Need tunnel hull advice

[1fastmerc]

Being that I sold my boat, me and my dad are gonna sell his boat and I'm gonna buy a tunnel hull. I'm really looking at the Southfork in a 18' I've been told to get a 42" bottom for going thru mud. I'm not really going to be going thru a lot of mud. I'll be mainly using it to fish the marshes around the Prien and Biglake area and of course some fishing in Biglake and Toledo. I was hoping to get some info on somebody who has a 18' with a wider bottom that could tell me how it performs. We will be putting my dads 40hp 3cyl merc on it with a console. Thanks for any help.


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[Spunt Drag]

PM CajunChristian, he da man

[Raymond]

Go with the 20x42, now I wish I would have but it's too late. You are welcome to come hook up to mine and take it out for a spin (18x42-40 merc). Mine sits pretty low prior to take off and I believe the extra 2' will balance out the boat better improving shallow water take offs.

[j.e.hagen]

I have an 18x42 weldbuilt with a 40 mariner on it pretty much the same motor when I ha a three blade prop on it, I was running mid 30s ran plenty shallow for laccassine and I never noticed a problem in open water but I've never been to the lake with it

[jchief]

Agree with Raymond. We had both 18 and 20' when I was guiding. The 20' makes a big difference. Gets up shallower/faster.

[jrdntboy09]

Man I got a 20 ft dont believe I would fish Toledo and biglake In it strictly river and marsh boat

[Hydro]

Originally Posted by 1fastmerc

Being that I sold my boat, me and my dad are gonna sell his boat and I'm gonna buy a tunnel hull. I'm really looking at the Southfork in a 18' I've been told to get a 42" bottom for going thru mud. I'm not really going to be going thru a lot of mud. I'll be mainly using it to fish the marshes around the Prien and Biglake area and of course some fishing in Biglake and Toledo. I was hoping to get some info on somebody who has a 18' with a wider bottom that could tell me how it performs. We will be putting my dads 40hp 3cyl merc on it with a console. Thanks for any help.


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Why are you set on a tunnel ??? Just curious ...

Hydro

[Montauk17]

Originally Posted by jrdntboy09

Man I got a 20 ft dont believe I would fish Toledo and biglake In it strictly river and marsh boat

Agreed......any flat bottom will knock your fillings out in a chop. Not to mention reverse sucks with a tunnel. If your not going in the mud 95% of the time no need for a tunnel.

[1fastmerc]

Originally Posted by Hydro

Why are you set on a tunnel ??? Just curious ...

Hydro

I like fishing the marsh and I plan on in the next yr or two getting a bay boat or something similar.


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[cmcnabb]

I had a 20 x 36 and it was way too narrow. I would never own another boat that narrow, it looked like a log with a motor on the back. I agree though that the 20 foot will get up better in shallow water. I have a buddy with a 20 x 42 and he runs a bone stock tohatsu 40 and with a hunting load it will run 29 to 30. I wouldn't plan on taking those long tunnels out on any lakes though, that same buddy almost sunk his boat on Toledo because a thunderstorm popped up and he swamped it on the way in. I can't speak for the southforks, but the alwelds had such short sides. I assumed all the long tunnels were like this to cut down on weight.

[KDM]

I have a 20 X42 Southfork with a Mega Tohatsu on it and it will get up better than the 18