Flat Bottom Boats: Shallow-Draft Flat Bottom Boats

Flat bottom boats offer a wide open interior and superior stability due to its flat hull or large bottom area, and perfect for use on shallow or still bodies of water, such as a calm lake, river, or creek.

A flat bottom boat, at 10 - 20-ft, with its bow or stern-mounted trolling motor, raised platform, and storage areas, is designed to give a high-degree of stability that never falls short of its 'fish-ability' performance and 'pole-ability' maneuverability in view of its wide, stable bottom, which is a must-have for the dedicated angler or hunter.

However, a flat bottomed boat isn't advisable outside of calm waters to a light-chop due to its inability to cope with the rough or chopper waters - most notably its inability to 'cut through' the waves. Unless a surface is calm the ride can be rough causing a lot of splash due to the hull pounding each wave.

Flats Boats - Rugged, No-frills or Loaded with Amenities
Some of the popular manufactures of the flat bottom shallow water boats consists of -

Fisher Boats: Manufacture a series of stable, easy-to-maneuver riveted Jon & Utility Boats, from 10-ft - 16-ft 2", and all-welded Utility Boats, from 14-ft - 20-ft 3", for navigating shallow areas. Fisher Boats boast a high-quality marine-grade all-aluminum hull, with such features as full-width bench seats, raised platforms, an aerated livewell, and storage area.


Lowe Boats: Design and manufacture a premier series of open Riveted Jon and Utility Boats, from 10-ft - 20-ft", with a solid marine-grade aluminum construction, and durable enhancing features, such as rounded, formed-in keels, strong lifting handles, and a tough paint finish inside-and-out.


Tracker Boats: Build a series of superior-quality all welded and riveted Jon & Utility Boats, from 10-ft - 20-ft 4", offering versatility and a stable easy-to-maneuver water-ready boat that stands up to the rugged nature of a fishing or hunting trip.


Alweld Boats: Building aluminum boats to the highest quality, the Flat Bottom series of Econo Jons, from 10-ft - 17-ft, include a single rear seat, bow-seat, standard paint, and multiple options for a custom configuration.


G3 Boats, War Eagle Boats & Maverick Boat Company also manufacture a series of solid-performance fishing and hunting boats for shallow water applications. Constructed in marine-grade aluminum, the shallow bottom boat offers rugged reliability, a high-degree of maneuverability, and comes full equipped, with the option to create a customized spec. to serve a specific purpose.

Low-cost, Readily Available Used Flat Bottom Boats for Sale
Acquiring the latest model of shallow water flats boat is often a costly endeavor, though this does guarantee a solid fishing platform in full working order, with the option of a custom configuration, and a manufactures warranty.

Even so, its often a more desirable option to search-out flat bottom boats for sale in the second-hand market, with purchase options consisting of boat dealerships, online, searching the auction sites, such as eBay or Craigslist, classified ads, marina bulletin boards, or similar such places.

Although the flat bottom jon boats start at 10-ft, its wide open interior, and flat bottom provides a high-degree of usable storage space, and more than most V-bottom or round hull boats of similar dimensions.

Elsewhere, a wide variety of boats types, such as the V-bottom hull, round hull, or cathedral hull, will give a more desirable performance in open waters.

Build A Flat Bottom Jon Boat
On the practical side of flat-bottom hull construction, a nice selection of flat bottom boat plans, complete with material lists, full-size patterns, tools required, and full step-by-step instructions, are available to construct a lightweight, simple-to-pole 16-ft Phantom or 18' Flats Stalker in a marine-grade plywood, with a shallow draft, ample storage options, a self-bailing cockpit, and a spacious, skinny water sight platform.

Whether it is on the calm waters of the coastal flats, poling the shallows or the backwaters of a calm lake or river, the flats boat offers a perfect casting platform that is lightweight, poles effortlessly, and extremely maneuverable for fishing, hunting or similar activities in shallow waters.

 

Read More in: Go Boating

Flat Bottom Boats for Sale On
 
 
 
 
 

Sites:

1. Fisher Boats
2. Lowe Boats
3. Tracker Boats
4. Alweld Boats