How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

[BonairII]

I've been running in some moderate chop lately and I'm curious as to what my 16' aluminum hull can take. I keep my speed down to around 20mph(and sometimes WAY down when he hit some bigger waves made my passing boats)... but there are times when I hit some decent chop and stuff the bow into a wake and we get a decent spray over the windshield.

Or sometimes the bow comes up and crashes down with a big thud. I don't purposely drive like an idiot, I just sometimes get surprised by the waves.

How durable are aluminum hulls when it comes to wave impact?

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

I think the hull will take more than you can. Tinnies are known for a hard ride. I hit a wake boat wake a couple of weeks ago, felt like an elevator free fall ride and then I hit the ground floor. Glad I had time to brace for it.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

Well..
I have only encountered small chop in my holiday.
But I can say my boat flew 30 feet and about 6 feet high, hit ground and the hull itself was basically unscathed.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

Well..
I have only encountered small chop in my holiday.
But I can say my boat flew 30 feet and about 6 feet high, hit ground and the hull itself was basically unscathed.

STOP IT, KEV!! I just spit a Gin and Tonic on my keyboard. Now the keys are blurry.

 

[BonairII]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

Well..
I have only encountered small chop in my holiday.
But I can say my boat flew 30 feet and about 6 feet high, hit ground and the hull itself was basically unscathed.

Yikes! That sounds like more than "small chop".

We banged around quite a bit today. I don't have all of the floor bolted down yet, so I get a bit of rattling when I hit a big wave. That fact makes "banging" into waves a little more disconcerting.

Good to hear that I'm not likely to bend up the hull easily. The stories of people splitting their fiberglass hulls made me wonder how hard a boat(namely an aluminum hull) has to hit a wave to cause damage.

 

[bgc]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

It can be run right up to the point the reevets pop and ya sink.....

 

[roscoe]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

I pounded my 16 Nassau into whitecaps, long enough that my kidneys got jarred and all my stomach and back muscles hurt.

But I HAD to, wanted to see if it rode better than my Alumacraft.

Anyway, that hull can take more than you can.

Its those big splash down flat landings that really hurt.

My 18 SS rode significantly better than my Nassau.

The 18 Mariner isn't too bad, but not as good as the 18 SS.

 

[roscoe]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

Well..
I have only encountered small chop in my holiday.
But I can say my boat flew 30 feet and about 6 feet high, hit ground and the hull itself was basically unscathed.

Just think of the distance you could have gotten if you were under power.

 

[BonairII]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

Anyway, that hull can take more than you can.

That's good to hear. Now, I'll feel more comfortable banging thru the chop. Now I wish I had a set of these seats.....
http://www.smoothmovesseats.com/

 

[heyyou325]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

I've had waves breaking over the bow, That's when fishing's the best. As a couple have said the bow should be able to take more than you. Even if You're a glutton for punishment. They use Aluminum boats to run the rapids in a lot of our rivers. Someday, I'll get brave enough to do that.

 

[DirtyHarry83]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

Well..
I have only encountered small chop in my holiday.
But I can say my boat flew 30 feet and about 6 feet high, hit ground and the hull itself was basically unscathed.

No Offense but this never gets old... I crack up every time.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

Lol...if you have time search for the whole thread I posted the day after it to happened

 

[FishNmemories]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

I agree with some of the others that these hulls can take more of a pounding than my back or kidneys can withstand. We have been in some intense weather and the hulls came out fine...my back however was pretty sore the next day.

CBKev...you crack me up!! Flying Starcraft

 

[DarrinT]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

Had nothin but air under my Islander plenty of times

Three kids sittin on the bow when I took a big cruiser wake and they busted the wooden support for the deck and cracked the windsheild on the cabin

run her at full speed onto 2(count em 2) gravel bars at full rock

Beachin her on rock islands on Georgian bay hasn,t done much for her water tighness either

had her out on Ontario for two hours wednesday and only had 5 gallons pour out of her at the ramp

These things are freakin tough if you dont need pretty and dont meet Godzilla in a bad mood

Check this old thread about surfin her http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=421393

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

What is this "rough ride" you all speak of? I am not familiar with this concept in my glasser. ;-)

Wait a sec, in the dim remembrances I think I do recall my old 16SS would send shockwaves up my spine when I crossed over anything larger than a waterbug's wake...

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

What is this "rough ride" you all speak of? I am not familiar with this concept in my glasser. ;-)

Wait a sec, in the dim remembrances I think I do recall my old 16SS would send shockwaves up my spine when I crossed over anything larger than a waterbug's wake...

Ooohhhh. This outta be funny. The Lone Glass Rider fires a shot below the waterline. lol

 

[lakelover]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

It can be run right up to the point the reevets pop and ya sink.....

Ouch. Great video.

 

[tincanman]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

What is this "rough ride" you all speak of? I am not familiar with this concept in my glasser. ;-)

Wait a sec, in the dim remembrances I think I do recall my old 16SS would send shockwaves up my spine when I crossed over anything larger than a waterbug's wake...

glassers just think they ride better cause they are on land getting those pesky stringers reglassed in an not out on the water. Or they can't afford the fuel to push their overweight hulls.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

Had my whole boat out of the water yesterday for a brief second. Whoops! I'm not gonna lie, on the Chesapeake, an 18' aluminum boat is not exactly ideal. It certainly handles it but man do you get beat. On the same run last week, Tim Five's 19' V5 Islander was not much better.

 

[bryanwess2000]

Re: How hard can an aluminum Starcraft be run in choppy water?

I just got back from pensacola and my 19' took a good beating in the pass. Went out 4 days, all I noticed was my windshield really loosened up and each time I went out I lost half the water in my built in livewell. I try to keep my speed down to around 17-18mph with the motor tucked in when I hit the real ruff stuff. This keeps me just on plane with the
bow up high. This makes a big difference in the ride. All the 19`-23' glass CC boats were taking a beating too. The only boats that weren't were not on plane or sharp v 30+ footers like bertrams.