Grizzly Boats! How do you like yours?

[rajuncajun2001]

Hey guys,

I am looking at buying the Grizzly 1654 MVX Sportsman. Anyone have this model? how do you like it? Would you recommend the 30 or 40 hp?

I plan to use it for fishing, duck hunting, and bow fishing. 2-3 guys plus gear. Can't go longer than 16' due to a restriction on a lake/swamp we go to.

Other areas we use it will have stumps, shallow water, and sand bars. No rocks.

For you Grizzly owners out there, how has your boat held up? Any problems?

Thanks!

 

[overboard]

Not quite the same, but I have a 1654 FB GRIZZLEY. Very stable, and so far so good as for holding up.
2-3 guys plus gear: bigger is better if traveling any distance----IMO 40hp.
Stumps, shallow water, sand bars> jet!

 

[rajuncajun2001]

Not quite the same, but I have a 1654 FB GRIZZLEY. Very stable, and so far so good as for holding up.
2-3 guys plus gear: bigger is better if traveling any distance----IMO 40hp.
Stumps, shallow water, sand bars> jet!

Glad to hear she's holding up well. I have ridden in quite a few tunnel boats. Don't really like the way they handle in turns or chop. Also notice they squat lower when not moving due to the cut out for the tunnel. Can't do jets cause of all of the leaves and floating water plants here in TX/LA clogging everything up.

 

[lovedr79]

i loved my 1448 grizzly. very stable. heavy and the paint on the floor wore right off. other than that i loved it. go with the larger motor.

 

[bobberboy]

Like my 1448 a lot. As said above, paint is not too durable but otherwise I'm very happy.

 

[rajuncajun2001]

Seems like they've changed their manufacturing process in the last couple years. When looking at boats from different years, looks like the welds, rigidity, paint/powder coating, etc have all improved quite a bit. Wonder if the powder coating on the newer boats holds up a lot better than the old ones.

 

[bobberboy]

Seems like they've changed their manufacturing process in the last couple years. When looking at boats from different years, looks like the welds, rigidity, paint/powder coating, etc have all improved quite a bit. Wonder if the powder coating on the newer boats holds up a lot better than the old ones.

I'm not sure my 2008 was powder-coated. If so it should be more durable than it is. The new ones are listed as powder-coated.

 

[overboard]

The 1654 FB I have isn't a tunnel hull, not even a modified V. It's just a big flat bottom regular Jon boat. One thing I love about the GRIZZLEY is the TRAC channel they have on the gunwale. I don't think they make that particular boat anymore, mine is a 2006.
Yea, I understand it's a PIB to keep cleaning a jet intake, maybe a mud motor. Stumps and lower units don't mix well either.

 

[chuck99z28]

I have a Grizzly 1648 MVX side console with a Mercury 9.9 Pro Kicker. Camo, with gun box and Ulterra. The two batteries for the Ulterra fit in the gunbox along with other things (but not guns).

I love it. I'd prefer a larger motor, but I live on a horsepower restricted lake so it wins out. It does 8.4 mph GPS full throttle.

I have a single car garage and parking width played a big part in my purchase. The 1648 is exactly 72 inches wide on the trailer.

 

[turbotodd]

Not a bad boat. Not a great boat either, meaning there are other options, for similar money. The Grizzly is a little on the pig side (heavy), and the hull doesn't have a lot of speed built into it so if you're duck hunting flooded timber public areas where you may want to be one of the first ones out, you may get beat at the boat race. Even with a 40, expect about 32-34 mph at the most. The hull has some drag. Also worth mentioning is that they're made by Tracker. Tracker does a good job of mass producing boats. They build as many as they can at the cheapest possible cost, and it shows.

 

[chuck99z28]

I agree its heavy and a bit of a pig. With the 9.9 hp my top end is 8 mph. I'd be happy with 32-34 and I appreciate your estimation because I've been wondering what it would be. I was considering adding a 30 hp and keeping the 9.9 for the reservoirs hoping for 25 mph.

Mine is also very bow heavy with the 80 pound trolling motor and 24 volts in batteries. But I find the Spot lock on the Ulterra to be just the ticket for holding a spot on the lake were private property prevents me from landing but has the best views at sunrise.

I'm not in any competition. I hunt birds and animals, with a camera not a gun. So I'm not bound by the rules that those with guns have to follow. The only other people I see in my profession are in kayaks and my body is a bit too broken for that (USMC). Plus I can beat the kayaks in speed/distance/stamina. I'm getting 2 hours to the gallon at 7.2mph. Though I can't launch just anywhere.

The heavy 1648 I have provides a stable platform for shooting from and gets to me to where I want to go and fits in my single car garage. I'm happy with it.

 

[chuck99z28]

Oh, sometimes I shoot fishermen too. I never know if they want their faces on the internet so I only shoot them from behind and I try to be creative.

 

[Stubborn Dutchman]

Awesome pics, thanks for sharing,

Don

 

[redrum]

I've noticed by looking at Grizzly specs in comparison to other jon boat manufacturers that the Grizzly is pretty heavy but I attribute that to the construction. Aluminum weights whatever it weighs. It seems that the Grizzly has a lot more metal built ino the hull than other models, especially the 2015-2016 version.

As for hull speed. I can't comment on that. I wouldn't even know what that looks like. Sort of like the Blazer Jet boats. Everyone asks, what the difference is between the models? Then the next question seems to be. Does that make it faster? The answer seems to be - no, but it looks faster Ok??

I can't understand how a 2015 Tracker Grizzly 1648 is rated for 25 HP max but a 2016 Tracker Grizzly 1648 is rated for 50 hp max when the boats are identical.

 

[huntinfool]

I have the 1860 CC. With a 90hp I get 34. I don't see how you'd get 32-34 with 3 guys and gear. I've got a 1654 at the house,but we haven't put a motor on it.

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[huntinfool]

I've noticed by looking at Grizzly specs in comparison to other jon boat manufacturers that the Grizzly is pretty heavy but I attribute that to the construction. Aluminum weights whatever it weighs. It seems that the Grizzly has a lot more metal built ino the hull than other models, especially the 2015-2016 version.

As for hull speed. I can't comment on that. I wouldn't even know what that looks like. Sort of like the Blazer Jet boats. Everyone asks, what the difference is between the models? Then the next question seems to be. Does that make it faster? The answer seems to be - no, but it looks faster Ok??

I can't understand how a 2015 Tracker Grizzly 1648 is rated for 25 HP max but a 2016 Tracker Grizzly 1648 is rated for 50 hp max when the boats are identical.

A side console boat has a higher hp rating than a tiller. Also, the hull may be built different and the transom is a tubular design. There are some different things that make the HP rating change. I believe my 1654 is rated at 50hp max. I'll have to check that again.

 

[Lowe 2070 CC]

I've noticed by looking at Grizzly specs in comparison to other jon boat manufacturers that the Grizzly is pretty heavy but I attribute that to the construction. Aluminum weights whatever it weighs. It seems that the Grizzly has a lot more metal built ino the hull than other models, especially the 2015-2016 version.

As for hull speed. I can't comment on that. I wouldn't even know what that looks like. Sort of like the Blazer Jet boats. Everyone asks, what the difference is between the models? Then the next question seems to be. Does that make it faster? The answer seems to be - no, but it looks faster Ok??

I can't understand how a 2015 Tracker Grizzly 1648 is rated for 25 HP max but a 2016 Tracker Grizzly 1648 is rated for 50 hp max when the boats are identical.

Hulls can and do get re-rated over time. My 2012 was rated for a 115 when I bought it. In 2014 the USCG re-rated the exact same hull under newer standards for 150. Lowe sent me a new capacity plate showing the new rating as the hulls were identical.