Boat Reviews

Four of the Deepest Deep-V Center Consoles

Pluses and trade-offs for boats with sharp keels

By Chris Woodward

Updated: April 1, 2015

In a recent article, I looked at the characteristics of beamy offshore boats, where designers try to enhance the inherent qualities — comfort at rest and room on deck — by building in ride and rough-water performance features. The deepest-deep-V boatbuilders face the opposite challenge: how to give anglers elbowroom and a relaxing platform to fish while continuing to deliver speed and seakeeping. To explore this quandary with builders, I chose four boats that carry transom deadrise angles of at least 24 degrees. They are pictured in this gallery beginning with the sharpest V.

Sea Vee 320Z

SeaVee‘s stepped-hull 320Z features a 25-degree transom deadrise — that’s at the high end of the deep-V scale, which is generally considered to range from 22 to 25 degrees. The higher the deadrise angle for a given hull, the lower the “accelerations” — G-forces felt by the occupants of a boat running through waves — which translates to a smoother ride, says Rob Kaidy, vice president of engineering for SeaVee. “However, that comes at a cost. The higher the deadrise of the boat, the higher the drag. So we’re looking for a compromise.” Kaidy says that many factors must be considered when choosing the right deadrise. “The important thing to remember in engineering is that each characteristic of the hull form must be chosen with regard to all of the others,” he says. “For a particular design, the boat might have a higher length-to-beam ratio, which is good for seakeeping but bad for performance… … continued on next image.

Sea Vee 320Z

…In this case, we can reduce the deadrise to get more performance but still have great seakeeping. It’s all a balance of design parameters, using the right design algorithms to arrive at the design goal.” Another key parameter not often discussed is midship deadrise — the deadrise on the hull from the transom halfway forward to where the chines intersect the stem. “This value is used to calculate the overall resistance of the running bottom when using the planning-hull algorithm,” he says. That’s a fancy way of saying that the higher the midship deadrise, the higher the overall resistance. “So we engineer the deadrise distribution from stem to stern to have a specific value and a specific distribution over the entire boat.” Specifications
LOA: 32 ft. 5 in.
BEAM: 9 ft. 4 in.
TRANSOM DEADRISE: 25 deg.
DRY WEIGHT: 6,820 lb.
MAX POWER: 800 hp

Contender 35T

Contender says it has used a 24.5-degree transom deadrise for its deep-V center-console hulls since the company started. “We found that 24.5 degrees is the perfect compromise of speed, efficiency and a soft ride. A deeper V would yield a softer ride but at a loss of efficiency,” says Contender engineer Chris Becker. Contender’s 25 Bay and new 22 and 24 Sport models employ 15.5- and 22.5-degree transom angles because their purposes require less deadrise. The bay boat needs a shallower draft, and the Sport models feature that slightly decreased angle to increase the running efficiency (deeper deadrise boats require more power to achieve the same speed) without sacrificing the ride. As with virtually all boats, the deadrise angle deepens from stern to bow. “It’s important to have a steeper deadrise up forward because this is where the most lift is generated and also where the hull has the most interaction with the waves,” Becker says. … continued on next image.

Contender 35T

At 80 percent of the LWL (load waterline length) forward of the transom, the 35T’s deadrise is 38 degrees. “But I hesitate to call that the ‘angle of entry’ because the point of entry varies based on hull loading and trim.” Between the entry and the transom, the angle transitions. Just how that transition occurs determines the boat’s running characteristics, including load-carrying capacity, running angles, tracking ability and responsiveness. “This variable-deadrise bottom is coupled with properly designed lifting strakes and chines to create a soft, fast, agile hull form.” Specifications
LOA: 34 ft. 10 in.
BEAM: 10 ft.
TRANSOM DEADRISE: 24.5 deg.
DRY WEIGHT: 6,600 lb.
MAX POWER: 1,050 hp

Jupiter 38 HFS

The typical fishing boat is tasked with long runs and the need to carry loads of sometimes-fragile live bait. So, the ride must be safe and comfortable, even in poor weather, says Todd Albrecht, Jupiter‘s vice president of sales. The Jupiter 38 HFS features a transom deadrise of 24 degrees and a posi-stern pad design. The latter keeps the hull riding higher in the water column, and allows the reverse chines to knock down spray. At the bow, Jupiter designs a 60-degree entry, which “equates to a knifelike action, cutting through the wave instead of punching through like a more bulbous Carolina style,” Albrecht says. … continued on next image.

Jupiter 38 HFS

Multiple full-length lifting strakes along the hull bottom encourage a flatter, more-level running attitude. Albrecht says that uniform ride, in turn, lowers the sharp bow V into the sea without the use of trim tabs. Jupiter does build other hulls with lower deadrise angles based on the boat’s purpose and its horsepower requirements. “Are we trying to utilize the lighter weight of the in-line four-cylinder engine or the V-6? Or do we need the torque of the larger, heavier V-8?” he asks. “More deadrise typically equates to a better ride in bigger sea conditions, but that is not always what a buyer is looking for. Someone who seldom heads offshore in rough water might be concerned with stability at rest and is looking for less deadrise.” Specifications
LOA: 38 ft. 2 in.
BEAM: 10 ft. 7 in.
TRANSOM DEADRISE: 24 deg.
DRY WEIGHT: 11,480 lb. (w/ engines)
MAX POWER: 1,050 hp

Regulator 34

A 24-degree transom deadrise best suits the size boats that Regulator currently makes, says Lou Codega, naval architect and designer for the brand. “Historically, that has proved itself to produce a hull that creates the best combination of ride quality, stability on the troll, speed, and fuel economy for planing boats of this size,” Codega says. However, in the past, when Regulator built a 21-footer, he employed a 20-degree deadrise, “and would consider something less [than 24 degrees] if the size of the line expands.” … continued on next image.

Regulator 34

At the bow, Regulators feature as much as 54 degrees of deadrise. “A high deadrise forward produces the smooth, dry ride that is characteristic of all Regulators,” he says. “The deadrise forward and the transition from the deadrise at the transom are vitally important because the forward area of the hull impacts the waves first and most often.” Codega says all Regulator hulls feature slight differences based on their specific goals and their power needs. But all share some characteristics. “There are no flat spots anywhere along the hull so as to minimize pounding. Forward, the deadrise angles are very steep, and the waterline entrance angles are very fine to give the smoothest, driest ride possible,” he says. Specifications
LOA: 33 ft. 10 in.
BEAM: 10 ft. 11 in.
TRANSOM DEADRISE: 24 deg.
DRY WEIGHT: 11,315 lb. (w/ engines)
MAX POWER: 900 hp