1448 boat project question

[Soflo]

Good afternoon everybody I just picked up a 1448 sea ark and I’m looking to build it from the ground up. I’m wanting to pair it with a jet drive, what does everyone recommend for motor size? Is 40/30 too much weight?

Do pods really help balance weight?
With a new motor, is beefing up the transom required?

Only other mods I’m looking to add is a floor and trolling motor.

Thanks guys!

 

[gogittum]

I'm just 30 miles south of you in Floral City and had thought along similar lines when I moved here. I'm on the Withlacoochee River a lot, so am some biased in that area. I'd also thought about going out of Yankeetown some and fishing the rock flats out there. Jet sounded ideal.

I'd had in mind to get a boat like yours and put a jet ski motor and go like hell in it, just for shits & grins, but local guys cautioned me on it, due to the huge amounts of weeds in the water. Plug a jet up instantly, I was told.

I ended up with a 16 ft tin skiff with 25 hp outboard and can now appreciate the advice I was given - Parts of the river and lakes on it are plugged solid with weeds all summer. Not so bad in winter. Right now on Bonnet Lake, it's almost impassable - every 100 yards, tilt motor up, clear the weeds and lower it back to 1/2 tilt for another 100 yds. 5 mph, max.

If I decide to re-motor, I'll look very hard at the mud motors or even a long-tail. Sure would save a lot of fussing.