what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

[chumslinger]

i have been looking at boat plans for a future project, and have narrowed down my search to two boats. both are identical except one is v botton, other is flat bottom. the boat is a 19 foot cabin dory from beteau. i think that the flat bottom would be my choice for 2 reasons..ease of build, and much lower power requirements. i would love to hear your oppinions
thanks

 

[capt sam]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

flat bottoms can run skinnier but ride rough in a chop.

 

[crb478]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

pro very stable

con harsh ride in waves or chop

 

[scoutabout]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

What capt sam said. Don't under estimate the brutal pounding you will take in a chop with a flat-bottomed boat.

Also, I've heard that v bottom boats tend to roll more easily side to side while at rest when you are moving about the boat. This is probably a bigger deal for fishing, casting, etc.

So, while you are correct that flat bottoms generally require less power to push, there are some significant trade-offs, depending on the kind of water you have to contend with.

 

[Capt'n Chris]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

The flat bottomed dory is stable platform and has been used as long as fishermen have been fishing. It's a tried and true design and, of course, not until recent years, we tried to make 'em go fast in the same waters they are originally sailed or rowed. Yes, at speed in a chop, you're liable to bite your tongue or lose a tooth, but you can slow down. I use a flat-bottomed Carolina skiff, but watch my days for pleasure boating. A flat-bottom will bob while a V has tendency to roll. less power is generally a requirement on a flat bottomed boat, but the initial ooomph to get it on top can be a strain. Once planed, it takes less to push it than a V and performs well.

Captain Chris

 

[Adamf24]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

FWIW, my bowrider has a 12 degree deadrise (not exactly flat, but definitely not a v-bottom). Its very stable, great if you get motion sickness, but when the seas are even slightly choppy it's going to be a very rough ride. It's already got me considering a v-bottom boat because of all the pounding I'm experiencing with my boat

 

[chumslinger]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

i think i might have to reconsider going with the vbottom. i go out in the columbia river, and anyone who has been there knows, it can get a bit choppy, esspecially in the late afternoon when wind picks up. thanks for the helpfull info. it will definately help me make a more educated pick.

 

[chumslinger]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

went out today in the columbia in my p14 ...choppy water. my p14 has a very flat bottom, at least the last half anyways, and as soon as it would get on plane, it would SLAM on the chop. my wife wouldent let me go over 10 mph! i can only imagine a true flat bottom hull would be awfull on a day like today!!!! so as i see it my choices are 1) go with deep v hull, so i can cut thru chop, or 2) leave the wife at home

 

[MikDee]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

There are flat bottom boats, then there are semi-vee bottom boats, then there are V-bottom boats. Aside from Dory's, & rowboats (flat bottomed) most all other boats were semi-vee bottom boats (vee in the front, flat in the back), until around the mid-60's when the V-bottom, & deep vee bottom boats were patented. Which was fine on 18' and bigger boats, But, most builders would not make a 16' or smaller Vee bottom boat, because of problems with stability! Glastron was the first 16' vee bottom boat made soon after that, but was really tipsy side, to side, Most small boat builders stuck to the tried, & true, semi-vee boat design, for safety reasons. Around this time tri-hulls were designed as a compromise of a bit smoother riding, & more stability,,, A lot of builders jumped on this idea, as it works out quite well on small boat (under 16') design.

 

[chumslinger]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

sorry i should modify my last post. the boat i am looking at isnt a deep v, the web site says"45 degrees at the cutwater, and 10 degrees at the transom". i guess this would be a shallow modified v? the boat is the pilot 19 from www.bateau.com
also i should clarify that when i said the back half of my p14 was very flat, it does have a very very shallow v, but deep v up front.

 

[MikDee]

Re: what are the pros/cons of flat bottom boats

The Pilot 19 looks like a real nice design, but being a modified vee, it will still pound pretty hard in a chop, although less hard then the Harbor Master 19. You could say, the softest riding boat would be a deep vee, but in a chop, nothing is really soft riding Years ago, I sold a perfectly good boat because it was a shallow modified vee, and I couldn't take the pounding anymore in the Great South Bay, L.I. and bought a 20' deep vee SeaRay, it's been deep vee's for me ever since, even though they're a bit tipsy under 20'

Both of those boats appear to be shallow draft designs, which is a nice feature for running the flats.