# what kind of boats do you guys have



## splashX3

Ill be upgrading to a new boat after this season, and i was looking for some ideas on what to get. I hunt the mississippi river and other small rivers so i was leaning towards a prodrive motor and a boat big enough to haul 3 men and gear. I dont hunt out of my boat now, but i would like to be able to in my new boat. help me with some ideas for the layout of the floor (seats, gun boxes, ex.) What brand/size do you guys use, post some pics. Thanks a lot! Good luck in the field!


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## Fallin' Sky's

Ahh kind of a touchy subject on this site...! LOL


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## splashX3

oh, really? Im new to the site. Sorry, seemed to me like a good place to start looking for advice. not trying to start trouble.


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## MRN

Splash
- Folks on this site think that boats are the devil's work. All the folks on these forums hunt fields. Only 'Sotas have boats.

You figured out the Prodrive part - that's the right move (the rest are trash). You can get a lot more ideas on boats at the Refuge or at MudmotorTalk. There are lots of good ideas out there to copy.

M.


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## goosebusters

19.5 ft Crestliner with a 150 horse motor on back. Seating for 8.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

Mine does work!


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## if it flies it dies1

thats the newest drug runner good one man. I use a 14ft V-hull with a 15hp outboard seats 4 people comfortably with dog and gear. If ya want more info its 4 sale if your interested ? its a good boat good duck hunter boat haha. alot of my friends have 16 footers with 35+ hp motors.


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## Bigdog

Old hunting partner uses a War Eagle up in Manitoba and swears by it. Hunts mostly large water for divers. He's getting older and said it was very stable and easy for him to stand in compared to his old V-hull.


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## limitsbynoon

I hunt from a boat and condider it the only way to hunt, it is much more exciting and fun. Any wuss can walk out into a field, take a nap and be bored. Going out at 5:00am and go across 6-8' swells on devils lake or lake of the woods, that will see what kind of seeds you have in black out conditions. It is also more fun to watch the dogs chase and dive after ducks. I also don't enjoy getting everything you own get full of mud.


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## dfisher

I have an 18' Crestliner john in shadow grass. Very nice boat and blends in nicely. Has that rail system that allows various attachments and I think it will take a blind too. Good for hunting or fishing.

Good luck in your search,
Dan


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## Goose Guy350

For hunting water I have an 18 ft Sea Nymph great lakes special with a 70 hp evinrude I run as my tender boat when hunting divers and during the warmer water periods of each season I run a 14 ft Lund with 15 hp on small bodies of water. I've also got a few kayaks and other small boats that sometimes get used for hunting if the situation calls.



limitsbynoon said:


> Going out at 5:00am and go across 6-8' swells on devils lake or lake of the woods, that will see what kind of seeds you have in black out conditions.


I've commercially fished Alaska, fish on the Great Lakes and spend countless hours on water for pleasure and work but I've never enjoyed going over big swells in the dark, even more so on unfamiliar water. You must have one heck of a hunting rig to handle 8 footers in the dark. To go out in the dark in 6-8 foot waves you got seeds but not a whole lot of brains at least to me but to each their own, that's what makes our sport great everyone can do what works for them. Have fun and be safe :beer:


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## brknwing

Limitsbynoon- I think your seeds are in the wrong place.


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## MSG Rude

Not everyone on here hates boats or has issues with them and you didn't ask a bad question either...pretty legit if you ask me.....

I have a 20' Glastron Ski-Fish so it doesn't work too well in the pot holes out here!


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## CuppedAndComitted

My big water diver rig.18' War Eagle with 70hp 4 stroke Evinrude. I also have a avery quick set blind on it(not pictured).


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

MSG Rude said:


> Not everyone on here hates boats or has issues with them and you didn't ask a bad question either...pretty legit if you ask me.....
> 
> I have a 20' Glastron Ski-Fish so it doesn't work too well in the pot holes out here!


Honestly! Neither does Ours!









:beer:


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## PJ

16 ft olive green Lund. 25 hp merc. Avery quick set blind. 3 is nice, but I can do four plus a dog no worries.


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## Leo Porcello

18.5 Ft Nitro with a 150 Merc.


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## Rick Acker

MSG Rude said:


> Not everyone on here hates boats or has issues with them and you didn't ask a bad question either...pretty legit if you ask me.....
> 
> I have a 20' Glastron Ski-Fish so it doesn't work too well in the pot holes out here!


I agree, don't let the "field only" guys rub you the wrong way...Some of us here appreciate a little variety when it comes to hunting. Can't shoot fully plummed out Can's or Redheads in the field...There missing out!


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## extremehunter

maybe some of ya'll can help me. i'm trying to determine what size motor i should get to run a 14-16'. will have 3-4 guys, dog, dekes and gear and need to go 10-15 mph. let me know what you advise.


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## Goose Guy350

extremehunter said:


> maybe some of ya'll can help me. i'm trying to determine what size motor i should get to run a 14-16'. will have 3-4 guys, dog, dekes and gear and need to go 10-15 mph. let me know what you advise.


I think you'd probably be looking in the 15-30 HP range, you have to watch though the motor isn't way to much for the boat. My 14 footer could never handle a 25 hp, it would squat so bad and would be unsafe, unless you have a big, wide 16 footer a 30 HP might be too much. 14 footer I'd be thinking 15-20 hp and 16 footer look for 20-25 hp but remember as you put weight in the boat your speed with drastically decrease.


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## bust'em

I run an 16' with 60" beam. I have a 35 horse evinrude on it seems to work pretty well , I have no clue what the speed is though. My dad has the same boot with a 25 horse Merc on it and its a little faster than mine, could be becuase his motor is alot newer than mine. the props have the same pitch. but they both work well.


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## limitsbynoon

I never said I was smart, just got big balls 

As far as the boat, I run a Triton 21' frontier painted shadow grass in and out with a rhino liner finish on the inside. MN opener on lake of the woods was rough this year with winds gusting out of the sw at 35mph, which turned into 7' swells. The boat handles it fine, but it does make your hair stand up running it at 5:00am in pitch dark, just get the nose up and start breaking waves.
:withstupid:


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## the taxidermist

i have a 1650(16' L x50"w bottom) crestliner w/35hp shortshaft mud buddy mud motor with beavertail large floation pods. can hunt 3 comfortablly. if i bought new i would go with a gator-tail boat 1660 and a 35hp gator-tail mud motor, they will custom build them 4 u. i like an all open consept, go 2 www.gator-tailoutboards.com. my brother has a 1960 lowe roughneck w/35hp GTR(gator-tail mud motor w/reverse, u could hunt 4 guys and 2 dogs out of that sweet boat! i have a customer that sells mud buddy boats and motors plus excel boat in central wi, his # is 920-787-lure good luck, i would stay away from prodrive!


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## traverse

I have a 1648 alumacraft no center seat with a27 hp prodive, put a aluminum floor in with two pedestal seats and an avery quick set blind with fast grass. Works great as I hunt fairlyh shallow, muddy areas. I extended the trailer 5 foot and put wide tires on and have rollers on the trailer with a electric winch but usually drive the boat on. good luck, will send you some pictures when I take them.


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## SDoldtimer

I have a 13 foot Herter's duck boat purchased from Herters in 1972 and the price was about 200 dollars. A pile of ducks has layed on the bottom of that boat since then. This is my 65th year of duck hunting and I've seen a heap of changes since I first started.


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## Aythya

If I could afford it I would buy an 18 ft Lund Alaskan with an appropriately sized motor and a boat blind for big water. I would really love to hunt the Missouri River but not in my 14 ft. Lund jon boat.


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## dvldwg89

I have an 18 foot tracker duck blind edition. 60 horse 4 stroke merc. doubles as a duck blind and a great fishing boat when I go to Minnasota every year.


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## oldfireguy

18' Lund Alaskan with a 50 Honda tiller. Lots of room. Stable to move around in. Comes in camo. Great boat for walleye too.


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## USSapper

1850 Crestlyner sportfish. I use it on really big water


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## laxratnd

I use a sea ark, all welded aluminum 14ft jon boat. Its a great boat and doe the job well, and you can basically get them in any configuration you want.

i would take a look at them.

lax


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## wtrfowlhunter




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## Danimal

I use the best boat!!! Someone else's!!!

Actually, I want to build a Devlin boat next year.

BTW, nice rigs guys!


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## Aythya

Decided to check out the Starcraft Freedom so I talked to a dealer. An 18ft tiller, 75hp motor and trailer is $19,700. Not sure that is much cheaper than an 18 ft. Alaskan.

So I continue to search for a boat I can use on the Missouri River, Lake Sakakawea, Lake Audubon and Devils Lake that will hold lots of gear and be a safe boat. Alaskans and Freedoms are way out of my price range.


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## laxratnd

Take a good look at sea ark boats. I bet you will like them.

http://www.seaarkboats.com/#

And there prices arent bad, and they are a all welded aluminum boat. 
3 year warranty on welds and a life time warranty on hull puncture.

i use mine up at lakes and on big water in NY.

lax


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## Aythya

Which model Sea Ark do you have? I checked out their web site and there is not a dealer within 300 miles.


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## laxratnd

I haave the standard sea ark 14ft jon boat. But when i bought the boat i wasnt duck hunting yet, then got into duck hunting. So its not setup exactly how i want it yet but it works great.

lax


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## love2dukhunt

I've hunted out of a War Eagle all my life and I honestly dont think there is a better built boat on the market. As far as where to get one, I bought mine from a dealer in White Hall, Arkansas called Spencer's Marine Inc. They were very helpful and gave me the best price . I reccomend checking out their website at www.spencersmarine.com and giving them a call if your intersted in a War Eagle. Also, I found out that they are a SeaArk dealer as well so surely one of the two will please you.


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## tlegere104

I picked up an ugly beat up aluminum 18' wide jon boat and trailer, camo painted my own (made sure it was sealed well) and tossed on a 1970's evinrude 9.9 hp, that never fails to start. Pushes 3 adults, gear, and up 12 dozen decoys without a problem. I never had the need to go 50 mph in -5 deg windchill.

I have the ability to hunt out of the boat, but otherwise it is stripped (less stuff to tangle lines on or trip over).


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