well i'm possibly getting in a duck lease next year that requires a mudboat to get there.my question is for the people with prodrives and gator tails.i'm looking into something in the 17ft length what do you guys recommend on width. i'll be putting a 35 on it just not sure what motor i'll go with.another thing is what options do you like on your boat such as gun/rod boxes etc.any info on either boat or motor is greatly appreciated not looking for someone who knows a guy that has one and doesn't like it just looking for facts.
thanks

54 or 60

X2 on the 54 or 60, I'm am new to this as well and don't know a hole lot, but I know what I like, and that's plenty of room, I have a drivers box to sit on and a 7ft rod/gun box that can be mounted on the left side, in the middle, or taken out of the boat. Look into a hunt deck as well, you don't have to have one but it is nice. Also, IMO you are looking at the right 2 motors. Having reverse is very nice.

width depends on what terrain you run the most. if you run a lot of timber I do not recommend anything over 48" bottom. Also a wider boat is a lot harder to get unstuck somewhere if you are having to push.

What will be your average load? 1748 is one of the fastest boats with one-two people and a light/fair load. Add a 3rd person it drops, add 4th person then and definatly drops. Does that mean you cant carry a 4 man load, NO, but it will drop off quite a bit from 1-2 people vs with an 18' it doesnt drop off as drasticly. Width also depends on load too. If you want a shorter boat, go wider. If length isnt a problem, go 18' and somewhat narrower.

Width and Options depend on what you do and need 90% of the time. If you dont fish then why would you need a 7' box? If you are going to bowfish, then a little wider boat is nice for more front deck area.

There are LOTS of variables and things to consider.

I would recommend getting with one of the custom builders on this site and see what they or we can do for you. Feel free to call/email me with any questions.

-Pete

well i'll be running the marsh with 3 people and gear so would the 18ft be more of what i need?

I run marsh w/ an 1860 Gator-Tail w/ flotation w/ 35 GTR

I also cross large bays, fish, flounder gig etc from mine. The 60W is what I was after in terms of stability

How wide are the trails on the lease will also decifer how wide you can go, if you have narrow trails i suggest a 18x46 or 18x48, i personally run an 18x46 and love it, skinny ditches no problem and vegetation i can slice right through it. I can carry a load with no problem.

I got the 18x60 extreme, I like the room, it's a little harder to hide, also have a gun box and a rod box and I like being able to put everything away, the only thing laying out is my decoys.

1754 or Bigger! I carry a 4 man 100lb dog hunting load all the time and even cross 6 miles of rough bays with it. A 48" bottom feels like a canoe with 4 people in it.

I would defiantly stay at 18ft. If you are running straight marsh and the additional width of the boat will not cause you not to be able to get into certain spots, I would go with a 54. If you are going to need a narrower boat to get into tighter spots you should go 48. I would not go any narrower than that. In terms of speeds, the 54 will be a little faster loaded, and the 48 will be faster empty.. The 48 will do better in grass in mud, but the 54 will be better in a sand bottom because it will draft less. So in a nutshell, it all depends on the terrain you will be in, but i would go either 1848 or 1854 with the load you described. 1860's have their purposes, but i think for strictly hunting, you can do just as much with a 54 as a 60

are u gonna be hunting from this boat too or just using it to get you and your passengers to a blind? if your going to a blind i would suggest a 1850 with a center bench and a drivers box. center bench will hold alot of gear and alot guns, i loved mine in my last boat. good thing about the center bench is you can keep your load pretty even because you can have any passenger just scoot over and get your load right. if your hunting out of it the center bench is still nice but it takes up a bit of space. really depends on what your gonna do with it

Run it parallel with the length but still on center. Best of both worlds

Then put decoys and gear on each side to distribute weight