Great Falls MT run Missouri River (shallow water with sand bars and rocks in spots)

Just sold my jet boat and am in the market for a new boat but need alittle help, hoping some people could help me out.

Sold the Jet boat because of Ice and Moss plugging up inboad jet during cold months of duck hunting and Elk/Deer hunting.

First the boat will be used for hunting Elk (400lbs boned out) deer and Ducks on the rivers, I hunt with one person combined weight of us is 450lbs

Here come some ???? (Ive never riden in or seen a mudmotor in person so bare with me)

What would you guys recommend I get for boat and motor or motors?? I like a center console steering wheel and twins would be nice but only if necessary. Boat length Im thinking 18'-20' but I dont know much about the makers been to some websites but thats it, as for motors go I do not want a motor I have to work on all the time like tuning carbs and stuff like that, Ive seen some companys will soup the hell out of a motor which is way cool but for me I need reliability first! So there you have it another FNG needing a little steering in the right direction or maybe these are not the things I should be looking at as something else might fit the bill better but an inboard jet is not the best answer.

Ive looked at the Mudbuddy, GoDevil, Prodrive, GatorTail websites for the motors and Gator and Excel boats.

In all seriousness could someone help me build my next boat for what I want it to do!

Thanks, looks like a very good forum you guys have!
Chris (AF military)

PM would be great!

What kind of conditions are you running? Veggies, mud, sand, rocky rivers...?

If you are looking for a console rig, your options are gatortail or pd. As far as I know GD and MB do not offer a remote steering option.

If you can afford duals, do it! But if the load you described is typical, 450lbs, and sometimes 400lb worth of elk, you could probably get by with a single motor. Duals are gonna carry damn near whatever you throw at em around 30. A single stock motor is gonna start to loose speed the more you load it down.

Longer boats will carry a load better. So if something like a 2048 is not too narrow for your running conditions, that would be my recomendation for a single engine. You have to go to a 54 or 60 wide to run the duals, and I'd still go 20 ft. Gatortail and PD both offer the console setup's I would look into their boats. Also, we have some custom builders on this site that may be worth looking in to.

Duel motors? Is that like a Gatortail and Mudbuddy combo? Guess it would work since there damn near the same.

Most time im in 4-6ft of water, but sometimes in sandbars and rocks but not allot. Looking at spending around $25k on a good boat but if a $15000 boat/motor will do what I want that would even be better.

Thanks guys for all the help its hard making a decision when Ive never seen one of these setups and there isnt a dealer around here to test drive one, so before I drive 15-20hrs to go test drive one it helps getting some opinions from the guys that know.

Not looking for a speed racer but 30mph empty would be great, I run 32 miles down river to my hunting spot thats why a CC would be nice to keep the wind off alittle in the cold times of the year, also a reliable motor or motors is a must.


Thanks again keep the opinions coming
Chris

In my opinion, I'd look into a 20x60 cc with dual prodrives. That rig will suit you perfectly, and run with pretty much any load you can put in it. You also may want to talk to a custom builder. They may be able to help you lay out your boat exactly the way you want it based on what you use it for. And usually custom boats are about the same price as a manufactured boat. Possibly a little cheaper, but you get way more boat for your dollars.
These are just my opinions, and in no way reflect my intelligence or lack thereof.
Scooter

I imagine the next question to ask is do you want/need reverse. Only 2 mudmotor manufactures have a reverse option at this point. 1 instant ( like an outboard/prop spins backwards) made by Gatortail and the other has full power reverse ( lower unit spins around 180*) made by Pr-Drive. The Pro-Drive takes a few seconds longer than the Gatortail but its a power house. Both are fine ass machines. just a matter of what best suites your needs.

Reverse would be just an added plus but not necessary. Boat will be set up with a trolling motor up front to do some walleye fishing too, but other than that open boat design (plain jane) besides a CC, storage boxes do nothing but leak and smell bad from what I have seen.

A boat to my liking is the Excel F4 with the hunting deck and V-front fishing in lakes might take chop alittle better, motor I THINK would be a Mudbuddy 5500 blackdeath or a GatorTail is kinda what Im thinking, BUT if Im on the wrong track please let me know. PM me if you dont want to start a pissing match, not trying to start anything just needing info to get the right boat/motor the first time. Do not want to be underpowered but at the same time need reliability.

If an 1854 Excel F4 with a 5500 MudBuddy would work that would be great but totally open to opinions, like the setup of that boat, 12gal enclosed fuel tank seems like a good boat BUT.....know nothing about them. Maybe a dual GatorTail with reverse on a 20fter would be better suited for my needs. Kinda seems like the GoDevil is out and the ProDrive seems to be slow to get into reverse, like the idea of the GatorTail quick reverse, like the idea of Twins but not looking at going much over $25K

Most of my time spent in boat would be fishing with wife (120lbs) me 225lbs and duck hunting with buddy and new 8month old Black Lab, make 3 trips a year to deer and elk hunting camp which is a 30mile run one way.


Thanks for everyones time with helping me make my decision

The 5500 Mudbuddy Blackdeath is a modded motor. Your not going to go wrong with either one of these motors and if anyone wants to have a pissing match over a motor that your buying than tell them go suck a fart out there ass with a straw! I personally think a GTR ( Gatortail w/ reverse) is going to suite you best imo. Get the reverse you'll thank me later when you don't have to get out and push a 20x60 ft boats (w/ duals) around because curiousity got the best of ya. Think about it.

Hell it 2010 these things should be air bourne by now or hovering or something. lol

hear u go... dual mud buddys on a gatortrax big water edition...

Nice!