Good thread. I am in the same boat, and am about to purchase a very similar model. I looked at the Lund Fury 1600 but I think I will go with an Alumacraft 165. Side console, I think it will be more comfortable and balance the boat better than a tiller. There will still be plenty of fishable space.
The Alumacraft is a bit heavier than the Lund 1600. I will go with an Evinrude Etec. The Etecs have some real advantages over 4 strokes. Probably a 30 HP with power tilt and trim. The 30 is about 90 pounds lighter than the 40 and has pull start and electric. I like the idea of pull start for backup in case of a dead battery. With a 30 it won't be the fastest boat but I hope it planes well with 2 guys and some gear.
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