I ordered a Excel 1551 Duck Series with a Mud Buddy 27 HD slapped on the back. What's your opinion on my soon to be boat set-up? Speed I should be getting average hunt load? Shallow water performance? All adfvice appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Kevin

It will be a turd, prolly wont even get a 3 man hunt load on step.

Long and narrow is better than short and wide with a small motor.

Did you do any research before you bought it?

No, other than the dealer giving me his "two cents". I'm new to boats, and especially mud motors. I just told the guy what kind of hunting I do, and the passenger load i would have in the boat. Also boat/trailer length were a concern for storage reasons. I need to keep total length under 19'5" to keep it in my garage... bad enough talking my wife in to letting me spend the $$$ on a boat, let alone storage fees.... Oh well, you live and learn.

maybe it wont be too bad.

Had you considered a trailer with a folding tounge?

You can turn your motor all the way to one side and get some extra length too.

A 17x42 skiff would have been my choice.

I dont think it will be a turd. Im guessing you are running tight timber with 2-3 ppl. If that is what you are doing it should do ok.. I guess you will get 26-27 unloaded and 20 with 3ppl and light gear. A short boat like that will just start to plow once you put a good load in it. Good luck

Should do decent with 2 ppl & hunt load (appx 22 mph) & will vary with 3 ppl. The 1645 SWB would've been a better setup, but you should be fine.

I've got a 1542 with a 27 mini me and my son and fishing gear in shollows run 25 to 27 in deep it's 23 to 24.

here it is, picking it up tommorow

nice rig man...congarts

sweet boat, be careful in the turns cuz that boat will bite. Also keep your legs out from underneath that handle, cuz if you hit something motor will kick up/ handle down and it will leave a nasty bruise on your knee, just sayin

theres a guy that hunts where i hunt and he runs a 15ft excel f4 with a 23 mudbuddy and it was a good runnin little rig with 2 people.

nice rig btw!!!

Looks really sharp man!

Now go jump some levy's.

that is a nice looking boat ... Im still running a longtail and looking to upgrade to a surface drive . What is the total length from trailer hitch to end of prop. Dont want storage fees ! Thanks

thanks ....

the boat once i put the swing tongue on trailer will be under 19'5"... thats the size of my garage and that's where i'm keeping it... going out tomorrow to run it for the first time so it should be interesting.... don't know if i'm going to try to get top speed because of the whole "break-in" theory...