Conference vicki::boats

    I have my boat in the water in York Me. and I see a lot of Easterns out
    bluefishing. Easterns use the DownEast hull design which is also the
    lobster boat hull. It's not a planing hull and won't break any speed
    records but it's a proven design. Most people that have them, like them
    alot. They do rock a bit more due to the rounded hull design. I think
    there made in or around Dover N.H. I was looking at a 22 foot version
    earlier this year but desided not to buy at this time due the uncertain
    conditions we work in.
    
    If the price is good, go for it
    Jim

    Thanks.
    
    I believe the price is good - start at $7,000 for very clean boat,
    motor, and trailer.  Owner is eager to sell to pursue distress sale
    of larger boat he has his eye on..
    
    I'm interested in your comment about "rock a bit more".  I had thought
    a traditional hull to have an easier motion than the fast, planing
    designs like Whalers.  I'm very interested, because I'm planning
    to buy a boat for the same purpose next fall - trailerable, bass,
    blues, occasionally cod -  built for fishing on the ocean.  Flat
    water speed is less important than ability to move through chop,
    offer some protection from the elements, extend the season.
    
    I was thinking the traditional hulls have been developed to handle
    work on the sea and the planing hulls for racing, skiing, pleasure
    boating.  My pleasure is the fishing, so I want a boat that gets
    you there, gets you back, and doesn't wear you out more than necessary.
    
    Any advice from the experienced boaters on the hull-styles or builders
    I should be learning about?  I'm thinking 20' or 22'.
    
    Thanks  
    
    Jack

The Easterns are similar in hull shape to a Jonesport or Novi lobster 
boat, smaller of course.  That generally means a plumb stem, very sharp 
entry (even hollow entries on the Jonesport style), and flat by the stern,
which is how they plane if equipped with enough power.  (I've driven an
Eastern 19 with a Tohatsu 55 in amny different conditions; it will
certainly plane with 60hp, but it's not fast; <30 kts, maybe only 25.) 

The new Whalers and some other brands offer deep-vee hulls, most of them 
so-called "constant deadrise," meaning the angle of the vee at the keel is 
the same for the whole length.  (Some of the latest small boat designs are 
experimenting with variable deadrise.)  This means they do not have flat 
stern sections, and are more inclined to be laterally unstable until the 
chine (bottom-to-topside sharp angle) is mostly immersed; some immerse the 
chine as a design feature, just to add this static stability.  Deep vees
are well-proven for their sea-keeping abilities -- ask any Bertram owner.
They take more power to plane at the same speed than the Jonesport/Novi
for a given size/weight, but at the upper ranges will pound less. 

If you want ruggedness, traditional looks, won't be spending time trying 
to go fast in rough waters, then you may find the Eastern is ideal.  It's 
a solid boat at a good price (especially if you compare to a new Whaler!!)
But if speed over the bottom regardless of conditions is important, 
consider a well-built deep-vee.  

Bottom line:  Test drive each at speed in choppy conditions.  You'll
experience the difference in ride quite clearly. 

J.

	There are many books written about hull designs so I don't 
know how far we can get into it here but basically your choices are 
deep vee, modified-vee, displacement and semi-displacement. 
There are others like shallow vee, tri-hull (cathedral), catamaran etc. 
but lets not get into them.
	As with most designs you are looking at a series of trade offs.
With planing hulled boats the trade offs are speed/economy vs dynamic 
stability and static stability vs dynamic stability. The displacement 
hull gives away the speed and static stability but is very seaworthy. 
I'll summarize below:

	Deep Vee - Aquasport 22' (my boat), Norhtcoast, Blackwatch, Whaler 18' 
		and above, etc.

		Deadrise of 18 degrees or better carried from stem to stern.

		Best rough water dynamic stability of the planing hulls

		Lowest speed and fuel economy for the same size engine
		
		Poor static stability 

	Modified vee - Most Grady's, Pursuit, etc.

		Deadrise usually 15 to 18 degrees at stern with increased
			angle at bow.

		Better static stability than a deep vee.

		Better fuel economy and speed than deep vee (if conditions 
			allow) 

		Poorer rough water dynamic stability than deep vee

	Displacement (non planing)
		
		Rounded bottom with pointed ends  (canoe like)

		Best economy 

		Lowest power requirement

		Slowest	

		Motion tends to be a slow roll vs more violent rocking

		Excellent rough water stability underway.

	Semi-Displacement - Downeast style

		Rounded bottom but flat at the transom.

		Better economy and lower power requirement than other planing 
		hulls.

		Lower speed than other planing hulls.

		Motion is more of a roll than rock.

	I believe that the most popular design is the modified vee but I've 
had this deep vee prejudice for a long time and I doubt if I'll ever shake 
it. Besides I like blowing by other boats in the rough stuff. :^)
Regards,
Paul

    re. .4
    
    That's a great break down, but I'm not sure (unless I go and measure
    the angle) of what I've got.  I thin it's a deep-vee.  It's a 22 foot
    Dory.  What do you think?
    
    Ken
    

    I have a modified "V" and will definitely get a deep "V" next boat.  I
    don't like the poundind and will spend the extra $$ for gas.  I believe
    most offshore fisherman are 20 degree and greater.  
    
    Has anyone had a ride in the new Grady White seav2 continuous deadrise
    hull?  I believe it's 20 degrees at the stern and 56 degrees at the bow
    with the angle varing all the way.  From what I've read this sounds
    like the next generation in ofshore hulls.  They (Grady) say that they
    can maintain planing speed in very rough conditions.
    
    Gordon