I'm currently exploring options for a new boat after selling my PD/Phowler set-up due to changes in my primary hunting environment. Because I'm mainly hunting flooded river with shallow water gravel and rock, the MM and its slower speeds just weren't the best set-up. So now I'm probably gonna go with a prop on a tunnel hull.
Here's the concept I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around though. After looking at Gator Trax, Kent is trying to talk me into a 1654 with a huntdeck rather than a 1754. I understand how split pods with the motor still mounted on the transom probably improve flotation, holeshot and shallow water performance due the "inner-tube" flotation effect around the motor. However, if you're mounting the motor straight to the back of the huntdeck, how is this any better than just having an extra foot of hull? I can see maybe a slight improvement by having to sit/stand slightly further forward to operate the motor but is there really that much better shallow water performance of having the hunt deck over just having a longer hull. Seems like with the longer hull, I'd get the benefit of more inside boat space as well.

It doesnt help float any better than a normal hull, but I believe gatortrax doesnt include the huntdeck in their length. So a 1654 would be 16ft plus whatever length the huntdeck is. So if the huntdeck is 18" the boat would be 17.5' long. Someone correct me if I am wrong

Your right... 1654 hd is 17'8" total length

Hunt deck gets the motor out of the back of the boat. Platform is pretty handy for getting in and out of the boat. Also keeps the wash from coming over the back when you stop. After owning a hunt deck I don't think I'd go back to a boat without one. You can also put your gas tank in there as well. Gatortrax boats like their weight in the back of the boat

I'm assuming you mean outboard prop engines and not a MM !

GT gave a MM tunnel a good try but it was a cluster flop...

No offense to GatorTrax because they make good hulls....

But - they don't know spit about tunnel hulls.... A good tunnel is hard
to design and requires a lot of R&D to get right - go find a builder renowned
for building tunnel hulls.... A well designed tunnel setup can run all day
in 4" of water and never skuff the prop with engines from 35hp to 150hp plus....

How big a motor / rig are you contemplating --- check out Boatright Hulls....
http://www.boatrightmarine.com ---- they can get it done !

Sounds like I'm right then. Not sure why GT is pushing the HD so much. I can see the advantage of ease getting in and out for me and dog and also the backwash but those things are not enough to justify the extra cost, IMO.
Gigafowl,
I've been trying to find hull builders who have a lot of experience building tunnel hulls. Didn't see any on the Boatright website. Do you know of any other mfrs? So far, all I've found are Lowe, SeaArk, and GT. I'll give Boatright a call on Monday to discuss with them but curious if there are any other mfrs that I'm unaware of. I'm thinking 16-17' with a 50-70HP outboard.

FYI - Nearly all of the Boatrights sold are tunnels - a buddy had a 24foot with 175 that
easy skimmed over 4" deep water over sand without skuffing a prop and they are very
well built with full USCG floatation - excellent hulls....

Look a bit closer - http://www.boatrightmarine.com/FishingB ... fault.aspx

.

Those boats look like tanks!!! Very nice!!

The " float boxes " will act as a after plane. Will help with boat squating on takeoff more than a foot longer boat. Have put many a tunnel and or float boxes in regular john boats.

That is right - pods put both hull and floatation BEHIND
the weight of the motor and the tunnel brings water UP
above the hull bottom for the prop to use in an elevated
position where the skeg is barely below the hull bottom....

Huntdeck design makes no performance difference whatsoever....

We also build custom vented tunnels. Wrapping up a 19.5/60 3/16 bottom w a Yamaha 115 and hydraulic jack
Plate right now. Tunnel was built to work w this motor and the power tech prop it will turn.