Hey fellas looking to purchase a rig this year. Went to a local boat store and got some info that I feel needs to be ran by some experts or experienced owners of these boats.

First off, Looking at a Tracker Grizzly. Mainly due to that fact I live in CA and this seems to be the most available boat in my area.
Would like a 17-18' but can settle with a 16' if it can handle my needs as far as weight. Also He said that he uses vang/mudbuddy 35hp short tails on only 16' boats, And that the 35hp wont plane anything bigger.
Here's where I need some help. Looking for a rig 16-18' to run a 25-35hp short tale, and trying to stay under 10k.
Will a 35hp plane a 17' boat with 2 men, gear and a dog? Do you need to be able to get on top of the water when hunting? Or is it just nice to have the ability to?

Thanks for the time and info in advanced!

A 35 will plane a 20' boat! Who ever told you that was full of it! If that's all you can get your hands on I guess it will be okay but it is not an ideal mud hull. I ran a 1848 and it was an ideal size for me. But if you don't run timber try a 54" wide boat. 17 or 18 I are both good lengths but 16' is cutting it close. Everyone I know that has had a 16' boat wants a longer one.


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Buddy of mine runs a 18x60 tracker grizzly w/a 35 gtr it planes just fine running fairly light but its no speed demon. He also stays stuck ALOT! The semi v kills ur performance. I would try to get a flat bottom boat.

Thanks for the reply...
So a 17' with a 35hp will be good? Do you have any experience with the grizzly? I was planning on putting flotation pods on it also, will this help keep the water where it needs to be?

sorry for my ignorance and lack of searching, but off hand what are some boats to look for with a ideal flat bottom? Anything available like the tracker product? Like I said I live in CA and do not want to pay some expensive freight fee to get a boat to CA.

Stay away from the pods if you are going with a surface drive.

what north la hunter said, also i want buy a lawn mower motor myself but since you are you might want to try and get a gator tail with reverse

My 25gtr planes an 18' hull....

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ok, pods gone. Now anyone have a set up they recommend to stay under 10k?

Make sure you get a flat bottom model and not semi V. I would go 18 foot

I have a Grizzly 1654 with a 35 GDSD all stock and get 31 by myself, 26 with a load. I love having a mod-v hull. When it's windy, it goes without saying that we are taking my boat. It does fine in pads, tussets, and mud, GatorGlide really helped though. Remember where most of the folks on this site live, for the most part they run a lot of mud in bayous and such. If you have to cross a lot of big water you'll hate having a flat bottom hull.

I will be in a tide marsh and bay. Some big water. but a lot of canal and salt water.

so A 17x56 grizzly mod v with a 35hp should be enough to get the job done?

not be beat a dead horse, but A easier way to describe that area I hunt is; I would be using a standard outboard but the lack of clean water and salt water is the only reason I'm looking for a surface drive...

How shallow would you run?
Is the bottom hard or sink to your azz mud?