People bottoms come in many shapes and sizes, much like the bottoms of boats. Boat bottoms are seldom seen, unlike some people bottoms that we wish we didn’t have to see. Of course there are some people who have lovely bottoms (Jennifer Lopez comes to my mind), but I digress.
Deep Vee
Nothing is better than a deep vee when running into a head sea, but drifting through a rip will have all hands holding on for dear life. Most deep vee hulls have chines that are supposed to soften this motion. A good deep vee hull will have a sharp entry that will follow all the way to the stern, ending somewhere around 24 degrees. The sharp entry will cut the waves, and the deep vee bottom will continue slicing the water all the way aft.
If it does occasionally find a big wave with no back, and the boat launches into the air, reentry will be as soft as possible because the deep vee hull will slice the water instead of hitting it and coming to a sudden stop.
But a deep vee hull is an expensive mistress. She costs more to build because there is more fiberglass in the hull, and that added weight along with the fact that deep vee hulls sit low in the water will require more horsepower to get up on plane and more fuel to stay there.
Modified Vee
My 16-foot Starcraft has a modified vee bottom, so it rides reasonably well in a small head sea, yet is stable at rest or when drifting.
There are an awful lot of modified vee hulls on the market because most boaters don’t run for hours in the open ocean before putting a line in the water. The same sized modified vee runs with a smaller motor and uses less fuel while providing a more stable platform than a deep vee. It is the best hull type for those who use their boats for fishing, skiing, family cruises, or just rafting up for the weekend.
Stepped Hull
A stepped hull boat has three sections separated by steps that run across the bottom. This separates the hull into three planning surfaces, making the boat plane faster and use less fuel when running than a deep vee hull. It won’t have quite the same wave cutting ability as a deep vee, but in many cases the tradeoff is hardly noticeable.
Stepped hulls are perfect for fishing bays where the largest waves seldom exceed three or four feet.
Flat Bottom
Flat bottom hulls are exactly that: flat. They should never be seen in open water because when encountering large waves the bow will lift, the stern will squat, and the boat will sink.
This is not to say flat bottom boats have no use. Carolina Skiffs are very popular with commercial and recreational fishermen, while Jon boats may be found on ponds and rivers doing Youmans work as fishing and hunting platforms.
A flat bottom boat can carry a lot of weight for its size. You will see them loaded down with crab pots, and I have seen 24-footers ferry cars and small trucks. They are as stable as a rock.
Running a flat bottom boat does require a bit of practice. They don’t exactly turn on a dime. Since so little boat is in the water, a turn is more of a slide. Chop the throttle before trying to turn to sink the stern and give the boat something to bite in the water. Maintain a slower speed and give yourself as much turning room as possible.
Catamarans
While deep vees are my favorite hull type, the catamaran is my least favorite. While the hull is extremely stable at rest or while drifting it leaves a great deal to be desired when running.
When running in a head sea I will admit the hull has a soft entry. The reason for this is the air pocket trapped between the two hulls. When the air does blow out, it brings a lot of water with it, soaking everyone on board. The effect is a bit less in a beam sea since the wind carries some of the water off to the side.
Tri Hulls
The tri hull is a little like a catamaran with three rather than two planing hulls. These hulls are very popular on lakes and rivers, where big waves are seldom seen, and the boat owner wants lots of interior room and great stability. Unlike a catamaran, the tri-hull will run with a single engine.
Choose Wisely
It may be a good idea to list all the things you plan to do with the new boat, then arrange them in order of importance. Once you have good idea what you will be using the boat, pick the hull type best suited for that purpose.
by Eric Burnley