Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Sea Ark 2072...3 degree or 15 degree hull?

Going to get one or the other soon. I know the 15 is better for rough water and the 3 degree better for shallow water. Anyone have any experience with either hull to know exactly how much better each is?

I'll be fishing the Tennessee river mostly below Wheeler and Wilson dams and the lakes above. I likely won't be in waves larger than 2 foot by choice. At the same time I would like to go to the coast a couple times a year and fish the bays and inlets.

The MV 3 degree has 28" sides and a 20" transom and the 13 degree has 26" sides and a 25" transom. Both are 20' long and 72" across the bottom. The 13 degree has a 94" beam and the 3 degree is one inch wider at the beam. Either one will have a 115 HP.

I guess I can live with a rougher ride for the versatility of shallower water fishing but at the same time I don't want to be beat to death if I need to cross a wide body of water in high wind or even at the coast. I don't know enough about coast fishing to know if which hull will be better. No idea if it will be more shallow water fishing or if I will need something better in bigger waves.

3 degree will be fine. 15 would be better if you fish a lot when its really rough and windy. On a average day you won't hardly be able to tell the difference.

My boat has a very shallow v and it rides way better than my old flat bottom. No amount of v will make really rough water feel not rough. A ranger boat will beat you up if its rough enuff.

Since your fishing the river most I'd say 3 degree all the way.

Have you ever considered a panga?
Check out Andros boats in Sarasota Fl.
There are other builders also.

15* has a higher transom and will be noticed on a boat that long. Boats use to be made just to fish out of but now w/the larger bodies of water they need to be able to ride better too. Go with the 15 w/28in sides and don't look back. powdr

The 15 degree has 26" sides . The 3 degree has sides 2" taller but a 20" transom rather than the 25" transom of the 15 degree hull.

Does that mean that the 15 degree sits 5" lower in the water? I would actually prefer the transom farther from the water. I'll be putting the flotation pods on the back no matter which I get.

The 15 degree will sit a little lower in the water but probably not 5". A standard johnboat raterd for a 25 hp and below generally has a 15" transom and is set up for a short shaft outboard. A 20" transom is set up for a long shaft which is available in a broader range and bigger range of hp's. A 25" transom is set up for larger motors and with those bigger motors they will sit lower.

A 20" transom is bettter when in reverse in rough water than a 15" transom but smaller hp motors are available for it as are mid sized motors. with a 15" transom water will splash up and over when in revurse in choppy conditions. A 20" would be fine for your purposes.

Hope that made sense.

Perfect sense. My current 1648 has a 15" transom and 18" sides which is why I want to buy a larger and deeper boat. I've already been on the river and had waves come over my sides and my transom. Mostly over the transom when backing up or loading the boat. I had waves rolling over the side one day just sitting still. Kind of scary on a big swift river.

The taller transom appeals to me if any more of it will be out of the water with a motor mounted. Not so much however if the extra height of it over the regular 3 degree is all under the water once a motor is mounted.