Advantages/disadvantages of a tunnel hull

Hi everybody! I am about to begin a reasonably small rebuild of an old Ouachita bass boat. As part of the endless daydreaming about it the thought crossed my mind to add a tunnel to the hull. The real reason for doing it is to simply see if it can be done. :victorious:

Any ideas? Advice?

Re: Advantages/disadvantages of a tunnel hull

If you really wanted to you could do it, but why. If a tunnel was of any advantage on a bass boat they would all be tunnels, there are a few things a tunnel may do slightly better, but the trade off isn't typically worth it.

Re: Advantages/disadvantages of a tunnel hull

Tunnels are use specific for shallow water running like we have down here on the coast (Gulf of Mexico). They require specific amenities to achieve the desired result. I am just speculating having not had one but wishing I did when I fished down there. Seems they are hard to plane out without much transom to water surface area requiring a high HP engine to get up, then the engine would be required to sit lower in the water to get some clear water to run in and then sub standard performance when running across the bay to get home in a good chop. Seems a hydraulic jack plate would be a necessity to achieve both objectives.

If you are doing it just to be doing it, why worry. In reading sales brochures, the most successful seem to be with a curved (semicircle) top and vertical sides, not square/flat sides and top.

My 2c,
Mark