin a 1/8 floor is that too much for my motor

I have a 1836 GD with a 23 GD . it will bump 20 mph, hold 18 + mph with just me and 16 or 17 with 4 people.

K the next question I have is what size reason is that motor designed for. Like I said going to get the boat built and want to make sure it is built right.

I have my 24 Honda LT on a heavy 18x42 with a 3/16 bottom and its a very good combo.

It ran empty right around 20 stock and 16-17 with a pretty heavy 3 man load. I've plained out with 5 guys, guns, and minimal gear before. Didn't break any speed records but it was on step.

Now with heads, carb, and exhaust it runs 22-23 empty. Aint loaded it down good yet.

Not exactly sure what you're asking with that last question, and how it's different than the first question (it's worded a little odd).

I think 1/8" would be fine since you're concerned about stumps, but personally I would still get .100". With a LT, you aren't running the speeds of the SDs, and i find that I don't care for the impacts I would take to run a stump field full speed every time I go out. There's no way I would beat a hole into .100" even over 15 years. If you know you will, then go thicker (1/8" or 3/16").

How many people and how much load you plan on for the majority of your running? If it's never gonna be more than two, the 1642 or 1736 would be fine, if more, go 1742 or larger. That's not to say a 1736 won't haul three fine, only that the 1742 or 1842 would do it better. The 18 footers seem to be largely preferred here (that longer being better for LT concept). If there's any chance you will ever upgrade to a 35HP LT, get the 1842 or 48 and be done.

Woodiebuster is running the same motor right now you have, he has it on an 1842 custom boat. There's a post somewhere on this site about the ol "Elf Shoe". FranktheTAU just got a 35hp LT from Back water inc. Check the reviews section for that.

Do some looking around with the search feature, and you'll find more experiences/rig examples to answer your questions.

My thrown together BS runs 20 with just me and my junk, 18-19 with one more and theirs. 20hp Honda, ugly prop, V bottom boat with float pods...

I run a 25 hp MB on a homemade wooden 18 x 48 with a hunt deck. I'm fixing to build another boat but I'm making it 17' or 18' x 40" or 42" skiff. My thought is I'd rather have the weight distributed the length of the boat vs. two hunting buddies sitting side x side which equates to pushing their extra 500 lbs the full 4' width of the boat. (Does that make sense?) I'm not doing this necessarily for speed as much as I am for sliding across mud flats better with less resistance with a load. I'm sure my speed will increase slightly.

Sry guys I made a typo on my last question. How tall of transom is my motor designed for is what I was trying to ask. Right now I'm thinkin of a brother bout 1840 .125. Right now I have a beer can mod v and I get 21 with just me and god knows how many wet soggy sticks under the floor and hoping to stay about that speed since the boat will be built better but the boat I have has taken some extrealy hard hits even a dead stoper a few times and has held up great. And yes you hit a lot less at wot then u do takin it slow

depends on the shaft length. 72" would be for short transom (16") if its in the 84" range its for tall transom (21")