Need Boat Advice

[12GA]

I'm in the boat market, and am looking at a Riverhawk B52 and a Weldbilt 1448. Will likely put a 9.8 or 15 hp motor on whatever I buy. I usually hunt with one or two other people and hunt breaks and sloughs and need something that is light, relatively shallow drafted, and sturdy enough to withstand repeated bumps over submerged stumps and cypress knees and to break thin ice. Also occasionally run smaller rivers such as the Pearl, Big Black and Little Sunflower. I also will fish a little out of the boat with my kids. Any suggestions or comments from guys that own Riverhawks and on the Riverhawk v. Weldbilt for my purposes? Also, any comments on Nissan/Tohatsu 4 strokes? Thanks.

[savethehens]

Tohatsu or Nissian TLDI best motor ever.

[dawg-n-duck]

No experience with the new 4-stroke Nissans, but I have run the hell out of my 9.9 2-stroke for 5 years now. Abusing it in the winter for duck hunting and fishing with it in the summer. Never have taken it to the shop and the only problem that I have had with it is with the water pump, but it may just have to do with the way i run it in mud and such. Think I just need to replace the impeller. I personally don't think that you can go wrong with the Nissan or Tohatsu.

[duckkiller]

I bought a 15hp yamaha in Jackson at Duncan Marine and it is no doubt the best outbaord I have ever had or ran

[B.M.F.T.]

I had a B52 Riverhawk with a four stroke Yamaha 15 hp. I used it for two years and didn't have any problems. I moved up to a 30hp Honda on a 16 ft War Eagle. You can for sure go in shallower water with the Riverhawk, but you will not break thick ice with a fiberglass boat and feel safe. I would not buy another four stroke, they are just too heavy and there isn't enough benefits for the additional cost or weight. The transom on the Riverhawk isn't strong enough for the four stoke. I used a transom saver and still had cracks in the fiberglass. I would go with a lighter two stroke if you buy a riverhawk. There aren't enough benefits of a four stroke for a duck boat that size. Just my thoughts for the been there done that.

[tunica]

I had a B52 Riverhawk with a four stroke Yamaha 15 hp. I used it for two years and didn't have any problems. I moved up to a 30hp Honda on a 16 ft War Eagle. You can for sure go in shallower water with the Riverhawk, but you will not break thick ice with a fiberglass boat and feel safe. I would not buy another four stroke, they are just too heavy and there isn't enough benefits for the additional cost or weight. The transom on the Riverhawk isn't strong enough for the four stoke. I used a transom saver and still had cracks in the fiberglass. I would go with a lighter two stroke if you buy a riverhawk. There aren't enough benefits of a four stroke for a duck boat that size. Just my thoughts for the been there done that.

Ice Runners

[B.M.F.T.]

Ice Runners on a thin fiberglass boat, don't think so. Those runners will not give any additional support, especially to a loaded down duck boat. I have seen these boats broken in half before from accidents. I am not being critical, but I have actually owned and run one through thick ice. The nose of this boat isn't strong enough to push or break the ice when it is thick. I broke ice with mine and when it didn't break, the boat pushed itself half way up onto the ice and I thought the bottom of the boat was about to snap. These are great boats but they are made for specific uses.

[lostball]

I would never use a fiberglass boat for Duck Hunting. If they are strong enough for Stumps then they will be too heavy.

Get a welded boat with no wood in the transon. The heavyer the guage the better 80-100. Go to the 15 instead of a 9.9. You will get much better performance for not much more money and the 15 will get a heavy boat on a plane with a load.

I have used the Nisson 15 and it is a very good and quite motor, but it is heavy and does not perform like a 2 stroke 15.

I am using a 15 ft. welded Skeeter with a 15 2 stroke Johnson which is hard to beat.