new vexus ave 181

[maxo]

Just took my new boat out for a break in period. The boat is pretty much loaded with all options. I was extremely pleased with everything but the draft, only 14 inches. I have a 60hp Mercury command thrust. It gets on plane very easy and very smooth, almost instant. It rides in rough water much better than I expected, better than the rt 178 I traded in. Top speed is only 30mph but that was about what I expected. Since Vexus moved the gas tank forward and I choose a 260 pound motor I really expected a shallower draft, can anyone explain to me why this boat doesn't sit in the water shallower.

[Bill Reynolds]

It is probably the pad hull. The hull shape leading forward from the pad narrows into a high dead rise so it does does not have a lot of surface area contacting the water in the back.
As a comparison, my RT188 ( essentially a flat bottom) drafts 8 inches whereas a 198P drafts 12. I know this is not an apples to apples comparison, but the 188P was not in production when these measurements were taken.

[maxo]

Thanks Bill, it is a pad hull, probably why it performs so well.

[Uncle Jesse]

This is the reason I don't want a pad hull. There's a few places on my local lake that I go through regularly that my RT188 touches bottom