fishing boat stability?

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870 Expressmag

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Sep 7, 2011
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154
Right now I have a small Larson aluminum boat, 12ft. It's kinda wiggly, and makes me a little nervous. I found a really good deal on a Sea Nymph 14ft aluminum and was thinking of buying it. My question is, will I gain much stability? the beam on the 12ft is 48", the guy measured the 14ft and the beam is 52". Thanks in advance for any help or advice. I want the boat just for fishing smaller inland lakes and just have a 5hp outboard and a elec trolling motor.
 
88wellcraft

88wellcraft

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May 9, 2007
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208
Re: fishing boat stability?

you're still going to have some "wiggle".....maybe a little less but anything that is light with a v hull will rock.....maybe check out a whaler type boat or more of tri hull. rough ride in chop but certainly more stable when not under way.
 
8

870 Expressmag

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Re: fishing boat stability?

Darn, just my luck, don't have a lot of money to look around for different styles and this on is a good deal that fit my budget, but having sunk the 12footer at the dock once I am now nervous about only going up to the 14, however funds limit me
 
oops!

oops!

Supreme Mariner
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Oct 18, 2007
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12,932
Re: fishing boat stability?

if all you can afford is a 14.....then go for it......you can allways sell the 12.

how did you sink it?
 
5150abf

5150abf

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Aug 12, 2007
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5,808
Re: fishing boat stability?

It isn't alot bigget but it is bigger and should be more stable and Sea Nymph builds a really good boat.

I ahve a 16 wiht a 52'' beam(Ithink) and I will take it almost anywhere and it has all the bells and whistles, 2 livewells troller casting decks ect, my fishing buddy and I can both stand on one side of the baot right at the edge and it isn't even close to doing anything stupid, bigger is bigger, go for it.
 
etracer68

etracer68

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Re: fishing boat stability?

My last 14ft was a Western, and it was 67" wide, and very stable. I would look for something over 60" wide.
 
jigngrub

jigngrub

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Mar 19, 2011
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Re: fishing boat stability?

Keep trading up! Buy the 14 and sell the 12, then when you find something you like better than the 14 buy it and sell the 14... in a few years you'll have a yacht!;)
 
8

870 Expressmag

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Sep 7, 2011
Messages
154
Re: fishing boat stability?

well the 12 footer is my dads, not mine, so no selling of that. So i am looking to get "my first" boat. When growing up my grandpa had a 16ft aluminum Lowe boat. I remember us taking 4 and 5 people out in that, but trying to find a 16ft aluminum is ridiculous, people think they are made of gold not aluminum. As far as sinking it, me and my dad had taken the boat out a few times, i always sat in the front he sat in the back, i'm 6ft 300lbs, he's about 5'9 240. it was wiggly and didn;t wanna move much when fishing but we never sunk it. Took my father in law out he's about 5'8 240, he sat in front while at the dock i went to park truck and trailer, came back to get in, sat on dock and staddled rear seat as dock to boat height was big at the time. So i straddled rear seat and went to lower myself down into boat, it started to move away from dock so i leaned back to grab dock to pull back closer, and the edge dipped in and took on water and before i knew it i was standing up to my chest at the boat launch and my father in law was hanging onto the dock! It's actually a very funny story and we all laugh about it now, we bought him blow up arm floaties for chistmas as a joke the next year. however it makes me nervous about buying a boat, cause i am afraid it will be just as tipsy
 
M

mickjetblue

Chief Petty Officer
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Aug 23, 2007
Messages
509
Re: fishing boat stability?

I have an 18' jon boat, 48" wide, and it has some "give" on side movements.
It's not bad, and most folks get used to it. Most boats have some of that.

For your situation, I'd suggest a small tri-hull boat.

Or, in a jon boat, a 57" - 60" width boat would be somewhat better.
Wear a good pfd, had to throw that in.

;)
 
lncoop

lncoop

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Re: fishing boat stability?

If you like the price on the Sea Nymph buy it. That's a NO BRAINER. That said, I'd like to know exactly what you mean by stability. If we're talking about flatbottoms, and I think we are, the fourteen footer will definitely be less "wiggly" in flat water and will give you a modicum of additional stability in waves and wakes. Plus, it will feel like a yacht compared to the twelve footer. On the other hand, if we're talking about V hulls, wiggliness (is that a word?:confused:) in flat water is just part of the deal, but they're better in chop of course. Are we talking flatbottoms? Welcome aboard.:cool:
 
JimS123

JimS123

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Re: fishing boat stability?

If its a "standard" Sea Nymph, it won't be much better than the 12. If its the "R" model, it will be a significant improvement. I don't remember the beam on the 14R, but I think its in the 60's.
 
DuckHunterJon

DuckHunterJon

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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1,082
Re: fishing boat stability?

Bigger is better. How much better - time will tell. But that extra 6" width will help. Also, I bet the freeboard is greater on the 14' vs the 12'. In you case, it was a combination of the two that sunk you.
 
A

americaneagler77

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Jun 15, 2011
Messages
231
Re: fishing boat stability?

15-16 foot tri hull would be perfect, my rig is almost as solid as an island while still, im 275 pounds and i can fish right off the sides, alone with minimal lean, i found a near mint 1987 15.5 tri with a 70 hp merc, full canvas and galv trailer a few months ago for 2k. cant beat it
 
H

Home Cookin'

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Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: fishing boat stability?

nothing personal, but at your size you need a bigger boat, more so if you frequently carry a 240# guest.. As you learned, a little shift can mean it's all over. If you are around cold water, those incidents are fatal. Do not try to stabilize a too-small boat with add-ons.

Checkout the capacity plate as to weight--include the motor and fuel tank.

Be safe. You will be a lot more comfortable, too.
 
JimS123

JimS123

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Re: fishing boat stability?

870 Expressmag said:
not sure on whether it's a standard or an R model, the guy is supposed to check and let me know. heres a link with pictures to the boat for sale.....
http://jxn.craigslist.org/boa/2580068128.html
Click to expand...

That's the little SeaNymph. and an older model to boot. Note the transom is straight across, thus very low freeboard. The R model is a good 6" deeper.

My guess is that if you put a 10hp outboard on it with a 6 gal tank, it would leave you with a person + gear weight capacity of 500-600 pounds. I think you would not be happy with it, and it certainly will be quite tippy.
 
8

870 Expressmag

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 7, 2011
Messages
154
Re: fishing boat stability?

Etracer68, the more i think about it, i fished in my uncles tri-hull a month or so ago and it was very stable. the one you posted looked great i would buy that! But there always to far away. found one tonight for a great price, went to look at it, found out why it was a great price, there "reinforced" transom was soft, had a steel plate underneath the motor and two threaded rods going forward into the fiberglass with nuts and washers on it to draw the motor forward. Was a 17' trihull open bow with 115hp evinrude OB on it.

Got an email from the guy with the 14 foot sea nymph, said it was a model 14A, I am guessing from what you guys told me that means standard, I passed on it.

Thanks for your help guys! I think I made a good choice passing on it
 
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