Re: What is freeboard?
 

A simple question, and you opened a whole barell of monkeys...

What were you thinking?? A bunch of boat goofballs in the late days of winter :D
You should have known it would turn into this ... :D

Re: What is freeboard?
 

bh... I don't think those are that low... in such a short boat, when you start to raise the decklines the boats start to look a bit stubby, not long and lean.
A 41 apache can have a deep cockpit and still look sleek cuz of the length.

Now, a 30 superboat or 30 activator or 29 extreme are low freeboard.
I wouldn't want standup bolsters in any of those. I dont even think you can get them.

Plus, like i said, pantera can take an older boat and make 5" cut outs where you stand... so its giving you more cockpit depth while underway.
And if you're gonna get chucked from a boat... boy... your gonna get chucked.

I'd like to hear stories of how guys have gotten thrown out, and if a deeper cockpit would have helped, but I dont think they'd all come running to admit it happened.

BTW, b4 anyone asks why i'm on here at night... my wife is in Chicago. :D

Re: What is freeboard?
 

That's my Fountain in #18 . . . I got basically zero freeboard, but a fairly deep cockpit at the helm.

In a boat like a Hatteras SF, ( some of which have a broken shear ), I would only be concerned with a number measured at the transom.
Without breaking out my Chapmans, I wonder if freeboard should be measured amidship, or at lowest point, highest point, or at the center of the transom.
MagMarks Magnum has a shallow cockpit. Also not much distance between gunwale and chine. . . . but probably more freeboard than my Fountain.

Re: What is freeboard?
 

In a sportfisher you don't want too much freeboard at the transom, then it gets too hard to get a fish on board.

Re: What is freeboard?
 

Thats what transom doors are for . . . but my point is that I am most concerned with the lowest measurement than the highest above the waterline. Especially on a hull with a broken shear. I agree - in a SF, that is WHY they break the shear, to keep the freeboard manageable in the fighting area of the cockpit.

Re: What is freeboard?
 

so how did bthe depth feel on your 24'?

Re: What is freeboard?
 

Not all shears are broken in SF's.
Viking doesnt.
Hattarass doesnt.
ACY doesnt.
Yes, they all have shears that drop off, so you can have a fishing cockpit.

And I dont use a transom door for bluefish for flounder fishing.
I use a net.

And I bet the transom height on a 38-42 SF is higher than a cig/apache/nortech or any other HP boat.

You want a nice high bow to be able to run bigger seas.
Check out the pics of my dads knowles. This is a great sea boat.

Re: What is freeboard?
 

I agree I think the Pantera 24 is a perfect balance of beam, length and cockpit depth and it looks awesome(especially the Sport :D). I wouldn't want to change the decklines. But, IMO the 24 would be a better sit down boat.

I've seen pics of 24s with sit downs and I really like it. But, I haven't even had a chance to run my boat yet so standing up might suit me. The last two owners said they really liked standing up and the low cockpit depth didn't bother them at all.

Re: What is freeboard?
 

The cockpit depth of the 24 was fine.
The bolster was high enough to make me feel comfortable.
I admit, a deeper 33-36 would be more comfortable.
When I was in MM's 41apache, i thought it would take alot to throw me out.
He actually had a pillow on board for me to stand on if I wasn't tall enough to see over the fairing. Of course I didn't need it. :D
btw, i'm 5'10".

I cant comment on a sitdown, cuz i've never driven a sitdown boat.

Re: What is freeboard?
 

Storm, you're right the bolsters are very nice in my 24. Like I said I haven't even driven the boat yet. But standing in the bolsters and being so high above everything feels "weird" for lack of a better word.

Maybe it's because all my boats have been sit downs and I need to get used to it. My Donzi had a shallow cockpit and low freeboard but you sat. My unlimited had an extremely shallow cockpit and no freeboard at all! The seats were literally bolted right to the floor! :eek: But man what a fun azz boat! :D