# Right choice for a duck boat



## westbay (Jun 29, 2000)

Started duck hunting with "seasoned" buddies a couple of years ago. I'm ready to start to put together my own gear now and want to buy a 2-3 man duck boat. We've been in a 16' jon-boat, console with a 30 merc. We build a pop-up blind on her. we've done fair as far as the hunt is concerned.
Is a flat bottom my only choice? They are a tough ride in the wind. We have hunted the Bay mostly, but I'd like to try some inland lakes also. What features do the "veterans" recommend?


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## KorasDad (Nov 14, 2003)

We also will be using our boat on water in North Dakota. We tend to hunt 3 and sometimes 4. Will a Tracker Grizzly 1654 and 25 hp Merc Bigfoot be adequate for 3 guys and ok for 4 in a pinch?

KorasDad


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## ybone (Dec 4, 2002)

follow this link. new boat last year. always ran the 16 tracker with Merc 25 tiller. upgraded to this. little pricey but worth it all. good luck

http://www.tritonboats.com/frames2.asp?cat=3&bid=57


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## andy capp (Aug 14, 2002)

I have a 16 mod v crestliner with a 40. It screams. 3 is about the max you can get in it. Look at a 16 deep v or an 18 if you are gonna have 4 all the time. I had an 18 smokercraft alaskan we would haul 3 a dog and enough to camp for the whole opening weekend


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## quackassassin (Oct 15, 2004)

In the Bay I use a 16 foot Crestliner Fishhawk, deep V, 60 horse. It has the standard paint job with stripes and all but I built a blind that sets up in 2 minutes, covers the entire rig, did not require any holes drilled in the boat, fools the ducks and keeps momma happy that I did'nt paint the boat olive drab. Can also use it for fishing , tubing, etc. I have transported 5 guys out for hunting and have hunted 4 out of the boat several times. Its a big enough rig for towing layouts also. My blind frame is made out of conduit with strap hinges on the gunnels. It can be folded down for trailering, retrieving ducks, and getting in and out and folds back up in seconds. The hull is covered with the lower half of the fastgrass panels with bungees passed thru them horizontally and pulled tight and hooked to the rear eyelets. 

Bottom line is get what you want (size, power, comfort) and it can always be adapted for duck hunting with a little ingenuity.


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## Wall-llard Willie (Sep 10, 2004)

I have both a mod v jon (I use only inland and for the marshes) and a 16 foot deep v starcraft. If planning on big water hunting I wouldn't even consider a jon, there's no real advantage to it and there are some real disadvantages. #1 being saftey in rough waters. I know a TON of guys have them and use them and come back safe but if I get stuck out there in 3-4 footers I want to be in a deep v. Just my opinion, and you know what they say about them


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## KrazyKletus (Feb 6, 2002)

I tried something different this year. With everyone moving to big boats for comfort, space, etc I decided to buy a 14' mod v alumnacraft (200 lbs dry) for portability and shallow water. Then I equipped it with a clamp on mud buddy hyper 12HP. This past summer I built a conduit blind for the boat. Now I have great portable duck hunting machine. It's a little small for big water applications, however, I hunted the bay a few times this year without any problems (just have to use common sense). It's a perfect setup for 2 guys, dog, and a couple of bags of decoys. 
My buddy already has a 21' Xpress with a 90hp and boat blind. We use his setup for layout hunting, big water hunting, etc. It's difficult to find the perfect boat for all of the unique conditions we have in MI. Be sure to think about all of your options, especially where you plan on doing most of your hunting. Good Luck


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## Bill B. (Feb 18, 2004)

Korasdad, My buddy and I have a Grizzly 1654 with a 16 hp Godevil. We love this boat. Very stable and tough. Lots of room. It's not fast with only 16 hp. but fast enough for us. We have not been on big water with it yet, but if you pick the right day, I'm sure it would do the job.
Bill


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## solasylum (Mar 29, 2000)

I hunt out of tracker 1648 mod-v and mostly hunt the river, marsh, or inland lakes. There is a boat for every type of application out there. I think you need to think what type of water you'll be hunting and go from there. I'd say if you're going to hunt the bay that you'd prefer/enjoy the ride of some type of v-bottom. If you want to hunt inland lakes you may not want too deep of a boat if you need to hug the shoreline for cover.

Sorry I can't help with any specific models. Good luck in your endeavors!!

Scott


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## song_dog_slammer (Dec 26, 2000)

The truth of the matter is not one boat can do it all, I spread my "duck boat budget" out by ourchasing the necessary boats for our hunting conditions at garage sails and auctions. You don't really need a brand new boat to hunt ducks do you? ask your self this do the ducks really care how much money you spent? I own a 16' mod -V a 9' jon and a canoe, with three seperate outboard motors. in total I have less than $1500.00 in the whole "giddy-up". anyway my point is not one boat can do it all. I do enjoy cooking braekfast on the bay before shooting hours (16' er) but there are some days when I find myself in shallow water in the jon boat. In the end buy what you want life is short.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

song_dog_slammer said:


> The truth of the matter is not one boat can do it all, I spread my "duck boat budget" out by ourchasing the necessary boats for our hunting conditions at garage sails and auctions. You don't really need a brand new boat to hunt ducks do you? ask your self this do the ducks really care how much money you spent? I own a 16' mod -V a 9' jon and a canoe, with three seperate outboard motors. in total I have less than $1500.00 in the whole "giddy-up". anyway my point is not one boat can do it all. I do enjoy cooking braekfast on the bay before shooting hours (16' er) but there are some days when I find myself in shallow water in the jon boat. In the end buy what you want life is short.


Seconding this......It all depends on the conditions you plan to hunt in. Between myself and my main group of hunting buddies, we own a 12 ft. alum. V, 14ft. deep V, 16 ft. deep V.,and four canoes from 12 ft. to an 18 ft. Grumman. Every condition requires a bit different boat. For the open bay, we normall use the 14 or 16 ft. deep V. , but we've used the canoes in the tighter areas of the bay (I.E. Pigeon Road, or off Nayanquing Pt.). The managed areas require either one of the canoes, or the 12 ft. alum. We also have 5 different motors among us, from elec. trolling motors, to a 15 hp yamaha. And we take ours to North Dakota as well...normally two canoes but we have taken the 12 ft. V. So there's no right or wrong answer here.


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

song_dog_slammer said:


> The truth of the matter is not one boat can do it all



I will third that...

I primarily hunt divers and have an 18' deep v (and layout) two canoes 12 &16 and two flat bottoms. Then their are the motors...

Ya just gotta make sure your crew is adequately equipped. To equip yourself with the ideal boat for all conditions, you would need a fleet of boats and motors.


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## song_dog_slammer (Dec 26, 2000)

My back yard looks like a used boat show room, then the motors, one would not believe how handy one can become with all these motors laying around! Thanx again IBoats.com


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## Jethro (May 8, 2003)

16 MV
Every brand makes em and they're quite a versitile boat.


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## Remnar (Jun 23, 2004)

My hunting partner and i bought a 20 foot tracker and had it out in some pretty rough stuff this year. The johnboat style gives you the ability to run shallow and the semi V lets you cut some waves. I am sure that a deep V would give a much better ride in bigger waves. But i know there were times that we would have never been able to go places we went if we had a deep V. We never hunted more than 3 at a time although i think 4 would still be comfortable. It seems to me that hunting 4 in a 16 might be pretty cramped and could lead to some unsafe conditions. But heck i may just be spoiled. I am supersized and i like having the extra room.

I do agree that there is no perfect boat for every type of conditions. The key is to get as much boat as you can afford. After that make sure you use the most important piece of saftey equipment you have. Your head! If the weather looks like 4 footers plus it might be time to find someplace protected to stay out of it. 
The only time i wish i had a 16 footer is when i was trying to get the 20 into the garage. Had do dang near grease it down to get it in with about 4 inches to spare. Next year it will be time to build a pole barn. Anyone know what the best sized pole barn would be??:lol: 

Remnar


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

Remnar said:


> My hunting partner and i bought a 20 foot tracker and had it out in some pretty rough stuff this year.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I guy I have crewed with runs a 20' Mod V (with Wave Wackers) and the boat is absolutely great to work out of. The flip side is the beating you take on long runs and dealing with waves.


On the pole barn......my 20 some by 40 some is filled and my 20 some by 50 some is also pretty much filled. Whatever you build, you somehow find a way to fill so it is never big enough...


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## WoodchuckSniper (Feb 23, 2002)

I gotta believe that building a pole barn is like buying a gun safe. Get the biggest one you can afford as they have a tendency to fill up over time.


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## doubleshot (Sep 21, 2004)

It depends on how you hunt. If you are just planning to carry 4 guys to a spot and then unload and hunt standing in water a 16' may be all right..If hunting out of the boat better keep it to 3. Safety aside, you will probably be maxing the cap on a 16' modjon anyhow.. 

What hasnt been mentioned so far is that if you continuously run rough water with a mod v jon, your welds (if you have a welded boat) will start cracking....I've seen this happen on war eagle, xpress, and seaarks from hunting the bay..2' or more and a deep v will out-ride and outhandle a mod v jon any day, in that type of chop you will bet beat to death and wet to boot in a mod v jon...


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

First, open water hunting the Bay, I'd never have more then 2 people in a 16' mod v. Simply, that size boat can not safely handle big water when loaded with 3 people and dekes. Even marsh hunting, 3 people in a 16' is cramped.

My choice is any of the 72" Sea Ark's. They make an 1872, 2072, 2272 and a 2472. By the way the 72" is the bottom width. All are .125 guage aluminum all the way around 95" beam, 28" sides. They are the best of all MV's IMHO. The alum is thicker then any non-sled deep v you'll find, the sides are higher then 99% of the deep v's you'll find, they are available with tunnels( just need to change the pitch on your prop) for shallow water. 

I used to have a 1648 war eagle that I think I paid $2700 for the shell. My 1872 Sea Ark was $3500 for the shell when I bought it! $800 more and you could put the 1648 inside it and motor around. The 1872 I have is rated for 12 passengers or 1650lbs, or 2075lbs in total gear. 

I stack dekes along the side and am able to go 12 long and 4 rows high with Herters Super Mags and still have about a 2.5' wide path down the center. 

When hunting open water, bigger is always better and safer. Even when we hunted out of deep v's we would only go marinally faster in rough water. I've hunted out of TDB's and can say that the ride in my mod v is better, no doubt the TDB is safer, but I wouldn't say by much.

Hard to explain the dramatic difference between the Sea Ark 72 series and a regular 1860 mod V, but it is tremendous. IMHO, for the amount of price difference between a 16' and the 72 series, I'd go with a 72 in a heartbeat.

Of coarse the ultimate would be one of the Alumaweld v's, especially with the splash deck on the front.


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## goose buster (Nov 30, 2003)

I recomend you look at the Alumacraft Yukon. !6.5ft v bow 6 degree v hull. 
It will cut waves well and still draft's very little water. 1400 lb capacity and 25 inch sides for safty. It comes loaded with features like bilge pump, lites, livewell, two,eight ft rod/gun boxes, vinyl flooring, and additional storage. I run mine with a 24hp honda longshaft mudbuddy. It can hunt 4 and a dog in calm water safely. They sell them at Cabelas. Look at the new mudbuddy big water boat and it is very similar, but they want $12200.00 just for the boat, you could buy this whole rig for less than that amount. Good luck and think safety first.


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