Hey guys,

I am having a local custom boat builder make a boat, but we have a question. The design we came up with is a tapered chine. We are considering going with a square chine instead. I have read a lot about square chine boats being a pain. How bad is the slide with one of these? I know that you have to back off the throttle going into the turn with one. Will adding a couple runners help?

Prolly half as bad as a square chined boat...

What size boat?

It is a 1848

Don't be skeered! Go square and learn to drive it!

depending on how much weight (as in material) is in the back of the boat some tapered chines draft ALOT more then others...my old PD 1748 drafted very closely to same amount as a square chine boat...my new one phowler 1848 tapered chine drafts ALOT of water and only thing I know that's different is long shaft motor and tall transom that would have added any more material in the boat

Tapered chine will still slide at good amount of speed to full speed in deep water and they all slide in shallow water and on mud

Next boat i get will have sqaure chine for less water draft and if I gotta slow down for a curve in deep water then so be it

I think we'll make it a square chine then. I really have nothing to loose but I dont want to give it back to them after they spent the resources to make it. I have a feeling that I will be able to get it used to it. Ill let you know in a couple weeks.

Who is the boat builder?

Where in the west? Sounds interesting.

one big factor that i think about is where will I be running the most

On area I hunt goes from deep water to knee deep to ankle deep QUICK when you're on plane you would never really know it changes depth that quick until you stop

Like I said my other boat in this same area would get within 30 yards or so of the edge of the water when floating without any person in it and gear towards the front and walking the boat

boat i have now drafts tons more water and probably can only make 70 yards from the edge of the water and thats a big MAYBE probably closer to 100 yards or so

That is all because its straight sandy bottom and the @$$ of the boat is draggin by then

If you're gonna be in those situations ALOT go square

If you're not gonna be in those type of situations very often or at all but will be in places you need to be able to turn little quicker and once you stop and the water draft isnt a problem then go tapered

Also depending on the width of the boat makes the draft difference on a tepered chine and makes how bad it slides with a square chine

If you go 1848 square chine and the sides dont have alot of angle out then you can still turn just not at FULL SPEED and they all slide in shallow water or across mud

Get a square chine, after you push it off the bank a couple of times, youll learn to drive it!

They arent that bad!!

Thanks agian. I figured it would be ok. I made the call, and it should be done in a couple of weeks.

Post up some pics when you get it finished!

Put it this way. There are plenty flat bottom boats with square chines with 90hp+ outboards on them. If it wasn't contolable it would be illegal. If you are shallow enough to feel the boat rise then there is no chine that will help u. In deep water if you turn hard and feel it starting to slide just let off a little. Or bend your trim tab down putting more of the boat in the water and u shouldn't have a problem.