Saw the new Excels this past weekend- Good that Tim got to start building boats again. New sides roll the spray back into the water- its a really dry ride. Planed out quickly and turned really well.

Man that's some tall sides

Looks like a barge.

dude I dig it!!! love the sides

How does she handle the mud? What kind of speeds were you getting with the mud buddy? Load? Hate to ask so many questions, but I sold my rig the other day and I haven't made up my mind on what I'm going to get and I want to hear about all of them.

Thats cool !!! Where is he buildin' them Excells now?

i've been looking at these but in a shorter hull length with some pods attached. a 15-16' x 44-48" should work for my uses, which aren't too demanding. i run about 5 miles in 24-36" water and short distances in about 6-12". i've been thinking about putting a 35 mini on to push it but i doubt the boat will be rated for that, which is why i think the external pods may benefit me. i'm still not sure if i want to do a full stern deck like the GT boats or stick with something traditional. i think i'm set on the flat bottom with mod-v bow to the water line.

anybody have thoughts on the setup i'm trying to put together? i realize most folks haven't seen this boat in particular but ya'll have a lot more experience with this stuff than i do. any ideas are appreciated.

Plenty of thoughts about your setup.....don't do it.


Quit worrying about the type of front end in regards to riding waves....more length makes more of a difference than the front end. A mod V front end will direct more spray back up and at you than a flat will anyway. If you want to "cut" more waves, your gonna need a more aggressive "v" to make a difference.

Get a 16' boat minimum. Why get a 16' boat with 2' pods when you could just go ahead and get an 18' boat and get all the other benefits that an 18 footer will give you.

Go drive the sizes your considering in the terrain that you are going to run and experinece the difference, that way you will know what you want.

that's a good idea hizzoner. the only reason i am considering the pointed bow is to help part the phrag. my current square stern tends to just ride up on top of the phrag and then i have to push back and take another run at it. eventually i end up breaking thru or really stuck. i thought about a longer boat but where i hunt is mostly wind sheltered areas that have tight access. i figured i'd give up a little length and go wider to get extra float for the shallows. i'm honestly not sure how a heavier all welded boat will do compared to my riveted 1436.

Pro Drive makes a true flat bottom with a pointed bow. I think Aucoin is doing it too. There are options other than a Mod V for having a pointed bow

yeah, i'm probably using the wrong term but i am looking for a true flat bottom, no ribs or keels. the pointed bow is just for the obstacles.


one of the reasons i wasn't considering going longer was due to the added weight. i suppose the more surface area the more float/shallower draft but it seems like most of the drafting surface area comes from the rear. where i hunt i can't always be on plane thru the shallows. i guess it is just a compromise when you start messing with the lengths and widths on boats. you are right about the demo. it'd be nice to know what i'm buying and what it can do.




--sorry about the hijack

Those are sweet. Gary..whats the reasoning behind the design of the transom??? Never seen one angled like that.

someone correct me if I am wrong!!!!!!!!!!
but they are so that the back end of the boat dips in when you go to make a corner?

or is there a reason I missed big time??

Its like their bass boats not sure if there is a perfomance advantage or if its a design detail. The bottom of the transom is square so you don't loose displacement and the corners are angled off as they come up.