flat bottom or V type aluminum hull?

[boatboss]

First time poster here, I've been browsing here for years off and on, finally signed up!

After about 15 years without a boat I've decided its time to get another. I had sold my last boat in the early 90's when I took a job that kept me on the road.
Now that's over I now have time to do some fishing again.
I've always owned flat bottom jon boats, most were 14 or 15' models about 4' wide. I want something bigger this time but I want to stick with aluminum.
I will be running strictly in the rivers and back bays and a few small lakes.
I'm wondering if there's any advantage to go with a deep sided V hull boat vs. a flat bottom?
My last boat was a Grumman crappie special, 15.5' long with a stick steer set up controlled from the front seat position. That was a great but it was easy to get in trouble if the water got rough or if someone passed behind at high speed. It had very little freeboard even with only one person onboard.

I've looked at several boats, one is an older Sea Nymph 16.5' bass boat that's in my price range that don't seem to need a lot of work, and the other an open V hull 16' boat that looks really nice for real cheap. I looked at a third but the ad is gone so I think it sold.

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/4562179743.html or http://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/4644275071.html

I'm leaning towards the open V hull just because I think my little Ford Escape would tow it better and I like the simplicity of just a tiller motor and northing else to go wrong. I can buy either boat for the same money without a trailer. (I was given a nice trailer, which is what got me thinking of finding a boat again).

 

[Bob_VT]

Welcome to iboats.

The V hull is a better all around, better riding and good design for your needs. Tha link you provided is WAY over-priced. Aluminum "project" boats are fun and very common. Take a look at our restoration forum and you will see hundreds of great projects. Keep your eyes open and be willing to travel to get a boat but a "project" w/o a motor should be LESS then half that amount. Outboards are hard to find that are good quality used. That seller is dreaming!!!

Watch your wallet and get a boat, motor and trailer package. Your Escape should handle a sixteen footer fine.

 

[midcarolina]

IMO......... about the best river/small lake boat is something like a bass tracker panfish in the 16' range, I assume your Grumman was in the same style......I just think they are very economical to use and are very conveinant to fish out of......... I am sure other opinions will vary.

I had a small v bottom jon boat years ago.......... I did not like how it was "darty" in the water if that makes sense..............

 

[Texasmark]

Rivertrail used to make some very adaptable boats to your anticipated usage. My last was their 17' bass boat. It was a stepped V hull with a long rake on the bow allowing you to drive up on the bank to get out and stay dry. I think the recession got the company. Personally I think johns are just for rivers. I have used rental units on open water and not recommended. As bob said, any V hull is smoother than a john. With what you said I think you would be wise to go for a boat with more freeboard that the common low sided john offers and get the 20" transom rather than the more common, in the line, 15. Size matters and that extra 5" matters.

HTH,
Mark

 

[mrdancer]

What is your intended use of the boat? If you will be spending most of your time in it while sitting still (fishing, hunting, etc.), then a flat-bottom makes a better choice. If you will be spending most of your time just running around in it, then a V-hull makes a better choice. If you routinely get waves or chop greater than two feet in height, V-bottom is a better choice. Lotsa compromise boats out there also, such as 3*-6* deadrise - e.g. - Lowe Roughneck 1860.

Flat bottom = stable at rest
V-hull = stable under way

 

[bonz_d]

I think what you are really talking about are flat bottom boats. I know many that call any boat with a V shaped bow a V hull even though they really are a flat bottom. And then any of those that have a high freeboard become a Deep V.

So I would agree that a flat bottom boat would work best in your conditions. Find the widest bottom boat you can as it will be more stable while fishing. A good starting reference, at least for me in that situation, would be something like a Lund Rebel, Alumacraft Fisherman or the older Lunker SS, or even the newer modified V hull jon's. Like the Tracker or Alumacraft MV or like the Sea Nymph you posted the link to. They do also make those as a tiller model.

Next I also have to agree that the boat that is linked to is way out of line for price. I don't know what year it is but for an example, 2 years ago I picked up my 1988 Alumacraft Classic 16 as a project. At the time it had a blown up 1988 70hp Evinrude that came with it. Along with 2 new batteries, MinKota Powerdrive 55, Himminbird finder, anchor, working bilge and livewell pumps, 2 12gal fuel tanks, 3 like new spare props, one of which is Stainless Steel and a 2008 Shoreland'r trailer that looks brand new. I paid $1100.00 for everything! The trailer itself is worth half of that.

 

[bonz_d]

One other thought. When fishing in this size boat I myself do not care for the highly raised fishing platforms. Makes them very rocky when the waves pick up and one is trying to stand up there. I prefer to have the deck at about water level such as with my Classic 16. Even when it gets choppy out on the water it still stays very stable.

 

[robert graham]

Check web sites for Sea Ark Boats and Xpress Boats to get the sizes, shapes and configurations of these boats....Mine is an 1870 Xpress MV, meaning it has about 6 degrees of dead rise at the transom....it's better in a chop than a flat bottom but still a hard ride in most rough water, especially at speed....just all depends on what you plan to do with the boat....and your tow vehicle...

 

[boatboss]

I don't know much about price but both boats that I linked to above are gone, both sellers emailed me back tonight and said they were sold already.

I basically wasn't looking for a complete package because so far all of the complete boats I've seen have either a junk motor, or junk trailer, or beat up hull, all three are rarely perfect and when they are, they want big money.

I've been browsing he newspapers and Craigslist all summer and haven't seen much under $4000 here, and the few I did see were trashed through and through.
Because the boat will be used by myself, (345lbs), and a buddy who is at least 300lbs, I need at least a 16' boat, Most of the V hulls I've seen have about the same amount of deadrise at the stern as most modern modified V hulls. The Grumman I had year ago was dead flat with a very angular shape to the modified V bow, not just rounded like most modern boats. I really liked how that boat handled the water and how little hp it took to get it moving at a decent speed. I ran an older 15hp Yamaha on it with the controls being up front and it ran at about 23 mph according to the fish finder I had back then. It was plenty fast and I don't recall ever having any issues with the way it rode. I do remember though that it burned a lot of gas, I needed to carry two 6 gallon tanks and one 3 gallon as a reserve just to head out on the river for a day of fishing.
I was a lot younger when I had that boat, young enough to be a bit careless back then and looking back at how that boat got treated and how it was used with knowing what I know now, I'm even more impressed with that boat and how well it handled and stood up to my abuse as a guy in his late teens when I bought it.

30 years later I'm a bit heavier, a lot more cautious on the water, and far more careful about taking care of my trucks and boats.

I do know that I don't want a regular jon boat, a buddy has a 17' Lowe and while its fine at a standstill, its got low sides and its hard to steer in a straight line, it tends to want to lead or follow either the right or left bow corner. Keeping it moving in a straight line is like trying to balance a marble on a sheet of glass while jogging. My old Grumman would go dead straight for miles with no correction on the river. I used to keep the Stik Steering set up tight and use my weight to steer the boat. I could lean the boat and navigate the entire length of the river without touching the steering. With me standing/leaning on the front pedestal and the motor set dead center straight, the hull would be 2/3rds out of the water on plane, it would skim over chop without much more than a rumble. What it didn't like was sudden deceleration, If I bailed on the throttle fast, the following wake would all but sink that boat. It would soak whoever was in the rear seat. It was a fun boat, both to fish out of and just for blasting around in.

Most of my fishing is in a small river, with the occasional run into the back bays along the coast. A few times a year I may venture onto one of the larger lakes here as well. The boat will be used for fishing and crabbing.
My first concern is that its light enough that I can tow it with the Escape, my second concern is that it be able to handle about 800lbs of weight.
One thing that bothered me about the Sea Nymph bass boat is that the CG tag said 560lbs max weight persons motor and gear. The V hull's Coast Guard plate wasn't readable but I looked a similar 14' boat which had a max weight of 880lbs total.

For a motor, I was going to look for a late model four stroke, and the size would depend on the boat I buy.
I do have a great running 33hp Evinrude that a buddy gave me a few years ago, its a short shaft tiller motor with manual start, but I'd rather avoid mixing oil and gas, and go with a four stroke.

I also looked at two 2006 model motors, one a Mercury 15hp four stroke, the other a Johnson 15hp four stroke. Is one any better than the other? The Mercury is a bit less money but both are in good running shape.

 

[Teamster]

I knew I heard someone say Tiller!!!

In aluminum boats I like a v hull,...............

For what your talking about don't rule out a 18 footer,.............

There are some manufacturers making tiller boats that take 200, 250, and I've even seen a 300 horse tiller,............

Zoom Zoom,.....................................

 

[bonz_d]

I too do not know your personal location or market but at least here around Wisconsin, Minn, N. Illinois a popular model that would fit your needs are the older Alumacraft Backtrollers. They made 3 models, a 14', 16' and a 17' model.

 

[64osby]

What is the max towing on your Escape?

Would an 18' Starcraft Center Console work for you? The are several in your area. It would weigh less than 2000#.

 

[boatboss]

My owner's manual says 3500lbs max towing capacity, and its got the factory tow package with a 2" receiver hitch and brake wiring but with 322,500 miles on it I'd venture to guess that 3500lbs on the hitch would be asking a lot of this thing. It pulls about 1,500lbs comfortably, any more than that and it struggles. I don't tow far, maybe 20 miles round trip to the water tops on all back roads.

I wasn't looking at anything bigger than 16 or 17' because I'm really after an open type boat which would take a clamp on, lift off type motor. Since many lakes here are electric only and pretty shallow, I need to be able to leave the gas motor home and hang a trolling motor from time to time. Any motor that I can't lift off myself and carry is too big. That limits it to about 125lbs tops.

I've looked at a few larger boats but all were too much boat for my needs. I wouldn't be against a bit open modified V hull flat bottom boat though, I looked at one a guy was using for gill netting a few years ago, a 20' flat bottom with about an 8' beam. He was running a Yamaha 20hp four stroke on it and it did just fine.
I've never seen anything that big for sale in my price range though.

 

[Teamster]

Can't you leave the big motor on and not use it on the electric only lakes???

Easy enough to run a bow mount or transom mount electric on those lakes,...........

 

[boatboss]

Can't you leave the big motor on and not use it on the electric only lakes???

Easy enough to run a bow mount or transom mount electric on those lakes,...........

I could I suppose but the extra weight on those ponds would be an issue in shallow water. I won't run a bow mount trolling motor, too many stumps and shallow spots.
0Where we launch the boat the water is only about 20" deep for a few hundred feet out from the ramp. Where the gas motor is needed, the electric power would be useless. The ideal set up is a motor you can just unclamp and stow in the garage for the day. I'm not sure an 18' V hull would even float in some of the ponds here.
I even ran aground a few times with my old Grumman in the river at low tide.

 

[midcarolina]

The obvious answer is two boats.............. one for big water and one pond boat....

 

[64osby]

My 21'er only drafts at 10", and can idle through 2' with the motor tilted up slightly.

The big issue you have is finding a boat with 1000# capacity and 16'.

Checking CL in your area I see several 16' boats that could work. Buy one and sell the motor that is on it. Then use your trolling motor or an 18 to 25hp to move it around.

 

[boatboss]

I'm leaning towards a deep 14' or just about any 16' open boat with a tiller steer or stick steer set up. The latter would allow for a better balanced boat on the water.
Motor wise I'm stuck with a 9.9hp, preferably a four stroke. I've got a line on a 1996 Mariner 9.9hp four stroke for $400, that may end up getting bought before I find a boat, most of the 9.9hp four strokes I've looked at used are all over a grand.

I also have to still consider what I can tow, anything in an 18' center console will no doubt get up over 1500 lbs. I'd like to stay as light as possible.

 

[64osby]

http://cnj.craigslist.org/boa/4651842481.html

Parts off that motor would be worth some good $$$. The power tilt is $400. It would be a very stable boat and looks water ready.

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/4618092919.html Maybe one to consider just make sure they didn't use treated wood for the new floor.

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/boa/4650863622.html Looks pretty clean

 

[bonz_d]

I could I suppose but the extra weight on those ponds would be an issue in shallow water. I won't run a bow mount trolling motor, too many stumps and shallow spots.
0Where we launch the boat the water is only about 20" deep for a few hundred feet out from the ramp. Where the gas motor is needed, the electric power would be useless. The ideal set up is a motor you can just unclamp and stow in the garage for the day. I'm not sure an 18' V hull would even float in some of the ponds here.
I even ran aground a few times with my old Grumman in the river at low tide.

Maybe a canoe or sit on top kayak would be a better choice.