I'm wanting to build a slick bottom boat this winter. I'm wanting some advice from you guys in order to build the best boat possible for my needs. I will be using it for bowfishing and duck hunting. The boat size I'm pretty set on is 1552-1554 with a hunt deck so it would be 16' long. I want it to be as light as possible but still be durable and I'm planning on buying a 35 gtr or mud buddy to push it. Some questions I have:

Where to get the hull formed?
What beam width?
How many longitudinal braces and what size tube?
Rolled chine or no?
21" sides for the extra load while bowfishing?

Please tell me any other ideas or concerns.

How many people you going to try and fish?

Why do you want a 15' boat? You do realize the sheets come in 20' sheets so either way your going to be paying for 20' of boat whether you get it built 15' or 20'.

15ft is too short to bow fish out of comfortably.

A 20ft boat with the same width and floorplan as a 15ft is not the same price. Really dude? Maybe the metal sheet cost the same, but an honest builder isn't going to charge you for aluminum he uses on something else. He wants a 15' boat. Using your rationale we should all have 20ft boats...

Where I get my boat buil it's the same price.

My boat is 20x48. Got it built for 3200 bucks. I paid the price of material for deposit and paid 1600 for labor.

Can't be a whole lotta boat if it's only 1600$ in metal.

Brother Breaux in la does a awsome job. My brother and I both have one and I would recommend at least 18 length help load capacity. Also ran side buy side with a 1654 36 pd I was in my 2048 brother boat with same motor and was faster not buy much but still faster do y'all sides and 3/16 floor. Doesn't as much weight but is much stronger

I wanted it all open. 4' deck dry storage 20" side

Pic 2

Pic 3

Pic 4. Extended deck

Also talkin about how good brother builds a boat. My brother got ran off a boat lane at full speed (27-28 mph) and went over a 8" stump sticking out the water about 18" and didn't ever put a dent. Also u would be really surprised how Agile a 20' boat is. Her r a few pics of mine

Yea I had a 15' boat. Never again.

Right now I'm bowfishing with a 1448 alweld (ribbed bottom with horizontal bracing) pushed by a 23hp copperhead. I've got it bare bones and have hauled 3 guys and a 55 gal drum of fish plenty of times. I have feeder creeks I like to get up in and a 20' boat is too long for that. I understand longer is better but what I want to build is way better than what I have. Mainly I'm looking for the sheet of aluminum, it's almost impossible to find around here in northern Indiana. And what grade of alum is better 5052 or 5086?

You want 5086 aluminum. Long boats are not a problem going up small creeks or in the trees. Its the width that gets you in those situations. Especially if you are going with a 35 it would be well worth it to go 17 or 18' by 48 or 50. It will run better both with and without a load and draft less.

hope you don't hit stumps without those braces, there is a reason everybody uses em. your hull would be worthless after a season in east texas. not knocking your hull just stating the facts. I still wouldn't have one without cross braces even if I didn't hit stumps, if you cant walk over em without tripping then flush mount em.

There's 3 tempers of 5086, does it matter which one?

Well I've been fortunate enough not to put any dents in mine. I have (4) 1x2 square tubings for runners.

Dixie.

Actually there's nothing funny about it. It was a mudbuddy 23 mini stage 2.

Here she is

Other side. Only bracing it had was a welded bench seat across the middle