Hey guys Im new here and new to mud motors. Im looking for a little help trying to figure out a new motor for my boat. I currently have an Alumacraft 1648 witha with a modified V hull. It has a 20" transom. The boat is about 275 lbs empty. I attached a picture if my hull.

60% of the time I could get by with an outboard but I make an annual week long trip to an area where an outboard just wont cut it. The marshes I hunt there are 1-2 feet deep with reeds and wild rice. The bottom is mud but the type of mud that you would only sink 8" into if you walked... its a pretty hard bottom compared to some swamps.

Question is, what style motor do I want and how big. I usually hunt with 1 guest and 2 dogs. Dogs are 70 lbs each. My buddies and I are 180 each and our decoy spread is very small... less than 3 dozen.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Stick with an outboard or get a longtail. the vhull will hurt the performance of an SD mudmotor.

Thanks for the reply. An outboard wont cut it. How big if a long tail do I want? I don't need to set a a speed record I just want to be able to get to my spots and back reliably. Any suggestions for a brand without starting a p!ssing match?

That rig will float a 35hp. Do a search for Back Water Inc on here. Great motors.

Wm on here is running the same boat with a 35 BW LT. I know he's happy with the way it preforms.

I've got exact same boat minus the coast guard bow! And I had both a 25 hp koehler Lt and just got a 24 hp Honda Sd! Both have theirs places!! Unless you have to deal with a lot stumps I'd definitely go SD! I'm like you and hunt a lot of open water but also travel n get in places where outboards just ain't gonna cut it! I like the SD for simple fact I keep the speed pretty much of a outboard and the handling! Power trim is amazing after using a long tail for a couple years!! But also know u said speed wasn't a issue also but u have more things can break on a SD where LT are typically more reliable I guess! Because of less parts n simplicity! I get pretty good speed and handling with SD n that's just my opinion but I'm also new to the SD world also! That's my opinion! Hope it helps!

Thanks for the replies guys. Jethro- what kind of speed did you get with your long tail? Did you ever wish you would have got higher hp?

My buddy has the same hull with a 27 longtail, it works well.... Flat bottom would work waaay better though. We get about 15-16mph with 3 guys, dog, and hunt load. That being said if you add any more weight it plows and is a dog. The backwaterinc prop made a big difference in load carrying. The factory Beavertail prop was about 13-14 mph with that load. I would look into the backwaterinc 35 for sure if i were you.

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Oh yeah.... Empty i was gps'ed (by another boat) at 18-19. The factory prop ran about 20-21 empty. Probably not exactly accurate because it was from another boat, but it gives you an idea. Also, i wouldn't run a sd on that hull, the deadrise isn't as bad as some mod v's but you still wouldn't get great performance because of the turbulent water flow.

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