Re-Design Hull

Hi All.
Recently purchased a 2014 Hurricane Fun-Deck ( Deck Boat with minimum Dead Rise, and very minor keel ), model 236.

This vessel will not handle, or "Track" in tidal, or medium current waters.
No solution from the factory, other then I should have been appraised by the dealer that Boat has it's limits when NOT ON A LAKE.

Since Carolina Skiffs handle so well that I would like to add a Keel. This would eliminate some of the SLIDE FACTOR the deck boat has.

A real nightmare parallel docking this boat in South Florida waters.

Any thought welcome.

Capt. Bob G

 

If the problem is with the current, a keel will increase the problem. Can you describe what is that you are trying to accomplish?

 

This boat WILL NOT respond to the helm in that a turn to either beam only succeeds in moving the WHOLE surface in the direction of steerage.

Boat does NOT " PIVOT" on it's AXIS due to no resistance from KEEL.

The best description of the problem is 4 sheets of plywood forming a surface of 8' X 24' with a motor at he rear. This boat basically free floats in low RPM Turning situations.

Bob

 

For those of us not familiar with this particular make and hull shape do you have any photos or drawings showing the overall craft but especially the underbody. I can relate here with my flat bottomed rowing dory with typical little bottom rocker. A shallow keel running into a tapered skeg from about midships to stern made big improvements in the conditions you describe. I.E. greatly improving directional as well as general "holding in place" characteristics. Photos and drawings give a visible base to work from and generate good feedback from forum members .

 

Handling of waves in open waters should have no bearing on the maneuverability at low speeds. No offense intended, but how much experience do you have in handling small outboard boats?
This is the boat: http://www.uniquemarine.com/Page.as...ails/2015-Hurricane-Fundeck-FD-236-WB-OB.aspx

 

I'm not an engineer but from experience looking at the craft in question it's a "water saucer", (alot of underwater area resulting in very shallow draft) ,relatively fast but on the skiddish side, not much can be done to change it's characteristics. Have you taken a look at the location of your cargo distribution. Too much weight forward will often create cranky handling.

P.S. apologize Gonzo, misread you post --Geo.

 

Welcome to the forum.

Boats shaped like this and most outboard or I/O powered craft in general, handle very poorly at low speed. It's the nature of the beast. Usually what happens is you're "hunting" with the steering wheel, with back a forth motions, trying to "catch up" with what the boat is doing. This is pretty much normal for a boat like that. Deck boats are best in fair weather and relatively calm conditions, up on plane. If the boat is off plane and/or in rough conditions, she'll dance around, seemingly uncontrollably at times.

More direction control can be had with a skeg, though it will be of limited ability at low speeds, it'll help. Deck boats are designed to offer a lot of interior volume and "parked" stability. The result of the design choices make a boat with lots of elbow room, but not the best handling, especially in contrary wind, current, chop, low speed, etc.

 

Now why can't this old fisherman's son express in such detail and clarity. Well stated ---Geo.

 

If it were me I would consider adding two wedge shapped skags, about half way back and near the outside edge on both sides, and than also put two rudders, one right behind each of the skags at the rear of the boat, linked together with a tie rod. Make the rudders as large as feasable/practical to give you good control power at low speeds.

That way no matter the loading, boat trim, or current conditions you will have better purchase on the water for low speed maneuvers.

To test it out you can make some inexpensive plywood appendages and temporarily attach them to see if it helps (I am sure it will), and than decided if the effort is worth the improvement to make attractive and more permanent skags and rudders.

 

Yeah, that sure looks like a lake critter.

Got a laugh out of the typo "drafting less than 16' fully loaded and room for 12."

... one would sure hope so.

 

Slow speed maneuvering with a relatively short wide boat is always a problem especially when docking on a river with a constantly moving current. My homemade boat is 12' long and 6' wide and I'm not the greatest boat captain. The best solution I have found for this is a bow mounted trolling motor with electric steer such as a Minn Kota power drive. I have a 55# thrust on the bow of my boat and I can turn it around in its own length and it really makes it easy docking and getting in and out of the slips and saves a lot of wear and tear on the outboards gear box. I've also added relays to make the trolling motor reversible and a spinner on the boats steering wheel.

 

You hit the proverbial Nail on the head with the term " Hunting ".
In my youth ( long ago ) we fooled around with Garvey's. The ONLY control from those hulls was thru Skegs which we fastened to the Flat Bottoms.
Would you have a Skeg Design in mind for my " Retirement Boat ".

If so, I would gladly purchase same from you.

Thank's !

Capt. R J Gilligan
Retired 100 Ton Master
b4194@embarqmail.com

 

Defeats me that is should respond to the helm by "crabbing", seems impossible with an outboard doing the steering.

 

Skegs can help, but the problems associated with these conditions are basically two fold, flow and hull shape. The hull shape can't be changed much and the flow is going to be too slow to be very effective with maneuvering. I've had some success with twin skegs on a few of my semi displacement designs. Their placement is pretty important, or they tend to starve or vent the prop in turns. Their shape also helps to a modest degree. Contact me though email (click on my icon) and we'll discuss some options, if you'd like.

 

You wouldn't think it but the aftermarket cav plates help a ton around the dock. I added one to my flat bottom tunnel to help blowout in turns, might have helped a bit there but really helped a lot maneuvering around a dock. I used the shaw wing but you might want to also check on the orca fin or something like that