TriHull vs Deep V hulls

Hello everyone,

Basically, I've been riding all of my life in Deep Vs, only once in a hybrid (big V at the front to flat bottom at the back) and never in anything else.
I have the opportunity to trade my 15'4" Astroglass 154v with a 50hp 2-stroke Johnson, for a 17' Starcraft TR-170 with a 115hp 2-stroke Yamaha.
I am looking for a trade, because of a recent-ish accident I had, which injured my sciatic pretty badly.
I love my bass boat, but sitting in it hurts my back because it is too low to the ground, thus why I am looking for something else.

Informations on the watercrafts:

The guy's Starcraft:
Hull/trailer/motor/bimini & is fiberglass.
Seems pretty well taken care of, hull-wise and electrical-wise (I don't see bad gauges or anything in the pictures)
Seen similar hulls for 3.5K $CAD on the Market.
Seems willing to (or at least heavily considering to) add a 55lbs i-Pilot bow-mounted trolling motor.

Mine's:
Comes with a manual jack plate, thick homemade transport cover, 3-legged ski pole, 3 bank charger, 2 pedestal seats, etc.
Needs a few switches and gauges replaced because of water ingress from the rain or broken off levers.
Seen nothing under 6K $CAD on the Market.

Informations on my fishing trips:

Body of water; A river with watercrafts that creates big waves at times, even from afar. (Last time I went, they were making 2 foot waves or so; huge "house boats")
Where I fish; Mostly along the banks, would like to be able to go into creeks and whatnot that are shallower (2-3 feet of water).
Conditions; Anything under 20mph, I've fished. Almost all of the time, the water is "choppy" (2-6" waves from the wind).

Questions:
What are your thoughts on TriHulls and Deep Vs?
Would the deal (with the i-Pilot trolling motor) be worth it, or should I look elsewhere for a trade? (haven't found anyone yet except that person in about a year of looking for a trade)
This hull has 2 fittings before the consoles (bow side), one at the port side and one at the starboard side. What could they be used for? By looking at brochures from the year 1970, they seem to be about 6 inches to a foot above the waterline and it doesn't seem like the seats at the bow have storage underneath....

It has been a long time since I have been in a tri-hull. I think the few that I have been in, were made by MFG. A nice stable platform at rest, but pound in chop and waves. Flatish type turning.

I wouldn't recommend any fiberglass boat for shallow river running.

I'm having a hard time understanding the body of water you ride. Outside of wakes, how is the water? What are you calling a Deep V, deadrise wise? If a boat have a V hull at the bow entry and only a 12 degree deadrise at the stern, that's not a deep V. From my personal experience with a 17' tri hull and an 85 on the back. In a 1' chop it rides fine. Stable at rest and a decent fishing platform IMO. Not any better/worse then the previous boat specs I mentioned.

Now it you are talking true Deep V, something with a deed rise of 18 degrees or greater I'd go with the true Deep V.

FuzzyGrub said:

It has been a long time since I have been in a tri-hull. I think the few that I have been in, were made by MFG. A nice stable platform at rest, but pound in chop and waves. Flatish type turning.

I wouldn't recommend any fiberglass boat for shallow river running.

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I don't intend to "run" the shallow waters, per say. I would like to be able to fish them with a trolling motor. I might've mispoken, sorry.

Crazyboat said:

I'm having a hard time understanding the body of water you ride. Outside of wakes, how is the water? What are you calling a Deep V, deadrise wise? If a boat have a V hull at the bow entry and only a 12 degree deadrise at the stern, that's not a deep V. From my personal experience with a 17' tri hull and an 85 on the back. In a 1' chop it rides fine. Stable at rest and a decent fishing platform IMO. Not any better/worse then the previous boat specs I mentioned.

Now it you are talking true Deep V, something with a deed rise of 18 degrees or greater I'd go with the true Deep V.

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Basically, I fish a river that's somewhat narrow (about 2 kilometers, or 1 mile, at its widest part), which hosts a lot of sea-doos and big watercrafts (houseboats, tourist/guide boats, etc) which often create big wakes. To be honest, I didn't know there were 2 deadrise angles. I knew there were flat bottomed sterns, there were a "hybrid" type (as we call them around here; which is pretty much a very shallow V, like 3-4 inches at most) and what we call Deep Vs (anything above the 3-4 inches of the "hybrid" type).

For a lack of a better way of asking this (I am French Canadian and I can't really come up with a better way of saying it);
Is a Tri-hull a dry or wet run? I assume the 2 additional bumps at the front create some type of a barrier against those weird "splashes" when "crashing" in a wave.

Also, when at rest, how does the Tri-Hull handle the waves sideways? Do they feel kind of tipy like a V hull or more like a pontoon?

Thanks !

PunkR0ckz said:

Basically, I fish a river that's somewhat narrow (about 2 kilometers, or 1 mile, at its widest part), which hosts a lot of sea-doos and big watercrafts (houseboats, tourist/guide boats, etc) which often create big wakes. To be honest, I didn't know there were 2 deadrise angles. I knew there were flat bottomed sterns, there were a "hybrid" type (as we call them around here; which is pretty much a very shallow V, like 3-4 inches at most) and what we call Deep Vs (anything above the 3-4 inches of the "hybrid" type).

For a lack of a better way of asking this (I am French Canadian and I can't really come up with a better way of saying it);
Is a Tri-hull a dry or wet run? I assume the 2 additional bumps at the front create some type of a barrier against those weird "splashes" when "crashing" in a wave.

Also, when at rest, how does the Tri-Hull handle the waves sideways? Do they feel kind of tipy like a V hull or more like a pontoon?

Thanks !

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There are all sort of deadrises, you can have dead flat, 2 degrees, 4 degrees, 10,12,13,14,all the way up to I think 24 or 25 degrees these days. I picture or two of the boats or model/brands would help. A traditional tri hull is not dry compared with a Carolina flare V hull, but depending on how you take the wave it can be dry. It can be a hard ride though. This is pretty much the boat I refer to in this conversation., If you can take these wakes on the beam I don't think it would be too bad. Taking them head on is going top pound some. I hope this helps.

Crazyboat said:

There are all sort of deadrises, you can have dead flat, 2 degrees, 4 degrees, 10,12,13,14,all the way up to I think 24 or 25 degrees these days. I picture or two of the boats or model/brands would help. A traditional tri hull is not dry compared with a Carolina flare V hull, but depending on how you take the wave it can be dry. It can be a hard ride though. This is pretty much the boat I refer to in this conversation., If you can take these wakes on the beam I don't think it would be too bad. Taking them head on is going top pound some. I hope this helps.
View attachment 123162

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These are pictures of the TR-170.
The V at the stern is much smaller than on my Astroglass, I've never ran one like that (small V or tri-hull, and even less a combination of both)

Trihulls have not been made in decades. They were popular in calmer waters for their stability but a really rough ride in choppy water. semi Vs do well in small chop and deep Vs are great for serious waves. With a bad back, any chop will give you a rough ride. The biggest issue with a trihull, is the hull condition, after all the years that have passed, there is a very good chance the plywood structure is probably rotted away even though the fiberglass might look great.
Any trihull that comes to market will need a serious inspection of the sub structure to be sure it is not rotted away. Not an easy hull to rebuild !!

airshot said:

Trihulls have not been made in decades. They were popular in calmer waters for their stability but a really rough ride in choppy water. semi Vs do well in small chop and deep Vs are great for serious waves. With a bad back, any chop will give you a rough ride. The biggest issue with a trihull, is the hull condition, after all the years that have passed, there is a very good chance the plywood structure is probably rotted away even though the fiberglass might look great.
Any trihull that comes to market will need a serious inspection of the sub structure to be sure it is not rotted away. Not an easy hull to rebuild !!

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Thanks for your input !
I've been using my uncle's tin boat (kind of a rowboat) and fiberglass runabout, which both are seated higher than my bass boat, and I have had nowhere near as much pain in my lower back as I do with my bass boat, thus why I've been looking at trading it for something where I would sit higher. And, yes, we have hit some pretty rough/choppy waters with them at 30-35mph (a similar speed to my bass boat).

From his pictures, it looks like the flooring was redone not too long ago, with what seems like vinyl on top. I don't see any screws keeping the 2 consoles bolted down to the floor. It is mostly my biggest concern about the hull, other than the ride. Hopefully he has redone the stringers/foam... but I'm honestly not too afraid about that, it's just a costly repair if it needs to be redone.

Do you believe that shallow V tri-hull would be a good candidate for my fishing conditions?
I kind of like the shallow V, because I assume I could go in shallower waters, and it would be more stable than a Deep V in waves hitting from the side & people moving about in the boat.... I could be wrong though.
As far as the riding condition, I don't need it to be a "hot knife slicing through butter" experience, but, I don't want to feel like I'm about to break my back at the slightest wave either when cruising about from spots to spots.

PunkR0ckz said:

Basically, I fish a river that's somewhat narrow (about 2 kilometers, or 1 mile, at its widest part), which hosts a lot of sea-doos and big watercrafts (houseboats, tourist/guide boats, etc) which often create big wakes. To be honest, I didn't know there were 2 deadrise angles. I knew there were flat bottomed sterns, there were a "hybrid" type (as we call them around here; which is pretty much a very shallow V, like 3-4 inches at most) and what we call Deep Vs (anything above the 3-4 inches of the "hybrid" type).

For a lack of a better way of asking this (I am French Canadian and I can't really come up with a better way of saying it);
Is a Tri-hull a dry or wet run? I assume the 2 additional bumps at the front create some type of a barrier against those weird "splashes" when "crashing" in a wave.

Also, when at rest, how does the Tri-Hull handle the waves sideways? Do they feel kind of tipy like a V hull or more like a pontoon?

Thanks !

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Sounds like the St Lawrence River but narrower.

PunkR0ckz said:

Thanks for your input !
I've been using my uncle's tin boat (kind of a rowboat) and fiberglass runabout, which both are seated higher than my bass boat, and I have had nowhere near as much pain in my lower back as I do with my bass boat, thus why I've been looking at trading it for something where I would sit higher. And, yes, we have hit some pretty rough/choppy waters with them at 30-35mph (a similar speed to my bass boat).

From his pictures, it looks like the flooring was redone not too long ago, with what seems like vinyl on top. I don't see any screws keeping the 2 consoles bolted down to the floor. It is mostly my biggest concern about the hull, other than the ride. Hopefully he has redone the stringers/foam... but I'm honestly not too afraid about that, it's just a costly repair if it needs to be redone.

Do you believe that shallow V tri-hull would be a good candidate for my fishing conditions?
I kind of like the shallow V, because I assume I could go in shallower waters, and it would be more stable than a Deep V in waves hitting from the side & people moving about in the boat.... I could be wrong though.
As far as the riding condition, I don't need it to be a "hot knife slicing through butter" experience, but, I don't want to feel like I'm about to break my back at the slightest wave either when cruising about from spots to spots.

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Grew up on Lake Erie.

As with any boat, condition is everything. A 40-year old boat can be great, and a 10-year old one can be beat to death. All depends on use and storage.

Where you sit in a boat can really affect your back. I have a bad back, also. You want to operate the boat from far back. Look at most newer center-consoles designed for off shore. You are nearly at the stern. Now go ride 1/2 way up toward the bow. You will get a much harder ride.

I sold my Ranger because my back couldn't take the pounding.

Assuming everything is fine. As stated, a tri-hull will ride rough, but you get a stable platform for a drift or trolling. Anything over 3-footers and it's white knuckle, and slow going. We had a 15-footer with an 85 hp Merc. It didn't break and never left us stranded. Again, Lake Erie use.

A true deep-v (deadrise 21 degrees or greater) can flop around from one side to the other on a drift and can be a handful to try and troll a straight course. Great in rough water at speed. Look up a Bertram Moppie 20 or Bahia Mar 20 and look at the transom. Those are true deep-v 20-footers.

Sounds like you need/want a semi-v, aluminum, open fishing boat with a floor.

Waves, are different then chop. As established here, the chop will eat you up in a tri hull. Only you can determine if it's chop or wakes.

OldSailor85 said:

Grew up on Lake Erie.

As with any boat, condition is everything. A 40-year old boat can be great, and a 10-year old one can be beat to death. All depends on use and storage.

Where you sit in a boat can really affect your back. I have a bad back, also. You want to operate the boat from far back. Look at most newer center-consoles designed for off shore. You are nearly at the stern. Now go ride 1/2 way up toward the bow. You will get a much harder ride.

I sold my Ranger because my back couldn't take the pounding.

Assuming everything is fine. As stated, a tri-hull will ride rough, but you get a stable platform for a drift or trolling. Anything over 3-footers and it's white knuckle, and slow going. We had a 15-footer with an 85 hp Merc. It didn't break and never left us stranded. Again, Lake Erie use.

A true deep-v (deadrise 21 degrees or greater) can flop around from one side to the other on a drift and can be a handful to try and troll a straight course. Great in rough water at speed. Look up a Bertram Moppie 20 or Bahia Mar 20 and look at the transom. Those are true deep-v 20-footers.

Sounds like you need/want a semi-v, aluminum, open fishing boat with a floor.

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Thank you greatly on the input here!

You are right about the aluminum, open floor boat. I DO own one, a Starcraft Offshore-V 18 footer, but it requires way too much work and money for my situation right now.

Also, I am planning on bringing my friend's children next year on fishing trips, they are ADHD/hyperactive with decreased motor skills (mostly no balance). Thus why I am looking for a stable boat.

Let's say, I do not go where the water is choppy (so, instead of going up north, I go down south), I still need something stable in the waves from the seadoos/houseboats/tourboats/etc, and I want to be able to fish shallow waters (less than 2 feet high). Would it be a good platform for me? I can do sacrifices if it means I can go more often with my friends. If I want to go in the chops, I could always use my Starcraft Offshore 18' when its ready.

IMO, not for "big" water, but you might consider looking at some of the fishing style pontoon boats. Especially for fishing with kids. Very stable and room for them to move around. Comfortable seating positions. Can go relatively shallow, but you don't want to be scraping the toons along rocks. Not the easiest to manuver, but have front mounted trolling motors. A tri-toon will handle the waves better than a pontoon.

PunkR0ckz said:

Thank you greatly on the input here!

You are right about the aluminum, open floor boat. I DO own one, a Starcraft Offshore-V 18 footer, but it requires way too much work and money for my situation right now.

Also, I am planning on bringing my friend's children next year on fishing trips, they are ADHD/hyperactive with decreased motor skills (mostly no balance). Thus why I am looking for a stable boat.

Let's say, I do not go where the water is choppy (so, instead of going up north, I go down south), I still need something stable in the waves from the seadoos/houseboats/tourboats/etc, and I want to be able to fish shallow waters (less than 2 feet high). Would it be a good platform for me? I can do sacrifices if it means I can go more often with my friends. If I want to go in the chops, I could always use my Starcraft Offshore 18' when its ready.

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Every boat is a compromise. That Bahia Mar is a little overkill for an inland lake or reservoir. A bass boat or bay boat is out of its element off-shore. I've seen an Amphicar in Lake Erie, glass calm, but still...

Define the water and conditions you will use it on 80% of the time and try and get something to match.

Then there's that ugly "budget" word.

You mentioned a river and going a bit up the tributaries. Mind naming the river? I'm in Ohio, and there's a huge difference between the Ohio River and say, the Tuscarawas River.

A pontoon boat can be fine for inland lakes, or rivers with little or no commercial traffic. Been on a few on inland lakes and they were a blast with all the wide open room. Obvious stability and guardrails, etc.

For little kids and handicapped persons, hard to beat a pontoon, but around here almost no-one trailers one. Honestly haven't seen a pontoon boat on a trailer I would want to tow any distance.

Have looked into a "deck boat"? Just an example or two.

https://www.bayliner.com/us/en/boats/deck-boat/m19.html

OldSailor85 said:

Every boat is a compromise. That Bahia Mar is a little overkill for an inland lake or reservoir. A bass boat or bay boat is out of its element off-shore. I've seen an Amphicar in Lake Erie, glass calm, but still...

Define the water and conditions you will use it on 80% of the time and try and get something to match.

Then there's that ugly "budget" word.

You mentioned a river and going a bit up the tributaries. Mind naming the river? I'm in Ohio, and there's a huge difference between the Ohio River and say, the Tuscarawas River.

A pontoon boat can be fine for inland lakes, or rivers with little or no commercial traffic. Been on a few on inland lakes and they were a blast with all the wide open room. Obvious stability and guardrails, etc.

For little kids and handicapped persons, hard to beat a pontoon, but around here almost no-one trailers one. Honestly haven't seen a pontoon boat on a trailer I would want to tow any distance.

Have looked into a "deck boat"? Just an example or two.

https://www.bayliner.com/us/en/boats/deck-boat/m19.html

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As I mentioned, I am searching for a trade, and people with deck boats are pricing them at double my bass boat's worth, so they are out of the equation, unfortunately, but yes, I had looked at them before.
As far as the river I go on, I doubt anyone would know it. It is the "Rivière Richelieu" on the south shore of Montreal in Quebec, Canada.
As an example, on a usual fishing trip, it goes like this;
From the US borders to about 5 miles up north from my Marina where I drop off the boat, the water is very calm, not glass-like calm, but almost, as it has a lot of trees covering the area and it is pretty narrow. Then, at about that 5 miles distance up north, it almost triples in width and the trees are lesser, so the wind generates bigger chops and more constant as well.
I've seen a few videos on YT of the river I fish, if you want to look it up, one that shows the "general" conditions I fish in is called "Une journée sur la rivière Richelieu" by "Grégory Chapelier", and you'll see the condition at around 1:45 and at around 3:30 you see a "typical" width of the river. Only thing missing is the boats and seadoos dumb drivers generating pretty big waves less than 200 feet away from you when you fish.

PunkR0ckz said:

As I mentioned, I am searching for a trade, and people with deck boats are pricing them at double my bass boat's worth, so they are out of the equation, unfortunately, but yes, I had looked at them before.
As far as the river I go on, I doubt anyone would know it. It is the "Rivière Richelieu" on the south shore of Montreal in Quebec, Canada.
As an example, on a usual fishing trip, it goes like this;
From the US borders to about 5 miles up north from my Marina where I drop off the boat, the water is very calm, not glass-like calm, but almost, as it has a lot of trees covering the area and it is pretty narrow. Then, at about that 5 miles distance up north, it almost triples in width and the trees are lesser, so the wind generates bigger chops and more constant as well.
I've seen a few videos on YT of the river I fish, if you want to look it up, one that shows the "general" conditions I fish in is called "Une journée sur la rivière Richelieu" by "Grégory Chapelier", and you'll see the condition at around 1:45 and at around 3:30 you see a "typical" width of the river. Only thing missing is the boats and seadoos dumb drivers generating pretty big waves less than 200 feet away from you when you fish.

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Looks like pretty significant water. Get a good wind blowing upstream I bet you get some decent chop.

Good luck. You'll find something.

Have you considered a shock absorbing seat retrofit?

I'm pretty wary of trade deals. I guess in the rare case you might run into a deal where both parties are looking for a better fit, but all I've ever ran into is one guy trying to pull a fast one on the other.

I don't think you'll be gaining much in that trade for the tri-hull. They definitely didn't stop producing that design for decades because it was exceptionally good. They were one of the first to have a wide, open bow which was nice, and they were stable. But, depending on the specific hull, some of them rode really rough and made for a wet ride in quartering seas.

I'd probably opt to sell your rig and buy a true open floor Deep-V, or change up the seating options in your boat.

Weldorthemagnificent said:

Have you considered a shock absorbing seat retrofit?

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My seats are fixed to the hull with a hinge that pivots "inwards" (towards the console) for a tiny bit of storage under the seats.
I could most likely rig up something; remove the seats from the hinges, bolt an aluminum plate to the hinges, bolt the absorbers on the plates and bolt the seats on the plates...
That's an interesting idea.