I am in the market for a flats boat. This will be my first boat and I need a little help. i am looking at quite a few boats, all in Fla. The one I am looking at says it has a modified Vee hull. While I understand what that is, how will this work on the flats? Will I be giving up a lot regarding how skinny I can get?? Thanks for the help!
it should improve performance while running and decrease performance while shallow water fishing…
Newman
www.gtownkingfisher.com
The cardinal rule of purchasing a fishing boat is that you want to focus on what you will be doing 80-90% of the time with it. While one aspect of a boat will be very beneficial to some aspects of fishing it will detract from another aspect.
Things to consider:
-Do you really need to get all that skinny?
-Do you cross any open bays/harbors/big rivers to get to fishing grounds, routinely?
-How many ppl do you generally take with you?
-Do you require the ability to carry more than shrimp/crabs/mudders.
These are just a few considerations. Every boat is a compromise in some way or another.
What boats are ya lookin at? We can help you with what they will likely draw, real world, and how they ride.
Some flats boats designed for parts of Florida or Texas are made to run in a few inches of water, e.g tunnel hulls, jack plates, etc. Those places have a tidal range of a few feet or less and have very large flats so it makes sense to run shallow. In Charleston, where we have an average tidal range of 5-6 feet, it doesn’t make as much sense to risk running in inches. There are very few places here that you can’t get near with a regular boat. It still helps to have a boat that will float and pole shallow but you’re asking for it if you regularly run in super shallow water. Don’t get carried away with trying to run or even float in 4-5 inches. It isn’t that crucial here and you sacrifice a smoother ride out to the jetties and such.
Look at the dead rise at the transom of the boat instead of the bow. The more angle, the smoother the ride in chop but the more depth required to pole it. Also the flatter the bottom, the less well it tracks. While you may be able to go in shallower water, it’s like poling a sheet of plywood that has no preference for moving bow first.
Also look at how the boat sits in the water. I prefer a boat that sits level in the water, at rest. Some boats sit with a high bow. That catches a lot of wind and makes poling more difficult in any head wind.
Thanks for the help guys, I am looking at a 1999 Flats and Bay flats boat with a 99 Yamaha 60 2 stroke. My price range is not too high as I am in Grad school, Guy selling it seems to be “well off” has 3 boats and is very laid back lives on a lake in Fla, doesn’t seem desperate to sell like others I have contacted. Garage kept has a auto trim, live well, lots of storage a Wang Anchor setup, polling platform, 55 lbs trolling motor with inboard charger and A new 160Watt clarion soundsystem? Sort of has a floating steering setup side console. I like looks of the boat,
If it swims throw a fly at it!