I'm very seriously considering pulling the trigger on a 1748 Prodigy, 21 inch sides and a hunt deck, with a 37 EFI HDR. So that's 17Ft actual length. It will be the biggest boat i've owned yet. previous rigs were 1548 with a 23 HD and a 1654 with a 40 Kholer and a couple 15ft rigs with longtails. I'm concerned about performance and load capabilites. Looking for an overall rig. I run heavy veg and salt marsh right now (North Florida) but plan to move where rivers, flooded timber, lakes, swamps, and back water streams will be more in play (Central Missouri). I have 3 boys so i need a rig that also accomidates the family both hunting and fishing.... I dont have to be the fastest guy on the water but i want a solid all around performance out of a 15-20K rig. So with all of this said i'm looking for pro's and con's from owners of similar rigs. Speed's, load capabilities, handling reviews, thought's in general.


Please dont make this about brand's either. Prodigy's customer service and price (military discount!!) and my past experiance with owning several different MB's have made my desisions there. I'm more interested in do i need to go wider, skinnier, longer, shorter, some option i dont know about, do i have too much motor, not enough (need to consider mods)..... ECT.... Thanks Ya'll. This is my (early) retirement from the Military gift from my wife. I wont be buying another rig any time soon so i want to know all i can before i say GO!!!!

HC

I cant help you much other than I have the 18x54 prodigy and I love the size and stability. I have 2 young kids and am very happy that I went with this size. I run the 37 GTR and it pushes the boat well. Most of the time I run comfortably from 23 to 26 mph. I have not used the boat in the mud so I cant comment there on performance.

I've had a 1848 and it did fine. Held loads well and was quick.

Then I built a 2048 cc and it did even better with loads but didn't go as fast.

I say the longer the better. I would at least go 18' but that's just me.


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For timber be careful about the boats wider than 48, it's a bitch getting out of a pinch

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I have a 1748 prodigy. With three kids, go 54, or if you are set on 48, go 18ft. Mine is perfect for 3 adults, and 4 is still fine, but we all work well together in a boat. Adding kids to the mix, I'd want a little more width preferably, or length, to make things more comfy.

i own a Prodigy 1748 with a 4500 black death. from what i've heard about the 3700 you'll be happy with ti and id imagine it runs similar to mine. with a light load i can run 30 in deep water. I will say if you werent running timber id go bigger but i can say that after running timber with my boat i wouldnt want bigger.

I think fishing three adults would be too tight but i comfortably fish two adults all the time. wouldnt hesitate to throw a kid in there though. feel free to PM me if you have specific questions.

Can't beat an 1860 for an all around good size, stable family rig. I run timber too and have found very few places I can't go versus my old 1548 Longtail. I wouldn't go narrower than 54/56 if you're wanting something real stable for several people. Yes, it can and has been done in narrower boats but if you have that kind of budget, no reason not to get what you really want.

It depends on what kind of timber you're talking about lol. I havent found a bunch of cypress trees that i couldnt find my way through but ive been in some flooded green timber that was damn tight and i had to go around.

Awesome guys!!! these are exactly the comments i was looking for. I am on the fence about going 18FT (leaning hard that way i think).... and the thought had crossed my mind about a little wider. I know i have no desire to get into the 60 wide realm. 50-54 maybe but i'm not %100 sure.

Dom thanks for the performance info. I was thinking in my mind i should bump that 30 in open water solo and hold high 20's loaded. That's more than fine with me. Probably go with the carb and exhaust anyhow so that should certianly keep me in that arena. I haven't drove a 37 yet so i was just guessing in my mind. I had a 40 Kohler but that motor wasn't know to fly and it was all wrong for the boat i had it on. I still flew like the wind but it made it's money under load. I'm gambling that the 37 will be similar with the right rig under it.

Thanks guys for the info....

HC

I have an 1854 Prodigy without a hunt deck. I believe Chad's hunt decks are in addition to the length of the boat. In other words, a 17 foot boat is 17 plus the hunt deck so you would have an over all hull around 18'.
Since I bought mine I have thought a few times that having a slightly smaller rig might enhance the top end speed but this thing will move a load like crazy! Overall I can carry a lot of weight and still 25 or 26 and I can carry 5 fat asses and fishing stuff and run 22 or 23

Go 18 if you can for the simple reason of the engine weight on the transom, longer hull helps compensate for it, that extra foot makes a great difference in leveling out the boat helping in shallow water and carrying loads and getting on step. I had a 1754 PD and Bug has an 1860 PD, his draft shallower overall and will take off in about 3" less water which is really a big difference on a hard bottom. My 1754 got me everywhere I wanted to go but I wouldn't get another 17' with a surface drive. An 1854 would be really nice but if you absolutely want to stay skinny, 1848 would be better than a 1748. IMO


As far as 1748 performance with a 37. It's a good set up. There's a few on here with that. banded-mallard built his own 1748 and performs exceptionally well with a PD on it. It's a low to mid 30 mph boat but he has mods also.

Chad's boat lengths are very straightforward. If you get a 17ft boat, hunt deck or not, it's 17ft. He doesn't add a hundeck and increase the length.

i will say that an extra foot means bigger trailer. I couldnt even fit a bigger boat in my garage. just something to keep in mind.

I have a 1660 gd w a 35 gdsd. I usually run marsh and hydrilla. It's fine w 3 people and gear. But 4 and gear and dog makes me wish I had an 18. As far as width, I will say the 60 is awesome for frogging, fishing, etc. Super stable. I've run some timber and have only had an issue a couple times. I wish I had gone 3/16th though.... I do run stumps a good bit.

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Thanks to everyone for the comments and thoughts. It looks like it's a $700 difference to jump from the 1748 to the 1854.... Pretty sure im going to do that. Just seems to make more sense for what i intend it for. Great thread guys.....you really helped

Last 2 was 48 and now run a 54 and it does better all the way around

17/54
bumping 28 in the shallows with 37hp and 3 men

From my experience a 17-54 is hard to beat as an ideal match to the big surface drives. Great all around size. I personally like a bigger boat and have found way more advantages over the smaller ones. Wider bottoms are way more stable, draft better and are more comfortable. If you boat hunt there's really nothing to the argument about hiding it, it's not a pirogue! If it's bigger than a pirogue it's all the same! You said "no bigger than 54" but at least do that, 17-54 is still a small boat when it's loaded and the weather sucks! Get the biggest boat you can cause if the bigger one can't get ya there you needed your waders anyways! Good luck and I look forward to seeing some new boat pictures soon!

Dont worry guys.... there will be some new boat picts in the future. Unfortunatly not right away. I'm currently deployed to the Gulf on a carrier so i'm looking at having it built this fall and waiting for me in the driveway come december!! I've thought long and hard and taking everyone's advice. I'm gonig to order the 1854 with the hunt deck and 37 EFI HDR. I run a 4 rivers with a 7HP Stumpjumper and a homemade hybrid duck boat with a longtail or trolling motor also. If the big boat can't get me there then those two will and i wont sell those rigs any time soon. So i think the 1854 will be what i need. thanks for all the advice.

HC

I run a 36pd stage 3 on a 18/54 brother bureaux and love it


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I got a 18x48 prodigy. With a hunt deck. V front. It has a 35gtr with a stage one. All open floor plan besides a box to sit on and drive. Speeds are 28-30 light to no load. I def recommend a 18ft and at least 48 wide


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