If y'all were to choose again between a 1848 or a 1854, which would you get and why? Rig will be used for mainly hunting, but also plan to bowfish, and fish in it. Conditions include millions of stumps, and then your normal mud, and water

I would go 54 or 60.

Get the 54. More stable, carry a load better, and draft less.

54"

42" or 48" so you dont stay hung on 3 stumps at a time.

I always preferred the 48" over 54"... carried a load just as well. Now if I was bowfishing, it would be a different story.

54"
Buddy has a 1860 GDSD and he loves it.
I have a 2054 and like it a bunch.
Had a 1848 and it was good but not as good as the wider mobels
Duckdon

If you can't bowfish from a 48" without falling out, you don't need to be in a boat.

54. With a 60" bowfishing deck

54!!

What motor will you be running. That should figure into the equation.

Russ

What advantages does the 48" supposively have over the 54"?

If you really run that many stumps i would get a skiff and a shitty riveted bateau with a mercury 25 on it for bow fishing

48"

Yeah, I looked through tons of reviews last night. I've pretty much got my mind set on what I want, just wanted to get talks opinions on the width. Thanks again

Depends on if you run a lot of channels and timber. I know some of the places you run and right now with water so low and all the stumps, 54 won't get into a lot of places. Wider bottom makes your beam wider making it tougher to get into tight spots.

Plus a 54" square chine slides WAY worse then a 48" sq chine in even open water.

You can also tell a difference between the two when you are getting unstuck from somewhere or pushing off a sand bar.

running mine 54 thru that stuff no problems yet with the it bing that wide yet

Thanks pete! Can you tell a major difference in stability between the two?

Mac, have you ran it out where we run yet?

I think the 18'x48" will definitely do the trick for 3 or 4 guys with a 35 on the back.... but with that, the wider the bottom the better it will carry this load...not saying that wider than 48" is an over kill..it's just a matter of preference for what you will be doing... my buddy has a 18'x46" boat with a 35gtr.. with 4 people, decoys, guns and geer, he still ran around 23-24mph.. going with a 48" it will be just a bit better than that... just my opinion.. but if you don't have any width constraints where you hunt, and you have the money for the extra aluminum, go with the wider boat

yep i have been up the river a little ways kwak

48" all day long my friend,it'll do everything you want it to do and plenty of boat

I have a 54" because I have a console and need the room. If I ever go back to a tiller, I will also go back to a 42".

Laugh now, I'll still be duck huntin and running mudmotors when ya'll are dead and gone...

Duck hunting probably wont exist in 40 yrs. and mud motor will probably be illegal at the rate this country is being ran. Hopefully I am wrong.

Def go 48 run alot better and go through more shit also still gets up with a load

54" carrying a load noticeably better than a 48" boat of the same length............

I don't buy it.

I just went from a 48 to 54 and Im very happy with it! The 54 is def better with a load. Same motor and I can add another person and still get on step. Also def more stable.

I would never go wider than 48" but I don't always operate or hunt in wide open spaces...I'm running an 18X44 round chine now and the BD4500 W/BPS Cam pushes it 25 MPH with 4 men, a kid, 9 gallons of gas and hunting gear...1200 lbs total...

It's not necessary to go super wide is my point if you have the right motor moving you along...

Shit, what about a 50" bottom??