I'm lookin at buying a new boat for bowfishing and the grounds I like to get to has a lot of soft bottom mud and a couple culverts to navigate thru. Anyways, I can't afford the boat until may or so, but I am going to fabricate a long tail. I found a 24hp honda horizontal shaft motor for cheap and want to know if that is going to be too small for an 1860 with a bowfishing platform. I'm not terribly worried about going fast, rather I don't want to end up stuck and completely screwed. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

and for those of you who might say not to build one, I am good at welding and fabricating and have already got the design mapped out.

I think boat will be to large for that motor my opinion


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Do you really need that much boat? You might do better to downsize the hull.....

I initally was looking at a 1655, but I talked to a bowfishing guide and he said he has tried everything and the magic number is 1860. He said with the amount of weight for the bowfishing equipment, the platform and 4 people, 60" wide is the point where the boat is wide enough that it won't tip with idiots on the boat. I was thinking the motor would be a bit small too, I guess i was just hoping someone had some experience and would have some input.

I guess I could always mod the motor to bump up the HP a bit.

Yeah unfortunately I'm stuck going thru a shi**y divorce and she's taken all my stuff, money, kid, etc... so, I'm just trying to piece back some of my hobbies I enjoy to pass the time. I'd love to go out an buy a big new motor, but having just graduated from chiropractic school and having to pay of the 30k in Credit card debt she blind sided me with, I'm fairly broke.

hope you make it back. I hope your ex will let you see your child as often as you would like. That is the most important thing.

That sounds like a cool project. My dad runs a very heavy 1848 go devil boat and used have a 23 with a 9x6 prop and would always get the job done. On your i would run a 9x5 prop and she will push that boat solid but tops 15 mph

Thanks for the tips guys and yes, I wish I got to see my daughter more, however her mom went off the deep end