I fish a lot on Lake Ontario with an '02 Fisher Avenger Pro 16SC. It's a deep-Vee walleye boat. However, I've found that it is far from being a big water boat. With large waves and rollers, the bow pitches down so much and is so slow to recover that I'm afraid of taking water over the bow.
The other day, while heading out in rough water (and just before I turned around to go back to the bay) I noticed some smaller open fishing boats returning. They didn't seem to be pitching near as much as the Fisher. I looked at their bows and suddenly the light went on. Their bows were much fuller and more rounded than the Fisher. There was something there to displace water, increase bouyancy and generate recovery force when the bow goes down.
The Fisher, on the other hand, has a long slender bow; more angular than rounded. When it pitches down, there's nothing to displace water or increase bouyancy until the gunwale is nearly at the surface. It looks kinda cool, but is a definite drawback in waves large enough to set up any serious pitching.
I then recalled the old Alumacraft cartopper and Grumman runabout that I'd fished from since my teens and now own. Neither ever gave the impression that they were about to take one over the bow; though they'd been used many times on Lake Ontario amongst large rollers. Checked out their bows when I got home and again found full rounded bows....at least much moreso than the Fisher.
For me, this adds another data point to be considered if I upgrade from the Fisher. The next boat is going to have a real bow on it.
Happened to think that this might be another reason why boats are usually considered feminine. Those full rounded bows give you that "bouyant" feeling.
Bob
The other day, while heading out in rough water (and just before I turned around to go back to the bay) I noticed some smaller open fishing boats returning. They didn't seem to be pitching near as much as the Fisher. I looked at their bows and suddenly the light went on. Their bows were much fuller and more rounded than the Fisher. There was something there to displace water, increase bouyancy and generate recovery force when the bow goes down.
The Fisher, on the other hand, has a long slender bow; more angular than rounded. When it pitches down, there's nothing to displace water or increase bouyancy until the gunwale is nearly at the surface. It looks kinda cool, but is a definite drawback in waves large enough to set up any serious pitching.
I then recalled the old Alumacraft cartopper and Grumman runabout that I'd fished from since my teens and now own. Neither ever gave the impression that they were about to take one over the bow; though they'd been used many times on Lake Ontario amongst large rollers. Checked out their bows when I got home and again found full rounded bows....at least much moreso than the Fisher.
For me, this adds another data point to be considered if I upgrade from the Fisher. The next boat is going to have a real bow on it.
Happened to think that this might be another reason why boats are usually considered feminine. Those full rounded bows give you that "bouyant" feeling.
Bob
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