I need some opinions and advice. I personally know only 2 people that run mud motors and both have custom rigs for there motors to sit on. I'm going to be making a boat & motor purchase this spring. I'm on a budget (wife's orders) and trying to stay below 15k. I've decided to sink most of my money into the motor. After test driving the 25 gtr and a mudbuddy 35 I've decided to go with 25 gtr. I'm wanting to run motor on either a 1648 or 17. I'm open to all advice but where I'm wanting it most is with the boat. I've learned I can get a war eagle or xpress or alumacraft on a trailer for a good price...a little cheaper than a custom made rig. How do these boats operate that are mainly designed for outboard? Or should I invest in a custom made boat. I live in Georgia and have been looking at Prodigy but again I'm trying to stay in budget. I run mostly shallow river full of stumps & logs, hard bottom, hydralia, lilies & Arkansas timber. Anyone know someone or personally run these main stream boats with mud motors? Thanks in advance for all the help

I have a WC custom and that was my budget too .. With the 25 I was still able to stay below my budget and boat is built how I wanted

ive got right at 15 invested in mine....its an 1840 wc with a 25gtr.... not much to sink into motor right now due to no mods..... I had an exhaust built...I worked over the intake deburring and smoothing edges ..... im going to do some headwork and hopefully get a cam.... Im also looking into an alcohol water spray if i want more ponies..... gonna depend on how much top end i loose with the cam....there is also an option of adding a turbo charger and programmer.......give pete a call... he can build you anything you want at a very reasonable price. I paid 5500 for my hull and couldnt be happier.

Maybe I'm a little biased, but here goes. I have driven three custom mud boats. Two were no names and the other is my own 1644 gator trax. I will tell you without a doubt I will NEVER!!!!!!!!!! buy a boat that can't turn. My trax will turn and bite each and every curve in an open river and not look back. I've been running a 25 outboard on it and run about 28 mph. I'm in the process of putting a 35 GTR on it. Some people might bash these boats, but I can't get an owner to give me a bad review. It's always a friend.

Mud boats have longitudinal bracing and the war eagle had horizontal bracing. When you hit something the mud boat is made to distribute the collision throughout the length of the boat. I'm close on my prices, but not exact. $6286 for a 17x50& $6995 for a GTR 35 + trailer. $15i.e. Then you have a bad ass boat. You can add things as needed like the turf etc. just my opinion.

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did you call gatortrax a custom boat?!?!?! lol.... production boat with accessories does not make it a custom and drafting 2 more inches with a round chine will have you pushing a boat..... my 1840 square chine will turn as well as your round chine.... my 1754 would not turn as well..... all boats will turn, its learning how to drive one that is difficult... my old 1754 pd does not run anything like my 1840 wc and gtr.....round chines draft more but turn more easily in deep water....all chines slide in the skinny stuff.

G-Trax are not custom ,, it just accesories that are picked....

and like eljefe said all boat turn and slide just depends on the driver/water dept

i'll second that. in my buddies g-trax i think we've pushed it around as much as we've rode in it. if it's hard bottom and shollow we walking and pushing. but that boat is tough & it has taken an absolute beating.

and i'll have to look into wc custom. never heard of them before. what kind of speeds are you guys getting in the boat with the 25gtr on the back? i'd really like to be at or darn close to 25mph under a load in deep water.

I've gotten 22 .. 3 man hunt load .. Deep water

19 with 3 man hunt load deep water. About 22 shallow. Runs 23 deep water and 2 people. And when I hunt solo it runs 26 deep... If you want a boat that will turn sharp enough to throw people out of the boat, check out the instagator reaction chine. Drafts like a square chine turns better than a round chine.

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Oh and don't go under 46" bottom with the 25....

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