Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

What are the Pros and Cons of a Mod-V vs a Deep V in an aluminum 16-17ft boat? I have heard that the Deep V's cut through the waves better giving you a smoother ride but is that all? It looks like a Deep V would be hard to fish in, not having the wide open deck that a mod-v has and being higher up off of the water. Is this true? I live in TX and this will be my first boat. I will be using this boat to fish in lakes and in the rivers that ajoin these lakes. I will almost 90% of the time be fishing in this boat but the other times i will be just cruising around. Anyone out there who has owned both styles in their life time, or one or the other and care to influence me on the pros and cons of both types?
thanks

Re: Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

You've got it pretty well figured out. What you've heard and determined is accurate. If you are not going to encounter big lake chop across long stretches then you're probably better of with the shallower vee. If you want to go fast in rough water, go with the deeper one. The deep V will rock more at rest when you move from side to side, but it will ride better in rough water. The mod-V may be a little faster and plane at a lower speed if all else is equal.

Re: Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

It depends on water conditions, if you boat on rough, open waters most of the time, a semi vee will pound, & jar, you quite a bit once on plane. A deep vee will cushion the blows quite a bit, personally as I've gotten older, I can't take the semi vee pounding, and will always opt for the deep vee. The drawbacks are, a deep vee is less stable at rest, it will rock more, and lean more to the side where the weight goes. At one time, they didn't make a deep vee less then 17ft. Glastron was one of the first to have a deep vee 16ft fiberglass boat, and you could always tell when one pulled up to the dock, it leaned way over when someone went to get out.

Re: Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

Excellent posts above. Also, the shallow mod-V will run like a sports car when conditions are mild enough to allow the speed. For really rough lakes (lots of cruiser traffic and wakes) you simply need a bigger boat. The deep V on a 16 footer will not save you. Too durned small.

Kelly

Re: Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

I've had both 15 ft deep v, and 14 ft mod v. We primarily still-fished out of the deep v, fishing from the middle and back seats. This limited the rocking, which can be quite a distraction.

ON mod v, I built a platform on the front, and use a bow mounted foot control trolling motor. It still rocks if I'm standing on the front but typically not too bad. Its more noticeable if someone is in the back and moves while you're standing on the front. Seated, its not a big deal. I use it both for still-fishing and bass fishing.

I did get caught on Santee-Cooper in a storm in the mod v, in 3-4 of chop and it handled okay. I just had to slow down and ride up and over the waves. However I agree with the other posts, the mod v doesn't really plane so it can get a bit bumpy.

My preference? I still own the mod v.

Re: Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

thanks for the replies. I was already leaning towards the mod V anyways and thats what im gonna look for, either a Tracker Pro Team 170 or a Lowe 160.

Re: Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

I too boat on big Texas lakes; have for too many years to count.

Problems I encounter usually have to do with afternoon winds over wide open spaces; makes for big waves.

To use a deep V effectively, you need weight to go along with the V. Alum boats don't have the weight. So, why bother.

As stated, the flatter the bottom the more stable, so the modified V would do the best for you.

You can learn your boat and learn the water and do very well. You can learn techniques of speed, wave angle to the boat, and trim position to achieve a safe, dry, and reasonably comfortable ride.......but that usually requires patience; the higher the waves the slower you'll go and the more patience will be required.

Brings to mind the old days on Lake Travis. Long and narrow, high walls (canyon type) and runs N-S. In the mornings we would launch at the dam and fish up river(lake). By afternoon, when coming home, the wind was normally running 15-20, always out of the South, and the waves, for my 14' boat were very high.......but I learned how to handle it and it was tolerable. Never had a safety issue, but got wet regularly. Grin

HTH,

Mark

Re: Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

What is it that defines a deep V? as compared to a mod V I'm assuming mod is short for moderate V?

Re: Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

deep V the V continues from bow to stern, mod V is V in bow transferring to a shallow V or almost flat bottom in the stern.
Mod V




Deep V, although not good picture

Re: Mod-V or Deep V aluminum

'Tis confusing, as the terms are applied differently to different types of boats. An aluminum deep-V does have some deadrise (V-shape) to the transom, but not nearly so much as most fiberglass deep-Vs. An aluminum mod-V is nearly a jon boat, but with some modest V bent into the bow. With fiberglass boats you can expect to see the term "semi-V" more that "mod-V". But they kinda indicate the same theme.

Kelly