20" or 15" transom on Duck Boss 13?

SJ Fairbank said:
I've been looking at them. As if I need another boat. :rolleyes: Boats are like nice firearms, more is never enough. :D I would like the 15" transom as well. I can't get past the part about them cutting 5" off the transom for an upcharge. Both the surgery and the fee are offensive to me.
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The molds are built for long shaft. I suggest the long shaft as it gets your tiller handle up above the cockpit edge so it doesn’t interfere with steering. Can you please explain why the surgery and the fees are offensive?
 
Jay K said:
The only downside really, is with the 15" transom, on the Yamaha 25, the tilt lever is buried under there with the motor up. It's hard to describe but when the motor is locked all the way up, it's very difficult to access. My only gripe really. I am not sure where Mercury puts theirs.
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This is why I try to get customers to get the standard (20”) transom. I understand it makes the motor a little higher for the hide, but controlling the boat is so much easier. I also think the standard transom pairs with jack plates better. I will say the 16’ Low Profile I had built for us to use last season had a short shaft motor on it and I will put a long shaft on the new one.
 
FourRiversCo - Broc said:
The molds are built for long shaft. I suggest the long shaft as it gets your tiller handle up above the cockpit edge so it doesn’t interfere with steering. Can you please explain why the surgery and the fees are offensive?
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Tough to answer your question without further offense, but I'll tone it down. I object to paying extra to butcher a new vessel in order to mount what seems to me the correct motor for the hull and use. Your comment about clearing the coaming is noted. It's a low profile boat, I would prefer not to mount a long shaft motor resulting in a higher profile.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
Tough to answer your question without further offense, but I'll tone it down. I object to paying extra to butcher a new vessel in order to mount what seems to me the correct motor for the hull and use. Your comment about clearing the coaming is noted. It's a low profile boat, I would prefer not to mount a long shaft motor resulting in a higher profile.
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I haven't paid attention to them, but I just checked it out and that boat looks great, lotta places that would be good. I have to agree on the transom, a short shaft would be perfect on that boat.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
Tough to answer your question without further offense, but I'll tone it down. I object to paying extra to butcher a new vessel in order to mount what seems to me the correct motor for the hull and use. Your comment about clearing the coaming is noted. It's a low profile boat, I would prefer not to mount a long shaft motor resulting in a higher profile.
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Oh no, I don’t get offended. I will say, cutting the transom down is a way easier than trying to build one up and not have a weak spot. I also wouldn’t consider it to cost extra. There’s extra labor, material, and other factors to make the modifications. I’m not sure if I would call it butchering, all the work done is in the same shop the boat is built. I personally wouldn’t order a short shaft version to save 3.25” of transom height. If you haven’t have time give me a call sometime today and we can go over the build.
 
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I know this is not apple to apples and I hunt in the northwest not the northeast, but here is my two bits. When I built my boat I had a short shaft. It sat low and I liked it. the old Suzuki died and I replaced with a long shaft and a break away plate since the new motor had power tilt. The few inches in hight made operating the boat easier with the tiller a bit higher up. I do not feel that the few inches with the motor height was an issue when hiding the boat. The bigger issue is that I did not paint the new motor camo so I now have to cover it and that is more of an inconvenience as it is just one more thing to do when setting up.
 
I have a 16.5” motor board with a 15hp short shaft on my Bauer boat rips, throws a mini rooster tail and goes shallower than I could ever imagine wouldn’t change it at all
 
Anthony Babich said:
You get a Bauer boat to plane off?
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I put a hydrofoil on the ventilation plate and with an extended tiller handle I kneel down up towards the bow. Not as fast as a South Bay or any other sneak box with more of a planing hull, but with the higher motor board causing slightly less drag it definitely moves a lot better. Don’t have an exact mph but I saw a decent increase in speed
 
Wyatt Russo said:
I put a hydrofoil on the ventilation plate and with an extended tiller handle I kneel down up towards the bow. Not as fast as a South Bay or any other sneak box with more of a planing hull, but with the higher motor board causing slightly less drag it definitely moves a lot better. Don’t have an exact mph but I saw a decent increase in speed
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Thx for the info, I'll try to raise mine up a bit more & test this summer, I get decent speed with my hydrofoil setup now but need a bit more grass drag doesn't help lol Screenshot 2026-02-27 at 9.16.24 PM.png
 
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