Hey Fella's. I'm new to the MM world & plan on purchasing my first rig this year. I've been doing research for the past couple months & have pretty much settled on a 3 man gatorhide w/ a 36 prodrive. I wanted to get your insight on that particular set-up & any basic things like transom height & shaft length. Any pro's & con's would be appreciated. Thanks, JY.

That is a heaaavvy boat for a stock motor. Won't have an option on shaft length with the pd, but go tall transom if you can. If the hide's have a huntdeck, you'll need a tiller extension for the pd also.

I was set on a gatorhide as well... after a call to Gator-Tail (because I was sold on the motor) and after much thought I decided on an open layout, I find myself using blind material and laying in the the boat a lot. I have a pop up blind and it works for my needs. I hunt & fish out of my boat most of the times on the same day so the ability to move stuff around, carry rods, guns & poling platform & have it all be able to take off is just outstanding. Think about what add-ons you may add later set it up so it can easily accept them.

I'd like to add that top end speed isn't a huge concern with me. I just want it to get me where I want to go, loaded, & get me home. I run a wide variety of conditions from timber, stump fields, & open flats. If the PD could get me going low 20's with a 3 man duck hunting load I would be pleased.

My ol' man has that exact setup, been running it for 2 years now. A speed demon it is not! With a fresh prop, nine gallons of gas, him and I(460 lbs), about 100 decoys, dog(45lbs), guns, ets..... we were getting about 22mph. You will find that with the 36pd adding that 3rd guy and gear will really bog it down. It doesn't take much wear on the prop before it starts to lose performance. We really do like the boat however. He has the drop in hatch covers and it makes a great/stable as hell fishing platform. We are able to make that forker disappear in the marsh. when pulled up against the bank the ducks never see us. The birds do flare from it in the wide open water though, may need a little better cam job in the open water. Let me know if you have any specific questions about the setup. The dry storage is not completely dry, we have to take everything out of the compartments when we wash the boat, pain in the arse.

I have a buddy that has the same set up, but he has done his heads, modded stock carb, and exhaust and runs 27-28 with two guys all day and 25-27 with me in the boat and full duck hunting load. He is around 230 and his buddy is about the same, and I am 175. If you can test drive it I would recommend it, and then you will know for sure!

just my .02 you say speed isnt a deal right now but once you get in it with your hunting load and barely bucking the current you'll be begging for more

GP, I'm not saying that speed isn't nice. I have a bassboat that does 72 & I have a 14' skiff/piroque with a 15 horse that won't do 20. It is what it is. I will most likely get the modifications once my warranty on the motor runs out. I also don't want to sacrifice reverse with the already modded MB's. In the stuff I run in I need reverse. BTW, If I need to make a ten mile run down stream I might use something else to do it in. Thanks for the input though, I see where your coming from, just don't want to sacrifice warranty & reverse for speed.

im not really saying motor but more of the boat, sounds to me they dont handle a load well. if i were you i'd look into something different

GP, have you ever rode in one? I just noticed how you said "sounds to me they don't handle a load well". I've never rode in one, but being uneducated on the subject I also wouldn't attempt to talk anyone out of buying one. Anyway, I'm getting the boat to kill ducks, bottom line. I'm tired of sitting in the water & being hugged up with brush & all that. Sure, I'll have fun jacking around in it from time to time & i'll do some bowfishing & run some nets with it, & i'll fish with it some, but it will be used to kill ducks 80 percent of the time. That hull is the whole reason i'm getting a mudboat in the first place. I don't want a pop-up & I don't need a speed demon, I need a duck killing machine & I believe that's what i'll be getting with this boat.

Now that the cons of the combo are know, is there anyone else with some helpful things regarding setup???

What do you want to know about setup? I can probably answer them for you. I've been running this exact rig for the past two years. The boat has almost 400 hours on it. How should you get it rigged? I would get the front two compartment covers, have them flushed mounted. Inquire about making the dry storage dry!!!!! May need some better gaskets/weather stripping or something. You will need an extension for the prodrive to be comfortable. get an "s" shaped pedestal so you can drive and sit at the same time. get the hydroturf, no need for fancy paint job, it will get covered up with "blind" material. What else?

Dat boat powered by a stock PD carryin 3 people and a huntin load, you may not be able to get on step. Dependin on da size of the people and da weight of your huntin load. I would seriously consider another boat or a modded motor. Not a good combo for sumone wantin to carry large loads.