My boat eats the mud up & I am in an 1860 w/ full flotation & a hunt deck. NEVER let anyone tell you you won't be able to perform!! Just get out there and drive it like you stole it!

I need a wide stable boat for bowfishing. having 3 people on the front deck of a 48" wide boat doesnt work very well. It will have a winch so if i get stuck hopefully i will have a stump close enough! I say i wont run in straight mud but thats prolly a lie... haha I think i will be ok tho

Don't understand how the width would keep you from digging down. If the mud is that soft that the boat sinks into it you should be able to run in it pretty easy.

60'' is a good boat I've rode in one it got on plan fast in deep water in the mud it did great

if your lookin to bowfish and be able to hunt out of the boat an 1860 with any motor would be fine...Personally i would stay with a square chined boat and either a PD or a GT. IMHO i dont trust the GD without having a neutral for bowfishin. Ill say this, im on my 2nd GT and have never had to do anything other than normal maintence on it... any motor you buy will be good, you just have to pick which one suits your needs the most.

Here is my rig setup for bowfishin

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12739&p=140303&hilit=2060+GTB#p140303

The flotation adds weight which creates a little more draft. The flotation is called reserve buoyancy. it is there to keep the boat and the weight it is certified to carry afloat when swamped. That is how they get the engine , persons and load limit on these hulls, they fill them with water and test what weight the boat and flotation will keep boat afloat.

I agree with Weston to a degree, a wider hull will float on top of sloppy mud, but you also have more surface area when trying to move it around, So testing to find the optimum hull for conditions you run is the key.

Having a wider boat creates more suction and makes it harder to turn on the mud when stopped but if u can move it even an inch it will go.

Anymore info?

This is getting away from the point! I'm building a 1660 slick bottom and want to know what you guys think about the durability of the major types of motors. It will have a 35+ motor. Just wanting some facts about them. I know everyone likes their motor but want to know what the problems are with them.

So trim is one of the biggest problems? Are there different brands of trim or are they all the same?

I dont think PDs have really had any trim issues with the units they are using now. When the hydro trims first came out, the motors on the units had a problem with water getting in them and corroding inside. No problems out of mine.

Ok!

I'm ready to get this boat up and going! I hate not having a boat!

I would look into some of the custom builders, you get more boat for your money in my opinion.

Whut mud motor or going with that make a difference on how you build your boat for the best performance

My buddy builds boats. Epidemic airboats. It will b all custom. Going to get the motor and build the boat to fit the motor best.

Weston, if this is your first mud motor hull don't make the mistake of putting everything but the kitchen sink on it. That will ratchet up the weight considerably and will affect your performance.

I have owned five different mud rigs, of different sizes. The first boat had storage boxes up the yin-yang, plus a lot of other options put on it. That made it a heavier boat. With every boat since then I have lightened up. I am almost rolling ghetto style now with a pretty stripped down boat.

I have owned 29hp, 31hp and 35hp Hyperdrives, both balanced (without neutral) and Sport (with neutral). Early Mudbuddy motors had slight issues with belts and major issues with trim. All resolved now. They are durable motors. My buddy is a dealer for MB and he sells a lot of them out here in the Western US. I just put my third season on the Prodrive that I currently own. Other than having to replace a leaky hydraulic trim hose this thing has been flawless. Although what I am about to say doesn't relate to reliability, I will say it anyway. I am hooked on the easy driveability of the Prodrive and I will not do without a Full Power Reverse motor ever again. But that's just me and to each his own.

When I have had questions for Prodrive they have been easy to get in touch with on the phone and in the case of the leaky hyd hoses they shipped them out quickly and free of charge. When you call Prodrive you usually have one of the owners on the other end of the phone. They have not grown too big for their britches.

That's what I know.

Considering they all run the same power heads the main difference is the drive units. But they can all break so its a mute point. Drive them all and then buy the one you like best. I do get a good laugh every time the GT folks try to downplay the issues that the GTs have. Not that there are any more issues than the other brands, just definately not any less either. All you have to do is read and you can see for yourself. That is all.............. except that I wouldn't own one without neutral and reverse.

Going to have some storage in the boat but just under seats and rod/gun box and have door under front end. Shouldn't be too heavy. I don't know how big of a motor I will need. Don't really care about going 40 but still want it to move quick.

You definately want the biggest stock motor if nothing else.

Yea. I'm going to get at least a 35 but been looking at the black death also.