Highlander,

All 3 brands you mentioned make excellant boats. I lean toward the Willie Predator sleds, but they are close. And as Keith mentioned, the Koffler's are pretty good too - as are Motion Marines and Wild Hairs and others. But with about a 10 degree V up front the boat will take chop and rapids smoother, corner a little better, and when tapered back to about 3 degrees at the transome area hull shoe (flat area at the rear of the hull near the jetpump intake) they go about as shallow as any V-sled with less front V. If you learn how to run a mild 'crescent' pattern thru real shallow rapids with the OB trimmed out a ways, after being on plane first, you can run these V's as shallow as the older flat bottom 20' sleds (in as little as 3" to 4" deep if there aren't too many rocks sticking out). >

As for the new Merc Sportjet IB/OB's, I have driven a friend's 20' Motion Marine several times with a 175 SJ in it and really liked the performance, and it's quieter. But I haven't spent a long time with one of these motors so I don't know how they are over the long run - although I haven't heard any talk of significant probs; and they have been out for some time now. The newer 240 SJ is overkill on power for sleds, in my opinion, and could be more dangerous and less durable. Maybe they'd be fine on a 24' Duckworth up the Snake River though? The 175 has plenty of power! For comparison, the 200 hp OB's with pumps are rated at 140 hp with the preferable stainless steel 4 blade impellers. I'd love a 21' Predator with the 175 SJ in it. But I'd rather keep my older flat Alumiweld sled and buy a C5 Corvette, with the amount the new sleds are priced!

RT