Transom sponsons/flotation pods - on a V hull?

You can look at all my work by following the link under my signature. I have pretty much finished working on this boat, except for two things:
1) I beach a lot on gravel bars and rocky shores. I have purchased a hull/keel protector from Cabelas and will install this coming weekend if it's warm enough.

2) My transom rides pretty low, even though I have moved a decent amount of weight further up in the boat. There's not a whole lot of freeboard back there if I walk back to lift the motor for shallow riding (Well, I guess a hydraulic tilt/trim would be another future project... it never ends does it?). When the boat is on plane, the back still rides pretty low, even though I have installed a hydrofoil on my motor. The hydrofoil helped out a TON on porpoising and gets me on plane a little faster, but I'm looking for a better solution...

I fish in really shallow rivers sometimes and would also like to help my shallow drafting. I am seriously considering flotation pods, and I see that you can even get them online now https://www.boydwelding.com/category/products/float-pods

Here's my big question --- I do not have a totally flat bottom, like a jon boat. It is a semi-V I guess. Here's the only picture I had handy that would sort of show this on the transom:

Would I have to get a custom pod to precisely follow the contours of the hull's bottom? Or could I bolt/weld just the standard boxy transom pod onto my boat?

1. You have the wrong type of boat for shallow river running.

2. Your boat doesn't have enough beam for the weight of your motor, that's why it rides low in the water and is porpoising. Your boat is overpowered.

3. Your transom probably won't support that motor and floatation pods too, you'll probably get away with it for a little while... but eventually something is going to break.

4. Be glad you run shallow rivers, because if your hull is ever breached that boat will sink like a rock.

jigngrub said:

1. You have the wrong type of boat for shallow river running.

2. Your boat doesn't have enough beam for the weight of your motor, that's why it rides low in the water and is porpoising. Your boat is overpowered.

3. Your transom probably won't support that motor and floatation pods too, you'll probably get away with it for a little while... but eventually something is going to break.

4. Be glad you run shallow rivers, because if your hull is ever breached that boat will sink like a rock.

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Response:
1. So far, it has gone everywhere my old 14' flat bottom jon went in the 5+ years I had it. Yes, it does draft a few inches deeper, but unless you're talking about tunnel hulls and jet outboards, I'm not sure that 3-4" is gonna make that much difference. So far it has not.

2. I don't know what you mean by this. The coast guard plate on the boat says it is rated for a 40HP. When I got it, the boat had a 40HP Evinrude that had been on it 30+ years. I weighed my new motor versus the old one and the difference was barely 25-30 pounds. Am I missing something? I am using the horsepower the boat is rated for and that has been on it for decades. Not trying to be a smart @ss, because you are making some frightening statements and I just want to be safe.

3. What would the addition of pods at the bottom of the transom have to do with the motor mounted to the top? Again, I just didn't understand the ominous point you were making.

4. I also cruise the Ohio and Kentucky rivers, which range up to 35-50 feet deep in spots. So, I'm not always scooting around in 2 or 3 feet of water. Are there aluminum boats that won't sink like a rock if the hull is breached? Does it depend on how much interior flotation is built into the boat? This boat has it under the false floor, and in the bench seats. Not a lot, for sure, but I haven't seen too many aluminum boats with tons of flotation built in.

Also, I might start another thread on this, but what would be the pros/cons of the flotation pods as opposed to something like Smart Tabs?

I see a lot of praise for smart tabs and it certainly sounds like an easier/cheaper install and a good choice to get me up on plane faster and cruising more level.

I guess that's what I'm seeking when it's all said and done.

Have seen a lot of positive things about Smart Tabs here and on other sites.

Any opinions?

smart tabs are great, the only thing i would say is that when you beach on those rivers, you would have the be careful pushing the boat back into the river. they do hang down below the back of the transom, and they will dig in when pushing the boat backwards in water too shallow. i fish shallow in the lower laguna madre south texas; i have had to spin the boat around to get off of sand bars when i have run aground on low tides.
i too have considered the floatation pods and am planning on putting some on this year, from the same site, by the way. i have talked the them on the phone, they are really nice guys. they will tell you to send pics and measurments. by the way, i have a 15 ft 44 in. g3 aluminum.
i hope this helps, thanks, steve.

bluegrasser said:

Also, I might start another thread on this, but what would be the pros/cons of the flotation pods as opposed to something like Smart Tabs?

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The smart tabs, while they are an excellent product, aren't going to provide any buoyancy at rest, so if that is a concern of yours, you should probably consider the pods.