Boat Surveyors Fort Myers – Which Fishing Boat Should You Buy?

You are probably reading this post because you are in the market for a fishing boat. You are not the only one asking this question and the good news is there is help available. However, before you make any decision on any promising fishing vessel, you need to involve experienced boat surveyors Fort Myers trusts. The role of a boat surveyor is to perform a thorough inspection of a boat and determine if it is a good fit for the intended purpose. In this post, however, we will be looking at the best boats for fishing.

Displacement and a semi-displacement hull

This type of hull is designed to push through the water as the boat powers forward. The design creates a huge amount of drag and as a result limits speed. The equation used to calculate maximum speed is 1.34 multiplied by the square root of the waterline length. If you go for a boat that has a 16-foot hull and a square root of 4, the maximum speed will be 4 multiplied by 1.34 which leads to a maximum speed of 5.36 knots. A bigger engine will not do much in increasing the top speed but rather reduces stability. You should, however, let boat surveyors Fort Myers trusts make sure the engine and hull are in perfect condition.

If what you need is a slow-moving fishing boat, the displacement and semi-displacement hull will be a good choice. The main boats in this category are the trawlers and tugs. These boats are fuel efficient and able to cope in rough waters. Semi-displacement hulls are more modern boat designs. The increase boat speed by flattening the rear section of the hull.

Planing Hull

These types of fishing boats rise up and skim or ‘plane’ over the water after attaining enough speed. They need a powerful engine and the hull is made of lightweight materials. The boat design has a V-shaped section at the bow which helps the hull to cut easily through the water. These boats can attain speeds of up to 15 knots. The shallow draft makes these boat ideal for fishing in rivers and small lakes. They offer a smooth ride on rough waters. They can, however, bank or roll in sharp turns.

Cathedral or Semi-Cathedral Hulls 

This is a variation of the planing hull design. They have a deep V-shape that runs along the center with smaller V-shaped sections on either side. This design creates three keels. The design is ideal if you need a stable boat that can move at great speeds. The boats are ideal for beach launching because they sit upright when they are grounded. The main drawback is these boats are quite fuel-thirsty when driven slowly. They are also not perfect on rough waters. The semi-cathedral hull counters the flaws of the cathedral hull fishing boat. It is, however, important to note that semi-cathedral hulls are less stable than cathedral hulls.

Boat Surveyors Fort Myers