1454 deep v or a 1654 flat bottom?

Hi, i have a 1654 flat bottom john and a 1454 deep v bottom john. Im trying to figure out which one is best to use and ill be selling the other. I will be out in rivers more often than lakes and sometimes will enocunter rough water so which one should i go with im planning on decking it and all?

also which would be more stable?

The flat will be more stable, but the V may help deflect off rocks better. I'm not a river guy, so I hope they will chime in for ya. Do you have pics of the rigs? Is the V a true V-Hull or a modified V?

yea let me get some pics up

V bottom

Flat bottom

I like the flat. Should draft quite a bit less than the V and be more stable so long as you're not in the habit of ramming boulders above the waterline. :lol:

Brine said:

I like the flat. Should draft quite a bit less than the V and be more stable so long as you're not in the habit of ramming boulders above the waterline. :lol:

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lol yea i might of got you guys thinking about the wrong type of river. The River i'm talking about is the potomac. Its basically a small ocean not like a shallow rocky river most of the potomac is over 20 ft deep.

Ah, a lower Potomac guy. Come up here in the hills brother and I'll show you some shallow Potomac water.

For that water (below DC right?) I'd look for a 18-20' glass bowrider big bass boat and not even bother with a tin boat. I spent two years stationed at Dahlgren VA next to the 301 bridge, water was salty and could be very choppy there.

Should be tons of good boats down there for cheap.

Jamie

I'd go with the Deep V. It will be more stable in waves, wind, and general movement within the boat.
The flat bottom boat is deisgned for shallow water and small bodies of water. Basically a step up from a canoe.

The Mod V is between a Deep V and flat bottom, most smaller craft are Mod V boats. Taht V provides a lot of stability in all types of conditions, the downside is limited use in shallow water, thats where the flat bottom shines.

I would take the flat bottom hands down.

From what I can tell by looken, the flat bottom ain't a flat-flat bottom but a mod-V. With that in mind, I'd go with the flat bottom. It will still cut the water somewhat and be stable to stand in and fish out of. You will have to be carefull of water conditions when you fish. Stay close to shore if it starts to get rough or calls for bad weather. In flat calm you'll be OK. Find water around your area more suited to your boat is the best thing.

Well.....you're right, it wasn't the kind of river fishing I had in mind. If their is alot of chop on the water like Ranchero said, I'd pick the V-hull over the flat. Doesn't sound like the safest condition to be sitting on top of a decked out flat bottom.

I'd also go with Ranchero's suggestion on finding a new hull. If you got rid of both tins, you'd probably have all the $ to buy the right boat for the condition.

Because I fish a lot of small electric only reservoirs, I am naturally drawn to the flat bottom, but I don't doubt it could be the wrong option on a big river.

Choose carefully Grasshopper.... :?

Ranchero50 said:

Ah, a lower Potomac guy. Come up here in the hills brother and I'll show you some shallow Potomac water.

For that water (below DC right?) I'd look for a 18-20' glass bowrider big bass boat and not even bother with a tin boat. I spent two years stationed at Dahlgren VA next to the 301 bridge, water was salty and could be very choppy there.

Should be tons of good boats down there for cheap.

Jamie

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Yea i fish anywhere from namini up to the 301 bridge If i spelled namini right lol but i think you will no what im talking about. So you think i should go with a 18-20' glass bowrider? just looking around :mrgreen:

And one more thing guys, if i were to take the suggestions and by a new boat what should i sell each of these around. Just looking for general prices ill clean em up good and jb weld anything thats looking bad.

You know, it all depends on what you're fishing for. There's tons of creeks and marshy spots down there that a light flatbottom would work wonders for. The creek behind the naval base is awesome, like a highway that goes back a bout a half mile then opens up into a lake with a house on the island in the middle. Good ski water but I never tried to fish it. On the main water I'd want something bigger, 20-24'.

I was down there when they were still test firing the 16" battleship guns. I think the range was around 30 miles downriver. That's a lot of room for water to back up and get choppy when the wind is wrong. A buddy had a new 18' bowrider with a 302 engine and it was a fun boat. He would ski behind it for miles in a straight line on calm days.

Jamie

It depends what sort of water you are in and what your looking for in the boat. Ive fished out of a flat bottom my whole life in the mississippi delta with the rise and fall of water and fast moving mississippi river as well. Then ive fished down here in florida in my flat bottom for the marshes so it depends what your looking for. I also have a 32 rabolo express boat for off shore fishing but I love the flat bottoms. I had a v boat but didnt like it. Get what you think is right! Good luck

And the price for those boats. Id say 200-250 is reasonable if you want them sold pretty fast and dont have a trailer for them each.

thanks for the responses, i mean ill be doing some lake stuff but also my dad has a 20 foot fiberglass that we troll for striper and bottom fish for cats perch and croaker its alot of fun just looking for something smaller i can take out.