Quick Answer
If you are shopping Excel boats in Louisiana, Big D Marine and Powersports is one of the closest authorized Excel dealers, located just across the state line in Texas. Our Hitchcock location on the Galveston Bay side serves Louisiana buyers in Lake Charles, Sulphur, Lafayette, and the western half of the state. We stock the full Excel lineup including Shallow Water F4, Bay Pro Elite, Viper F4 duck boats, and Excel outboards. Louisiana buyers can purchase in Texas and register in Louisiana, and we offer delivery across state lines.
Why Excel Boats Dominate the Louisiana Market
Louisiana is Excel country. Between the coastal marsh, the Atchafalaya Basin, the flooded timber of Toledo Bend and the Sabine River bottom, and the shallow fishing across the whole state, Louisiana is exactly the water Excel was designed for. Excel builds all welded aluminum boats in Mississippi, purpose built for the Deep South duck hunting and shallow water fishing culture that Louisiana embodies more than any other state.
Louisiana anglers and duck hunters gravitate to Excel for the same reasons Texas anglers do. All welded aluminum construction that shrugs off oyster, shell, cypress knees, and stump strikes. Hulls purpose built for skinny water. And a lineup that scales from small duck boats to full coastal bay boats without losing the durability that defines the brand.
For the full aluminum boat brand comparison see our companion post Best Aluminum Fishing Boats for Texas Lakes. Everything in that post applies to Louisiana too, and Excel comes out especially strong for Louisiana water.
The Excel Lineup Louisiana Buyers Ask About
Excel Shallow Water F4 Series
The F4 series is Excel’s flagship shallow water line. Built around a modified V hull that runs skinny and drafts less than most bass boats, it is what most Louisiana duck hunters and shallow water anglers land on. The 1751 and 1754 are the two most popular lengths for Louisiana marsh use. The 1860 is the pick for buyers who want more deck and rear storage. See the full lineup on our Excel Boats brand page.
F4 boats accept mud motors as well as conventional outboards. That flexibility is a big part of the appeal for Louisiana marsh hunters and back bayou fishermen who need to run water that no bass boat can touch.
Excel Viper F4 1751
The Viper F4 is Excel’s dedicated duck boat. Lower profile, blind ready, purpose built for skinny marsh work. It is the model most serious Louisiana marsh hunters ask about first. For the full duck boat context, see our Best Duck Boat for Texas Duck Hunters companion post. The advice applies directly to Louisiana.
Excel Bay Pro Elite
The Bay Pro Elite is Excel’s answer for coastal bay fishing. The 220 and 240 models handle the Louisiana coast marsh and bay system where fiberglass hulls take repeated damage from oyster and shell. Bay Pro Elite is the pick for Cameron Parish and Vermilion Bay anglers who want aluminum durability in a bay hull configuration. See the lineup on our Excel Boats page.
Which Louisiana Waters Fit Which Excel Model
Louisiana is not one boating market. Here is how the Excel lineup maps to Louisiana water types.
- Coastal marsh (Cameron Parish, Vermilion, Grand Isle): Excel Viper F4 1751 or Bay Pro Elite 220 depending on how deep you run.
- Atchafalaya Basin: Excel Shallow Water F4 1754 handles the timber, cypress, and shallow flats.
- Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn timber: Excel F4 1754 or 1860 for the stump fields.
- Rice country and duck club marsh (Jefferson Davis, Vermilion, Acadia parishes): Excel Viper F4 with a mud motor.
- Sabine River and Calcasieu River backwater: Excel Shallow Water F4 1751 or 1754.
- Larger reservoirs (Toledo Bend main lake, Caddo Lake): Excel F4 1860 for the additional range and freeboard.
Excel Pricing for Louisiana Buyers
Excel boat pricing in the Louisiana market runs about the same as the Texas market. Current Yamaha outboard pricing is on our Yamaha outboard pricing page. Excel specific price bands:
- Excel Viper F4 1751 duck boat: starting around twenty two thousand dollars with a standard outboard.
- Excel Shallow Water F4 1751 or 1754: starting around twenty five to thirty thousand dollars with a Yamaha F60 to F115.
- Excel Shallow Water F4 1860: starting around thirty two to thirty eight thousand dollars with a Yamaha F115 to F150.
- Excel Bay Pro Elite 220: starting around forty to fifty thousand dollars with a Yamaha F200 to F250.
- Excel Bay Pro Elite 240: starting around fifty five to seventy thousand dollars with a Yamaha F250 to F300.
- Mud motor packages: add ten to fifteen thousand dollars depending on brand and horsepower.
Buying Excel in Texas and Registering in Louisiana
This is the most common question we get from Louisiana buyers, and the answer is straightforward. Louisiana residents can purchase an Excel boat from a Texas dealer and register the boat in Louisiana. Big D Marine handles the paperwork for out of state buyers. In practice, Louisiana buyers pay Louisiana sales tax at registration rather than Texas sales tax at purchase, which usually simplifies the transaction.
Trailer and trailer registration follow the same pattern. Buy the trailer in Texas, register it in Louisiana. Bring your Louisiana driver license and proof of Louisiana residency to the appointment and we handle the rest.
Delivery to Louisiana
Big D Marine and Powersports offers delivery to Louisiana for buyers who prefer not to drive across state lines to pick up the boat. Delivery is arranged after the sale and pricing depends on the delivery address and boat size. Cameron Parish, Lake Charles, Sulphur, and Lafayette area deliveries are common. Contact our team for a specific quote.
Where to See Excel Boats in Person
Our Hitchcock location on the Galveston Bay side is the closest Excel showroom for western Louisiana buyers. It sits about 90 minutes west of the Louisiana state line. Our Huntsville flagship on State Highway 19 carries the widest Excel Shallow Water F4 inventory for buyers who prefer to drive north. See current Excel stock on the new inventory page.
Financing for Louisiana Buyers
Louisiana buyers can finance through Big D Marine the same as Texas buyers. Multiple lender relationships mean we can find competitive rates for prime credit and options for buyers with credit challenges. Pre qualify with a soft credit check on our boat financing page.
Trade In From Louisiana
If you have a current boat in Louisiana to trade toward a new Excel, our trade in valuation tool gives you a fair estimate before you drive out. We accept trade ins from Louisiana buyers and handle the title transfer paperwork.
Service and Warranty for Louisiana Owners
Excel warranty work is available at any authorized Excel service center. Our certified service department handles Excel warranty and routine service at both Hitchcock and Huntsville locations. Louisiana buyers can also use any authorized Excel dealer network location closer to home for warranty work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy Excel boats in Louisiana?
Big D Marine and Powersports is an authorized Excel Boats dealer just across the state line in Texas. Our Hitchcock location on the Galveston Bay side is the closest full service Excel dealer for Louisiana buyers in the western half of the state including Lake Charles, Sulphur, and Lafayette. We also deliver to Louisiana.
Are Excel boats popular in Louisiana?
Yes. Excel boats are one of the most popular aluminum boat brands in Louisiana, especially for duck hunting, shallow water fishing, and marsh use. The Excel Shallow Water F4 and Excel Viper F4 are the two most popular Excel models with Louisiana buyers because they handle marsh, oyster, and shallow bayou use as well as any aluminum boat on the market.
Which Excel boat is best for Louisiana duck hunting?
For Louisiana duck hunting the Excel Viper F4 1751 is the dedicated duck boat pick and the Excel Shallow Water F4 1754 is the versatile pick that hunts hard and fishes the rest of the year. Both accept mud motors as well as standard Yamaha outboards. Most Louisiana marsh hunters run mud motors on their Excel boats.
How much does an Excel boat cost in Louisiana?
Excel boat prices in the Louisiana market are similar to Texas pricing. New Excel Shallow Water F4 models start around twenty five thousand dollars. New Excel Bay Pro Elite models start around thirty five thousand. New Excel Viper F4 duck boats start around twenty two thousand. Full pricing depends on outboard choice, mud motor option, and rigging.
Can I buy an Excel boat in Texas and register it in Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana residents can purchase an Excel boat from a Texas dealer and register the boat in Louisiana. Big D Marine handles the paperwork for out of state buyers, and Louisiana buyers typically pay Louisiana sales tax at registration rather than Texas sales tax at purchase. Talk to our team about the specifics for your parish. Contact us for details.
Ready to Look at an Excel
Come by our Hitchcock or Huntsville location for a walkthrough on the Excel lineup. Browse full current stock on our inventory page or start at the Big D Marine homepage.
