Boat Sinking?????

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

appears to be more seaworthy than the new boats. I have been boating for over 50 years, and I have driven/ride more boats than you can imagine in all kinds of weather.
The old wooden hulls ride storms far better than the new boats. Old fibreglas hulls are better than new. The deep-Vee hulls are the way to go in large lakes such as Winnipesaukee. They can ride out a very bad chop much better than the semi-vee or flat bottom boats.
Most new boats on the market are semi-vee and do not handle heavy chops well. My old 4-winns Liberator was a far better riding boat than a new 4-winns Horizon. Even at the same length. (21')
I would not trust a boat under 21' on the Broads any day. It appears to be too small to handle large chops.
That being said. A boat not only have to be built well, the hull should fit the worst conditions of a particular lake.
Most boats I have seen on lake Winnipesaukee are not design for the rough waters on Lake Winnipesaukee.

I'll be an old timer and agree with you there. Many fiberglass boats in the old days were over-designed due to both technology and fear. I've ben out in very rough water in The Broads in the old days in boats that would terrify people today. One thing to note is that a 20' boat today probably would equate to a 17' or 18' boat back then. Times change, people demanded lighter and faster, better hole shots, etc... Give me one of those old Skikcraft deep Vees anyday.
I've been out on a 24 plus Cobalt BR in some pretty choppy stuff. Much more comfortable than most newer boats I've ridden in. But my preference is closed bow. My feet get cold in bowriders, and I hate the canvas covers when running.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by VtSteve

I've been out on a 24 plus Cobalt BR in some pretty choppy stuff. Much more comfortable than most newer boats I've ridden in. But my preference is closed bow.

I have also been out in a 24 foot Cobalt bowrider (a 240) in some chop. It handled it quite well, but I still prefer the closed bow, just in case...

I have taken water over the bow of my 25 foot cuddy a few times. Twice on Winni from chop, once on Winni from a multi-boat standing wake, once at the mouth of the Merrimack River, and a few times in wind driven chop on Sebago. At no time did water enter the (self bailing) cockpit, and I never felt unsafe.

I took a wake over the bow of my old 21 foot bowrider once, just sitting still waiting for a dock space to open up in Wolfeboro. The offending operator/wake maker was really rude and nailed the throttles on a big cruiser about 10 feet after leaving the dock. We took on about 50 gallons of water.