Degree of deadrise

[Country Boy]

What would be the advantage or pros and cons of using a 30-40 degree(wooldridge) deadrise at the bow over say a 16-20 degree deadrise at the bow( most manfactures aluminum and fiberglass)? On ocean going vessels.....

[5 Salt]

Softer ride - assuming the boat has trim tabs to get the boat down or can be loaded to ride with bow lower in the water. However, deadrise by itself is not the determining factor in ride softness and performance. Other issues to consider are length of waterline/hull, operating weight, and degree v at stern and mid-ship.

For instance, my 25ft Grady has 20deg at the stern, 30deg at mid-ship and 60deg at the bow.




When operating at near empty weight of 5000lbs she can cork and slap off waves pretty darn hard regardless of trim angles. Same speed but loaded down with full fuel, 300lbs of ice, 4 anglers and their gear, she rides a whole lot softer as she is much harder to displace or launch off a wave. Even empty and trimmed hard bowdown does not produce as soft a ride as loaded.

Trim angles also determin softness - I have found she rides much softer iwhen trimed hard bow down with tabs, and counter trimed bow up with motor trim. Heavy tab trim allows her to ride flatter for slower planning speeds, better fuel burn, and wave splitting with 60deg V, while bow up motor trim counters the quick bow down action on the back-side of a swell/wave for a softer ride.

Identical hull design and deadrise found on the 30ft Grady because of longer waterline and heavier hull produces an even softer ride in like seas.

[5 Salt]

Coutry Boy - welcome to ifish and the Salty Dogs. Always glad to welcome northerners to the board.

You will find a friendly helpful crowd here that is Tuna crazy and full of good information about boat, engine, fishing, and tackle if you ask. We just ask that you pay it forward when you can contribute.

Tradition on Salty Dog dictates that you share little bit about yourself, where you fish, etc... and a fishing/boating story, good or bad, you would like to share.

You in the market for a new boat? Plenty of informed opinions can be found here if you ask.

Again Welcome aboard

[Country Boy]

Thank you 5 Salt Fever. I live on Vancouver Island, fish the Barkley Sound area. Right from Port Alberni to the open waters off the coast. Fish mostly inside waters for springs, coho, sockeye. Haven't done to much halibut fishing or fishing the open stuff due to the previous boats size. There are alot of areas that I would like to fish, just need to get a boat big enough, one that will let me do it more comfortably , safely. Tuna fishing is also something that I would like to try one day if the oportunity arises.

[Country Boy]

Also, yes I'm looking for a new boat. The one that I'm looking at right now is the Wooldridge 20' Super Sport Offshore w/ the offshore motor bracket. It will have hydraulic trim tabs and steering for sure. It's just hard to find anything out about them due to the fact they are not common place up here in Canada. Hoping that I will find out more about them on this forum. Got any input/oppinion on them 5 Salt Fever ?

[Silver One]

Country Boy,
Welcome aboard, you mention 20 foot wooldridge. Many here will offer you other suggestions Glass/Aluminum. I was in your position 4 years ago, looked at Wooldridge but opted for a 20 foot Silver Streak built right in your backyard (Sooke BC). PM me if you would like info/evaluations etc.
Mike

[BIGALSURF]

I balanced my boat by putting about 400 pounds of sand bags in the front and to the right to offset the trolling motor on the left. 25 ft. trophy. It rides so much better. It used to do what you say your boat does empty, jump and slap. I used to have to slow down when it got to 7 ft. swell and winds over 15, especially headed north to get into the cr after a morning fishing for salmon.

Now it just pushes the water out of the way and rides like a ship. Mileage not affected at all that I can see, but way more comfortable having that weight up in the bow pushing the water out of the way using the steep deadrise part of the hull. I am going to try your suggestion of trim tabs bow down, motors bow up slightly, experiment with it.

another nice thing about the bow weight, it jumps on plane much easier.

[Pacific Pirate]

Country Boy,

I've have a 20' Wooldridge S/S Offshore with an offshore bracket, and I love it! Like 5-Salt Fever's Grady, it rides softer fully loaded. In moderately rough seas, the 8'6" beam helps it plane quickly, and maintain plane at slower speeds.

[Country Boy]

Pacific Pirate, do you have trim tabs and hydraulic steering on your boat ? Got any pics you could email, interior shots, profile shots, anything would be cool and thanks. What's your boat like when it get sloppy, rough, windy and just down right nasty ?

[Pacific Pirate]

Country Boy,

My boat has hydraulic steering, but it does not have the trim tabs. It has a Yamaha F150 and T8. It has a semi-hardtop, and many custom features. Recently I added radar, and I had Wooldridge fabricate the rooftop mount.

The boat handles all weather conditions I have thrown at it. I am a 12-month a year boater and I pursue halibut in the spring (bar crossings, wind), salmon in the summer & fall (afternoon winds, bar crossings, fog), and winter blackmouth (rain, snow, fog, wind). Like most boats, in rough seas you do need to slow down, but it maintains good steering control, and the sharp entry helps if you come down a wave too fast and plow into the back of the next wave.

Trim tabs would be nice in rough seas. The trim on the motor does a fine job with the front to back attitude, but not the side to side, like when you are running diagonal to the wind and waves or when my friend Bubba decides he wants to sit behind, rather than across from me while underway.

I do not have many pictures of the boat. Most of my pictures are of people holding fish, blocking the view of the boat. Here are a couple of the pictures I have.

[image][/image]
Before radar was added.

[image][/image]

If you are considering a Wooldridge and want to check out my boat further, I would be glad to show it to you, and maybe get it out on the water, if you get down to my area.