Characteristics of a rough water boat?
 

If you were in the market for a good rough water boat what qualities would you look for?

What are some things you look for in a good rough water boat? Good is a loose term in this context meaning good to/for you as is rough water is going to mean different things to the boaters of Lake Havasu as opposed to the boaters of Lake Michigan.

So discussing hull designs, what makes a boat perform better in the rough over one another? Is it the deadrise of the boat, the strakes, steps, weight, freeboard, length, a combination of several, preference, or the details that all add together in relation to where the strakes are on the bottom etc.....

I'm not trying to turn this into a brand basing thread discussing how Fountains aren't really 42' etc. or Apache rules the rough, I'm trying to keep it more factual in the sense of what makes a boat better than others in the rough?

I think the big three are Deadrise/freeboard/length

Dead-rise is what slices the water, free board is what makes a person feel comfortable (ladies) and we all know about length :lolhit:

weight is your friend when it comes to rough water

what do you want to spend, what length, year and your location??? do you want a wave crusher? buy a flat bottom cigarette, they don't get much better than that. is that not fast enough for you, buy a step bottom cig, fountain, pantera, powerplay, donzi, etc. you need to be more specific in your wants and needs.

Why? I'm not shopping for a new boat, just interested in what makes a great "wave crusher" great? Why do the steps make any difference in reference to your above post, insinuating the steped bottom boats aren't as good in the rough as a flat bottom, why?

I think most stepped hull boats are newer and therefore have a lighter layup making older straight bottom hulls (flat bottoms are drag boats) heavier and heavy boats cut through the water better. My old 28 Cigarette wasn't very fast but it felt like it was made of concrete!

The steps (and a lighter boat) will make them go faster than a straight bottom (all other things being equal).

24 degree dead rise at transom means the whole hull is more V shaped which slices the water like a knife. Lesser degree dead rise means a flatter hull which will slap the water rather than cutting through it.

Along with weight usually comes a solid structure. One that won't flex or give. Maybe I have that backwards, a solid boat just weighs more.

Just look for any boat with a big red 1 on the side!

correct, step bottom boats are not as good as flat bottom boats in the rough or in general ride quality. my point with the above post is that they are all good and each one has their own unique qualities. you can make an argument for any "v" chosen, that is why i said you need to narrow down your criteria. if you want the biggest baddest wave crusher, go find the biggest, baddest, heaviest, longest boat out there and you will have your winner.

my step bottom outerlimits weighs 9200 lbs, my straight bottom 92 cig weighs between 9000-9500 lbs and my friends t/s 2002 cig weighs 9500ish. the 92 straight bottom cig better than the others hands down and i've been in a lot of boats

Better not let your Outerlimits buddies see this! :party-smiley-004::evilb:

This is why I'm looking for a straight hull Top Gun for my next boat!