Looking at a new boat

Charles Copeland

Charles Copeland

New member
While it is not exactly a duck boat I plan on using it as a tender for a layout and to fish the rest of the year. Its a 18 foot Xpress with a tunnel hull. Do any of y'all have experience with these? I have only ran glass flats boats previously so the aluminum boat world is new. The motor is an 07 90Hp Yamaha which is regarded as bombproof by most that I've talked to. My biggest question that I cannot find answers to is what do these hulls draft. I'm used to under 6" on my ranger but I'm sure it would be more than that on this rig. Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.
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We used similar hulls when I was with the DNR in Alabama. I never measured the draft but it was more than 6? for sure. Even with the tunnel and jack plate, we needed needed knee deep water to putter around. If on plane with the motor raised, you could run in less than that but once you got off plane you weren?t going to get back up.
They tended to be a rough ride too.
Does this rig have a jack plate?
 
Not at the moment but if I wind up with it I'll be putting one on it. I'd be running around the big bend area for the most part which is why I'm leaning towards a metal boat in the first place.
 
If you need help manning the tender & layout, let me know.
Big bend area is an easy drive for us from Tampa.
I might be able to talk the wife into coming up to a campground for a long weekend.
Just let me know.
 
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