Boat for fast, shallow rivers

I'd be looking at cheating as best as you can with designs like an elongated sea sled. Of course successful sled designs take a good bit of understanding about how they work. I have two sled designs, one long and lean the other a typical fat flats boat. On plane they'll cruse through 9" thick water with a jack plate, maybe less if you're good.

 

Sea Sleds

Where can I see one? I don't have a mental picture. Thank you.

 

Google for pictures..

 

Other thoughts

Long tail drives are Just plain dangerus. kids on the banks and in shallow water , I dont even want to think about the damage that would result. I know it is the same as any other porp but it has the ability to be swung over a wide arc quickly and when the helmsman is thinking about manuvering in a current it is all too easy for nasty things to happen. Yes in skinny water they have the ability to lift easily but there are beter ways to do it .
lets look at the speed you are tring to achieve , if you bring the waterline length up to 50ft on a 7ft beam your base powering will give you about 9.24 knots, with 7 knots at hull speed so how about an air cooled motor driving a
propshaft that can be raised into a box New england dory style . Steering can be done by a normal kick up rudder and tiller with a bungy hold down. Keep everything as simple as it can be . The hull can have side decks with watertight tanks all the way to the floors . this should give a good open area for cargo. If the hull deadrise angle at transom was very low , there should be good carring and easy drive with low wake and simple to build .

 

Just a thought.. but have you asked the Machiguenga Indians if they wan't different boats
If someone camed here to tell people they need "better" boats...