Don't mind the rivets, if you can get a better deal on a riveted jon boat. The skinnier the boat, the easier it will be to navigate the Little Red. However, a skinnier boat will also be less stable. Like Little Hog said, you do NOT want to get one of these skinny boats out on a large impoundment. If it were my decision, I would go with the 42" bottom. The wider bottom will allow you to be more diverse in the waters you fish. I would also recommend the 9.9 if you will be on the river most of the time. Be sure that you get a short shaft motor. CEB -