Deep V Aluminum Boat

[big_o_tom]

I have an idea on a boat and wanted to run it by the bbc crew.
Backstory first, I bought a 1448 jon boat a few years ago mainly to use when I went to Florida on vacation. I have used it on 5 trips and at home in the river some.
For how I fish there, the boat has done an awesome job except when the wind kicks up and waves start to grow. I fish fairly shallow in the bay and sometimes real shallow at home in the river.
My idea is to get a used deep v like a Starcraft or Bluefin and rebuild it as light as possible and maybe put a tunnel in it.
So, do any of you guy's have any experience with these kind of boat's?
Can I put a jack plate on it and run the prop shaft even with the pad when I'm in shallow water?
On average, these boat's are quite a bit lighter than their fiberglass counterparts, right?

[BP in ME]

Deep V and shallow water are a bad combination IMO. Maybe a mod V or a straight tunnel hull would be better

[big_o_tom]

The shallow water in Florida would be 2 to 3 feet deep. I have looked at these boats and looked at them, my Allison has a deeper v than any aluminum boat I've seen and the Starcrafts that I have seen in the water float fairly high.
I'm not thinking that they'll be the best shallow water boat, just hoping they can get into the shallow stuff a few times a year.

[BP in ME]

The shallow water in Florida would be 2 to 3 feet deep. I have looked at these boats and looked at them, my Allison has a deeper v than any aluminum boat I've seen and the Starcrafts that I have seen in the water float fairly high.
I'm not thinking that they'll be the best shallow water boat, just hoping they can get into the shallow stuff a few times a year.

Oh, I don't consider 2-3' to be super shallow but I still don't like running my motor at that depth. My mod V Eagle 185 with a 90hp draws a little less than a foot floating. It's not the best saltwater rig but it's a lot more seaworthy than a 14' jon. Have you looked into a Carolina, Triumph, etc. that are designed for what you are looking to do or are you trying to do it on a shoestring budget?

[lightningmusky]

My Alumacraft 1675 dominator does fairly well in shallow water. The larger the size generally the deeper they are. I would stay with a Lund or Alumacraft because they are generally double plated up front. The only thing is you won’t bounce off of rocks or stumps because the shape is rounded not flat like you have now.

[big_o_tom]

I guess what I'm asking is, just how shallow does a deep v draft? And do you think you could run a deep v at about 0 prop to pad?

[I fish 4 Bass]

Yes. But each hull and each outboard is specific. The choice is yours

[Bueller]

Like the OP, I have a 1448 that works great on rivers and lakes when it’s flat calm, and I’ve ran it or 20 years. . However, put a 6 inch chop on the water and it will beat you to death. So, I just bought a used Lund 1470 with a 30 horse 4 stroke Merc and I’m going to sell the 1448. In summary, the 1448 is great for a very narrow range of fishing and hunting pursuits.

[BP in ME]

I guess what I'm asking is, just how shallow does a deep v draft? And do you think you could run a deep v at about 0 prop to pad?

I fished out of a 14' Lund-type a lot with my dad when I was a teen. Your draft will depend on how the boat is loaded. Two guys and a balanced load would draft quite a bit more than one guy in the stern with a 6hp tiller. To answer your prop to pad question: I think you're fighting an uphill battle there. You might be able to accomplish what you want with a jackplate set-up but you could also just get a jet outboard designed for skinny water and near zero draft. You'll give up some in the HP to thrust ratio with a jet but I suspect you'll be running into problems with cavitation trying to run a prop too near the surface without a tunnel hull. Maybe someone will be along to tell me I'm all wet but that's my take

[BassVoodoo]

I own a 16.5 Crestliner fishhawk and it will draft in inches of water with 2 guys and gear. the motor is trimmed up but still navigable.

[Fireball]

That's all I have ever owned is aluminum "V" bottom boats. But let's clear up one thing first. 99% of these boats are really modified "V" boats not deep V boats like almost everyone seems to refer to.

A modified V boat starts out at the bow with a nice V (Some more than others) but then the bottom of that vessel is pretty much flat. This boat design will get up on the water and plane out without a problem unless way under powered.

A true DEEP V boat has that "V" going pretty much throughout that vessel and then flatting out near the transom area.

If the boat is a true Deep V then it wouldn't plane out on top of the water. Most commercial fishing vessels like on the Great Lakes are Deep V to cut thru a lot of huge waves most of the time.

Get yourself a 16" aluminum boat from the north that hasn't been used, abuse and put away wet. It will float in shallow water, like 18" without a problem unless you overload it with huge fishermen and stuff. A 50 hp outboard and you will have just what you want. BTW I would never put a jack plate on any aluminum boat.

[Treker47]

Watch up "DAS boat" on the cable and look to see what you can do with it.

[Driftless]

I have a 1548 G3 mod V with a 25 HP Yamaha that I decked out to make a "bass flat" it floats extremely shallow and is my river and tiny lake/backwoods boat. It blows around about as bad as an empty pop can.

My dad has a 1682 Ranger w/ 90 HP four stroke that I have used for a fair amount of tournaments when between bass boats. It is heavy and thus fishes pretty good in the wind (I have had it on Lake Michigan and on the shallow Miss river). It doesn't fish as good as a bass boat in the wind as its 16 T with high gunnels but it handles BIG water better as you can run 10 MPH bow in the air and ride the waves.

the 1682 does surprisingly well in shallow water I could get it anywhere I could get my bass boat on shallow backwaters (on plane and off plane) and the quick holeshot let me get up on plane easier in shallow areas. To add to that my friend has a lund pro v bass and its actually a phenomenal shallow water and river boat. it does better than any glass boat I have had and the low gunnel deck is really nice as opposed to my Dads Ranger. both will run in under 2 FT of water on plane.

I do not think a tunnel hull will work on a V hull but a jackplate certainly would. If you are needing a tunnel hull to run inches of water a flat bottom/mod v style boat is the answer.

[CastingCall]

That's all I have ever owned is aluminum "V" bottom boats. But let's clear up one thing first. 99% of these boats are really modified "V" boats not deep V boats like almost everyone seems to refer to.

A modified V boat starts out at the bow with a nice V (Some more than others) but then the bottom of that vessel is pretty much flat. This boat design will get up on the water and plane out without a problem unless way under powered.

A true DEEP V boat has that "V" going pretty much throughout that vessel and then flatting out near the transom area.

What you are describing is variable deadrise... most modern aluminum "deep vee" hulls fall into this category, unless they have a true flat bottom with rounded chines at the stern.

For the OP, you could look at adding float pods on the transom to increase surface area and buoyancy at the stern.
Example: https://www.explorebeavertail.com/pr...on-pods-small/

[big_o_tom]

Yeah the bottom on these boat is really a mod v like mentioned above. From the replies I think an 18 Starcraft would do fine in the shallower water. May have to just trim the motor up and idle in shallows but thats ok. I do think a tunnel would work since there is really not much difference in the Starcraft vs my Crestliner in the "pad" area.

[lightningmusky]

My draft is approx 12-14 inches depending on how many people and gear. Boat is listed at 11.81 inches.

[JTN]

I guess what I'm asking is, just how shallow does a deep v draft? And do you think you could run a deep v at about 0 prop to pad?

Ive got a 2005 20' Lund fisherman with a DF200 V6 zuk and a DF9.9 kicker that I tie to our dock, you can seen the water line in the back on the gray about 6" down from the green.image.jpeg

[getfished]

I might be all wet but IMO pretty much all boats glass or tin are going to draft 18". After that it will vary boat to boat and load to load.

[Moonlighter]

Not a US boat of course, but my Surtees Workmate is a 18ft solid plate aluminium boat (4mm 5083 grade) that runs an 18 deg V all the way to the transom.

It has a flooding keel - when the boat stops, the keel floods and the boat settles onto its chines for great stability. As soon as you accelerate the water rushes out the back so you jettison that extra weight. But - it has a flap that covers the exit and can be closed - to either keep the water out, or keep it in. Out for when you need shallower draft, in for when conditions are rough and some extra weight down low helps the ride.

Some more info that might help:

https://www.surteesboats.com/why-sur...es-difference/

[Rich1]

A "deep vee" boat is a displacement hull, think big boats, yachts etc. All the Lunds etc I have ever seen are modified Vee they do plane and run as shallow as your 21foot hydroblaster.