Question for fiberglass bass boat owners.

I was just curious how these boats handle in rough river water. For example, we have a 17′ Deep V Lund w/ 90 h.p. motor and ran into some really big waves on the main channel yesterday during heavy boat traffic. Now, we slowed down and KABOOM! we’d pound off those big swells (perhaps we could have gone faster, but we’re not too sure of the boats capabilities!). Anyway, do bass boats just skim off the top of big waves or do you slow down and just crash thru them like others or what?

Ive been in a LOT of different boats….. some handle waves better than others… but Ive never yet found one I enjoyed taking a beating in…… and chop generated by boat traffic is so eratic that it hits you from all directions…. some BIG some not so big…. Ive been with guys that could do 74 mph in their rigs and I swear they were trying to kill us….. we went air borne plenty of times…. and when you come down, even with a “buffered” pedestal seat you still FEEL it…. but the boats seem to take it…. beats the crud out of your stuff inside the boat though….

so basically unless you have a REALLY big boat your going to slow down at least SOME….. or you WILL suffer!

just my opinion….

Kinda what I was thinking, but I didn’t know…we met several of the fishermen in the Everstart tourney last month and I heard comments like, “nothing touches the water but the prop!” Wow…it must be quite a ride…our boat does 40 and that’s plenty for me, but someday, ya never know what I’ll be driving!!

I run a fiberglass boat on the river and hate taking a pounding, so I slow down. I think the boat handles the rough water fine. Top end on it is only 52 so I keep a little more then prop in the water. I will tell you you had better have everything secured when you try to handle rough water at even that speed. The physics of it dictates that what goes up must come down. But it all doesn’t come down at the same time. Besides I have sort of out grown the thrills of rollercoasters

I just get faster on rough water up to about 2 foot chop. more air under the hull = less resistance = faster speed (does needs more driving skill) The larger boat (21 ft Stroker) definitly helps. After ~2 .5 ft waves I have to slow down, or take off my dress, batten down my purse and drive. Tourney day I will go on some rides that would scare most. (The race is part of the fun). Boat chop is much different. Hitting tuna Waves at 84 miles per hour is not safe or predictable. I slow down to mid 50’s through normal heavy boat traffic, keep the motor trimmed down, and am ready to let off the foot throttle at any moment. Give me some even wind chop or a single boat wake, My throttle never comes off full.

LOL! Jedsall,

I didn’t realize that savvy driving required the removal of garments! LOL! What a visual………………LOL! And may I suggest you refer to your “purse” as a tackle box? Should help keep you out of trouble! LMAO!